Cotopaxi

We create innovative outdoor products and experiences that fund sustainable poverty alleviation, inspire adventure and move people to do good.

Established in 2014.
Our founder, Davis Smith, grew up in Latin America and lived for several years in Ecuador. When he wasn’t in school, Davis was exploring and camping in Cotopaxi National Park. It was here that he developed a lifelong reverence for the strong, hard-working people of the Andes. His time in Latin America also showed him the plight of those in abject poverty. Davis later moved to the United States, where he pursued advanced degrees in business and international studies. He started several successful e-commerce businesses, two of which took him to Brazil, where he lived from 2010 to 2013. Despite his success, he wanted to do more to make a difference in the world. For his next venture, he decided to merge his love of travel with a poverty-fighting business model. Each customer’s purchase would give to those living in the world’s poorest regions. He named the company Cotopaxi to represent the spirit of adventure, optimism, and determination that he’d experienced during his time in Ecuador.