When product developers Alec Drummond and Jonathan Cedar began tinkering with combustion stoves during in their free time in 2006, they weren’t intending to build a product that could improve (and save) lives in the developing world.

Back then, the two coworkers had a very different aim and target market: saving money and eliminating aggravation for recreational campers.

Frustrated with constantly having to ration fuel during their frequent weekend camping trips, Drummond and Cedar set out to design a field stove that could run off-the-grid and without gas or batteries.