Draft:Anna Stork

• Comment: This is written like a journalist piece, not an encyclopedic article. qcne (talk) 20:44, 16 November 2024 (UTC)

• Comment: Too many WP:PRIMARY sources, requires independent reliable sources KylieTastic (talk) 20:47, 15 November 2024 (UTC)

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Anna Stork is an American inventor and entrepreneur who co-founded LuminAID, a company that produces inflatable solar-powered lanterns. These lanterns were created to provide portable and reliable lighting in areas and regions recovering from disasters that are without stable access to electricity. Her work has contributed to humanitarian aid efforts and the continued development of sustainable lighting solutions.

Education and Early Career

Stork graduated from Dartmouth College in 2008 with a degree in engineering sciences and studio art. Her studies combined technical and creative disciplines. After Dartmouth, she pursued a Master of Architecture at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. While attending Columbia, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti inspired her professor to change the focus of the class to disaster relief for a studio project. Stork, along with her classmate Andrea Sreshta, developed the concept for a solar-powered inflatable lantern. The design addressed the lack of safe and accessible lighting in disaster zones and eventually became the core idea behind LuminAID.

Founding LuminAID

Stork and Sreshta launched LuminAID in 2011. The initial lantern design was inflatable and lightweight, making it easy to transport and use in emergencies. It could be charged using solar power, which offered a sustainable and affordable solution to areas without electricity. The original model required users to inflate the lantern by blowing air into a valve. However, further versions introduced a twist-to-inflate system for convenience. In 2014, Stork and Sreshta went on Shark Tank, where they pitched LuminAID to a panel of investors. All five panelists made offers, but the co-founders ultimately accepted Mark Cuban’s proposal of $200,000 for a 15% stake in the company.

Product Design and Features

LuminAID’s PackLite Nova USB lantern is compact, durable, and designed for use in humanitarian and recreational contexts. It is waterproof, floatable, and dustproof, making it suitable for a variety of environments. The lantern can be charged via solar power in approximately ten hours or through USB in one to two hours. Depending on the brightness setting, the lanterns provide light for three to 24 hours, with outputs ranging from 12 to 75 lumens.

Impact and humanitarian efforts

LuminAID’s products have been distributed in over 100 countries and are widely used in disaster response efforts. They are also popular with outdoor enthusiasts and are sold in retail stores like REI and online. The company’s Give Light, Get Light program enables customers to donate lanterns to needy people. Through this initiative, more than 50,000 lanterns have been distributed to communities recovering from disasters or living in underserved areas. LuminAID has also partnered with organizations like buildOn to promote education and literacy. For example, in 2018, the company provided lanterns to women in rural areas, helping them access light for reading and studying.

Acquisition and Legacy

In 2021, LuminAID was acquired by Adventure Ready Brands, a move that allowed the company to expand its reach and operations. Stork’s work in creating sustainable and portable lighting solutions has had a significant impact on disaster relief efforts and humanitarian aid, helping address the challenges faced by communities without reliable electricity.