Innovation

Today the world is covered by nearly 71% of water, but only 2.5% is freshwater. This doesn’t mean that 2.5% is usable, actually only 1% of the water is available for us humans and other creatures on earth, with much of it trapped in glaciers and snowfields.The rest of the water is saline or ocean-based. The water that we have on the planet is never sitting still, thanks to the water-cycle, which means that it moves from one place to another, and from one form to another. But since the world's’ population is growing, the competition for a clean, copious supply of water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and sustaining life intensifies. So what can we do about this? How can we use water in a more sustainable way?

Mr. Koren explains to us what the product really is and how it works. Orbital Systems has developed a shower (OAS) that saves over 90% of the water and 80% of the energy used while showering and turns the tap-water into cleaner water. The company describes their product as the following: “OAS lets people use all the water they want without using very much of it. By treating water as the precious resource it is, we will radically change clean water availability to all.” The product has been patented and has saved 100,000 litres of water when, in 2013, was installed in two shower-systems in the swimming-hall Ribersborgs Kallbadhus in Malmö, Sweden.

Orbital systems has won several awards for their product, where Mehrdad himself won the prize for Sweden's’ biggest inventor, and was also chosen as the technician of the year, in 2014. The same year he was also given one of the biggest inventor-prizes for his product.

Inspiration

Ilja Koren, the Chief People Officer at Orbital Systems whom we interviewed, describes how the company was founded. Mehrdad Mahdjoubi was the founder of the company, Orbital Systems, which he founded 5 years ago (2012). He studied industrial design and got the opportunity to have an internship within NASA where they worked with the Mars mission. They looked into solutions to the water problem where they explored the idea of reusing water. This is where Mehrdad got inspired. He started questioning the way we use fresh drinkable water in Sweden, and then developed the idea of how we could use drinkable water in a smarter way.

Overall impact

As mentioned earlier, the product saves a large amount of water and energy while showering. So this alone has a huge impact on the planet today, with this product, consumers are making progress toward a more sustainable use of water. The UN-goal that Orbital Systems works towards reaching, goal number 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities, is one of the impacts the company has in Europe. Mr Koren comments this with “Our product and the future products that we plan to develop, might as well have positive effects on the other UN-goals”. Since the company is also growing today, where they are located in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and USA, they are already well on their way to impact more countries than Sweden with saving water.

Business benefit

“Orbital Systems is an award-winning leader in optimizing personal use of fresh water. We are changing the way the world sees, uses and lives with water—from unlimited commodity to precious resource. If you share our determination and passion for creating that change today, join us.”

According to Mr Koren, they don’t have any competition because there aren’t any companies that have a similar product on the market, even if there are companies that are in a development phase. Orbital Systems has a portfolio with patents and they are constantly applying for new ones to protect their technology. Except from the technology, another main focus is on attracting the very best and brightest people to Orbital Systems. They are making sure that it is a workplace driven by values, is fun, and yet challenging. Those aspects help the company become competitive through being a company where people feel comfortable, for the long-term. Also, Orbital System does not need a green label since they do environmental improvements and find a sustainable solution. For Orbital Systems, the environment and profits go hand in hand because while improving their sustainability, they will have a higher profit. Therefore, the employees will be also motivated and satisfied since everyone at the company are shareholders, which means that if the company profits, so do the employees, and the environment.

Social and environmental benefit

What would a vision of a better world be?

“It would be a world where the government had realized that environmental problems is one of the most important global problem there is. To work together on a global level to solve the global problems. The problems can’t be solved just by one nation. We need to dream, no nationalism and remove the borders, because the earth belongs to all of us”.

When we interviewed Mr Koren, he emphasized their strong organizational culture. When he started working at Orbital Systems, the organization was new and the product was a prototype. One of the most important tasks was to set good values in their company. “I think that one of the most important things we’ve done within the company was to set the ground-values that makes it easier for us, like a compass to show every employee what direction the company is going but still understand the big picture”.

The management in Orbital Systems chose to integrate three values in the core of the company:

1. “We solve it”. The concept “We solve it” means that the people in the company are solution-driven but also that we are a “we” because it’s so many different parts in a company that need to function together. So, they want to see the problem as a challenge and see it in a positive way.

2. “Avant-garde”. “Is this the best way to solve the problem or does a better way exist?” The company changes constantly, and individuals need to be comfortable with the constant change.

3. “Love for the craft”. The most important value is that the employee need to be passionate for the company. Orbital Systems vision and mission are how water is going to be used on a global scale. Orbital Systems is not going to change the world next year, they have only just begun the journey. The people from the HR department are making sure that the people are doing what they are best at and that they are satisfied.

“If you do what you are love and are passionate about, it becomes natural to thrive and be better. Push yourself. Be passionate about your role in the company and what the company can achieve!”

Interview

Ilja Koren, Chief People Officer