Design Challenge finalist makes Forbes’ Top 30 Under 30 list
February 2016
Arne Pauwels, founder of Wakati and a finalist in the 2013 Biomimicry Student Design Challenge, was recently named one of Europe’s top young social entrepreneurs in Forbes’ latest Top 30 under 30 list.
Arne and his team from the Artesis University College in Belgium won second place in the Biomimicry Student Design Challenge for their innovative method for preserving fruits and vegetables without refrigeration. Inspired by honeybees and plants, this low-cost evaporative cooler is designed to keep perishable food fresh longer after harvest, using less water and energy than traditional evaporative cooler or refrigeration approaches. The Wakati cooler not only reduces food waste, but it also benefits farmers economically by increasing the shelf life of perishable fruits and vegetables.
After their Challenge win, the Wakati team has been prototyping and testing the Wakati design in places like Haiti, Uganda, and Afghanistan and are currently working to bring the device to market.
Congratulations, Arne! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.
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