BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Design Outreach

For local nonprofit Design Outreach, located on Johnstown Road, it all started halfway around the globe from Gahanna. When CEO and Co-founder Greg Bixler returned from a mission trip in Central Asia 15 years ago, he was determined to use his engineering skills to create a solution for one of the biggest challenges facing the world right now: water poverty.

Recognizing that existing water pumps in developing countries often last only 6 months before breaking down, Bixler knew there had to be a better way. “If we can send a man to the moon, then I knew creating durable water pumps was doable,” he said.

Collaborating with other engineers, he and Co-founder Abe Wright formed Design Outreach with the mission of creating lifesustaining technologies that alleviate global poverty. Their first goal: invent a new pump that could reach deeper into the ground than traditional hand pumps and last for decades without failure, providing rural communities with safe, reliable water. LifePump was created, and today, 161 installed LifePumps are providing communities with life-changing water in 10 countries across Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.

Bixler, who is both a professional engineer and has his PhD from The Ohio State University, currently teaches at his alma mater in the College of Engineering, in addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of this growing organization. His worldview certainly impacted the overall direction of Design Outreach. “We’re really motivated by our Christian faith,” he said. “I was born in a country that isn’t facing these huge problems. This is where a nonprofit organization can step in and make a difference. Before, a lot of well-meaning nonprofits were failing to meet the water needs of communities in these developing countries. The water pumps kept breaking, and it was a severe problem that no one could ignore. Our team was determined to solve this problem, and it’s been critical to partner with both other nonprofits and corporations.”

Design Outreach relies on volunteers who want to make a difference and values building relationships with people who have highly sought-after skill sets. They’ve attracted engineers and individuals in other important trades, including accounting, law, project management and business development. Some volunteers came from large, well-known corporations like Johnson & Johnson. It has proven to be an opportunity for people to continue to do what they love while making a real difference to solve a survival problem. “People are making a real impact, and it’s something to take a lot of pride in,” Bixler said. The organization is a great outlet for those with technical skills who want to make a visible, tangible difference by developing technologies to improve the lives of those living in poverty. In 2021, Design Outreach benefitted from dozens of subject matter experts giving over 6,000 professional hours to help create and scale the appropriate technologies.

The Design Outreach employee base is

also growing. The current staff of 19 will soon grow to 23, according to Bixler. During the pandemic, Design Outreach’s work continued as many supporters collaborated virtually from all over the country, including Florida, Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana.

No matter how far-reaching their influence, Bixler says Gahanna is home. “Coming from Battelle, I know that Gahanna is a great middle ground to access volunteers across Central Ohio, especially with the access points to I-270. Because we work with companies from all over the country and internationally, it’s so great to have the airport nearby, too. Gahanna is really great…it’s the best little town in America.”

↓ Clean water flowing into the Design Outreach cup

Learn more at doutreach.org

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