Laila Sofie MidjordCo-Founder & Entrepreneur

How Inclusive Design Shaped Drinksaver and Won a Red Dot — My Startup Journey

What happens when you design with everyone in mind? In this talk, I’ll share how inclusive thinking led to the creation of Drinksaver—a non-stigmatizing drinking aid that’s both elegant and discreet—and how it ultimately earned a Red Dot Design Award. From growing up in the Faroe Islands to founding a startup in Denmark, I’ll take you through my entrepreneurial journey and how designing for inclusion opened unexpected doors

Laila Midjord is a Faroese entrepreneur and co-founder of DrinkSaver, a Danish company developing innovative spill-proof drinking solutions. Their design—a lid that minimizes spillage while allowing the user to drink from the glass—earned the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for its functionality and design. The company also won the National Startup Competition in Denmark, leading to participation in the University Startup World Cup, where they placed second in the Product category.

With a background in civil engineering, specializing in design and innovation, Laila has played a key role in building the company. As CEO, she led the business from identifying market needs to product development and international sales. Today, she remains an integral part of DrinkSaver, continuing to develop its lids while also being open to new opportunities and challenges.