Inno Neat has developed a solar-powered water filter that removes contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and heavy metals for rural communities.

Kenyan startup Inno Neat has developed a solar-powered water filter that removes contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and heavy metals.

The company claims to have already deployed three prototypes of “SafiSolar” for women’s groups in western Kenya. The units reportedly provide an average of 5,000 liters of drinking water to around 250 homes daily.

“Over the next two to five years, we aim to expand our impact by expanding to more communities in Kenya and beyond. This expansion will be facilitated by strategic partnerships, increased production and continued innovation to make our solution even more efficient and accessible,” said founder and CEO Godfrey Katiambo.

The solution will be billed via a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) system in order to address low-income communities. Indeed, without financial capacity, these households cannot equip themselves with this type of expensive equipment. Inno-Neat intends to bill them on a per-deal basis, monthly or weekly, and via existing PAYG solutions which offer a rental model based essentially on mobile money.

The distribution of the product will be carried out through direct sales and partnerships with community associations, NGOs and local authorities. Inno Neat plans to earn revenue from the sale of SafiSolar systems and replacement filters and estimates recurring revenue potential through ongoing maintenance and ancillary services.

To finance its development, the company hopes to raise $250,000 via a fundraiser that it launched on its website.

From: MARIE BEYER