Stellenbosch University incubator LaunchLab has announced the winners of an entrepreneurial challenge that looked for ideas, innovations and potential solutions that may positively impact or improve the water and waste issues in the Western Cape and South Africa.
Disrupt Africa reported in March LaunchLab had partnered SustNet to launch the challenge to look for solutions to the local, national and international water crisis.
Submissions were narrowed down to the best 11 finalists, who then pitched their innovative ideas during a final event. The judging panel consisted of six judges selected from the Stellenbosch Municipality, Israeli High Commission, Enkanini Research Center, Aurecon and Stellenbosch University.
The Water & Waste Management Innovation Challenge winners are Jacobus Els, for a soil moisture monitoring system; Peter Turner, for an automated grey water system; Jurie Erwee, for a smart geyser control system on an IoT platform; and Bettina Botha, for plastic balls aimed at reducing the evaporation of dam water.
The four winners each receive seed funding and incubation support from the LaunchLab for the next six months to launch and grow their business ideas. The LaunchLab will be carefully monitoring the development of these business ideas during this time to gauge their potential to positively impact or improve the water and waste issues in the Western Cape and South Africa.
