South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme (SASTEP)

Marketplace administrator:

Water Research Commission

Description of marketplace platform:

System of innovation platform that seeks fast-track the adoption of innovative and emerging sanitation technologies in South Africa through fostering local manufacturing and commercialization. The core strategy of the programme is to support and empower sanitation innovators (technology partners) and sanitation entrepreneurs (commercial partners). The SASTEP approach is hinged on the formation of collaborative partnership with sanitation innovators and entrepreneurs to ensure the translation of suitable and appropriate sanitation technologies to the marketplace.
The programme was created by the Water Research Commission (WRC) in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and the Bill and Melinda Foundation (BMGF) and with the support of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
The programme is an operation vehicle of the WRC’s transformational vision SANiTi: Sanitation Transformation Initiative.

Operation and functionality of the platform:

The platform’s operations are funded by grants from donors i.e. the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), and the Bill and Melinda Foundation (BMGF). The platform supports sanitation innovators, entrepreneurs and SMMEs.

Benefits to users of the platform:

Sanitation technology assessment, evaluation and validation, enterprise development, matchmaking, business and commercial development of viable sanitation technologies.

Registering to use the platform:

Interested innovators/entrepreneur can contact the programme management team. Solutions, products and technologies that meet the programme criteria will be on-boarded .

Eligibility criteria for innovators/entrepreneurs to use the platform:

The platform assists technology and commercial partners with highly innovative sanitation technologies that meet but not limited to the following criteria:
• Innovative off-grid sanitation front end solution that require little or no water for flushing
• Urine diversion technologies
• Off-grid faecal sludge treatment technologies
• Off-grid blackwater treatment technologies
• Locally developed technologies or technologies that have already been localised
• Innovative sanitary pad disposal systems
• Innovative off-grids sanitation solutions that produce beneficial product from sanitation wastes

Terms, conditions and costs involved:

Contact SASTEP Programme Manager.