Openversum

Openversum

Openversum

Improving health access by equipping local entrepreneurs with tools to deliver safe water and reduce preventable disease.

Zürich, Switzerland

CHE

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

In rural and peri-urban communities, unsafe drinking water is a major health risk, contributing to preventable diseases that strain local health systems. Globally, 4.4 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, and inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) causes 842,000 deaths annually in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Of these, 502,000 deaths are attributed to unsafe drinking water, and over 361,000 are children under five. In Colombia, 81% of households we surveyed drink water contaminated with fecal bacteria. Similarly, in Uganda, 83% of families reported at least one case of diarrhea in the past month, with nearly 90% of households with young children having a sick child. Despite the widespread impact, many families don't treat their water due to the high costs of boiling or bottled water, leading to missed school, lost income, and repeated illness. The situation worsens with heavy metal exposure, with illegal mining contributing to contamination of rural water sources. This exposes communities to lead, mercury, and arsenic, causing long-term health issues like chronic diseases and developmental delays. Our solution enables communities to prevent disease themselves, building resilience where formal health systems are absent or overburdened. This approach reduces reliance on overstretched health infrastructure, supporting health system resilience from the ground up.

Openversum provides a community-driven, sustainable solution to prevent waterborne diseases and promote health equity through clean water access. We manufacture household water filters that use a gravity-based system to remove 99,99999% bacteria, heavy metals (like lead and arsenic), and other contaminants. Each unit serves a family of five, lasts for years, and requires no electricity, making it ideal for off-grid and underserved areas. The core of our approach is community empowerment. We train local women and youth to become certified water entrepreneurs, giving them the tools to assemble, sell, and install filters, while teaching families about safe water storage, hygiene, and disease prevention. This not only provides immediate access to clean water, but also creates long-term local capacity to manage health challenges. Our mobile app helps entrepreneurs track inventory, monitor client data, and collect GPS-based impact data. Entrepreneurs also benefit from an e-learning platform with ongoing training on WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), business management, and communication. By leveraging local leadership and sustainable technology, our solution delivers preventive care, builds resilience, and reduces the strain on health systems. Openversum is addressing gaps in public health delivery by creating community-based solutions that can be scaled, reducing dependency on overburdened health infrastructures.

Openversum serves rural families, particularly women and youth in underserved areas, where unsafe water is a major health risk and formal health systems are scarce. For example, in Colombia, 81% of households drink water contaminated with fecal bacteria, while 83% of families in Uganda report diarrheal illness, with children missing an average of five school days a month due to waterborne diseases. Women are disproportionately affected as they bear the responsibility for water collection, caregiving, and health decisions, yet often lack access to essential tools, training, and support to address these issues. Our solution trains women and youth to become certified water entrepreneurs, empowering them to install water filters, teach hygiene practices, and manage safe water at the household level. This approach not only provides access to safe drinking water but also reduces waterborne diseases, saving time, money, and improving school attendance. By building local capacity and promoting health literacy, Openversum helps communities become more resilient, reduces reliance on overburdened health systems, and strengthens health equity, ensuring sustainable improvements in health outcomes and quality of life.