Wharton alum Davis Smith (WG’11, G’11) and his wife Asialene started their outdoor gear company, Cotopaxi, with a simple goal – to make gear for good. With more than a billion people living in extreme poverty, Cotopaxi, has a social mission rooted in the personal experiences of its founders. This social impact venture began on a trek to Peru where the couple met Edgar, a little boy on the street who insisted on shining Davis’ shoes. Their immediate connection with Edgar spawned the concept of their company with the premise of improving the human condition through producing a great product.
Cotopaxi boasts two key differences between them and other outdoor companies. First, they are direct-to-consumer by making their own gear and selling straight to their customers and secondly, each piece of their gear is tied to a humanitarian cause. Stocking up for an outdoor adventure never felt so good, here is their story: