Andrea Sreshta
Overview
Andrea Sreshta is the co-founder of LuminAID [1]. When an earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, Sreshta wanted to contribute, so she and Anna Stork designed LuminAID [1]. This is a rechargeable, waterproof, lightweight, floatable, inflatable LED solar lantern that can provide a safer, cleaner light source in an emergency or desperate situations, such as earthquakes [1]. Sreshta and Stork founded LuminAID Lab in 2011 and have partnered with non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations around the world to distribute thousands of LuminAID to people in need in more than a dozen countries through the “Give Light, Get Light” program [2]. LuminAID Lab has also developed a few different lines, such as camp lights, while also adding other features, such as charging mobile phones, to make their products useful not only in times of crisis but also in everyday life [3].
Early Life and Education
The daughter of Indian immigrants, Sreshta grew up in an environment that emphasized education [4]. She enrolled as an undergraduate at Yale University in 2002 and received her bachelor’s degree in architecture in 2006 [5]. She then joined Kohn Pedersen Fox from 2006 to 2008 as a junior architect for one year and eight months [5]. In 2008, she enrolled in a master’s degree in architecture at Columbia University in the City of New York [5]. She then attended The University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2011 and received her master’s degree in Business Administration [5]. At Columbia University, Sreshta met Anna Stork [2]. As Sreshta said, “We had worked on a lot of team projects together. We were always on the same page” [1]. This laid a solid foundation for their close cooperation later.
Invention
In 2010, a devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 160,000 people and displacing 1.5 million people [6]. After reading the report, Andrea Sreshta and Anna Stork started thinking about what they could do to help those affected by the disaster [4]. Sreshta said the first thing they needed to do was identify pain points and problems [4]. After reviewing various news reports about the Haiti earthquake, they quickly noticed that a shortage of batteries, the potential dangers of candles, and a failing electrical grid had created one crucial but overlooked need: lighting [4]. Solar panels were a potential solution because Haiti lacked a robust power grid but had plenty of natural sunlight, but they were not widely used after the disaster [4]. After discovering this phenomenon, Sreshta and Stork decided to create a solar-powered lighting device that could be easily transported and distributed in large numbers [4]. To raise money, they went on Shark Tank and were fortunate enough to land a sizable investment [4]. The duo began designing LuminAID, a portable, compact, waterproof, buoyant, rechargeable LED solar light [1]. It’s a flat, compact cuboid, no bigger than a smartphone [2]. When in use, one needs first to inflate it with a valve [1]. The inflation will diffuse the light like a lantern, protecting the eyes from the light source [1]. LuminAID can provide illumination for up to 50 hours when fully charged using sunlight [7].
Impact
With the help of Shark Tank, Sreshta and Stork created the “Give Light, Get Light” program, where when someone buys a LuminAID, the company will donate a lantern to someone in need, which has helped people in more than a dozen countries [8]. LuminAID’s features also make it suitable for camping, hiking, and outdoor night activities and other scenarios, so now LuminAID company has also made appropriate modifications to its products, adding functions such as color change, charging for mobile phones, etc., thus further expanding the market [8].
References
1. Gross, A. (2020, March 30). After disaster strikes, two women light the way with luminaid. Ideas. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.wework.com/ideas/community-stories/member-spotlight/after-disaster-strikes-two-women-help-light-the-way-with-luminaid
2. LuminAID: A bright idea from Anna Stork and Andrea Sreshta. Women You Should Know®. (2013, January 10). Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://womenyoushouldknow.net/luminaid-a-bright-idea-from-anna-stork-andrea-sreshta/
3. Luminaid Solar Lanterns and solar 2-in-1 phone chargers. LuminAID. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://luminaid.com/
4. Andrea Sreshta: Lighting up the startup scene. Women Tech Founders. (2020, June 17). Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://womentechfounders.com/andrea-sreshtas-story-lighting-up-the-startup-scene-one-solar-lantern-at-a-time/
5. Sreshta, A. (n.d.). LinkedIn. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-sreshta-17553224
6. Gordon, C. (2015, November 1). Illuminating invention. The Buzz Magazines. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://thebuzzmagazines.com/articles/2015/11/illuminating-invention
7. ANDREA SRESHTA, '16. Chicago Booth. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.chicagobooth.edu/alumni/clubs/womens-network/spotlight-archives/andrea-sreshta
8. Rodgers, C., & Fraioli, S. (2019, May 9). Mark Cuban-backed start-up luminaid helps first responders in an innovative way. CNBC. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/09/mark-cuban-backed-start-up-luminaid-helps-first-responders-in-an-innovative-way.html
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