Call for Innovation in Smart Public Sanitation Facilities

Call for Innovation in Smart Public Sanitation Facilities

The FINISH Mondial program is seeking innovation on public sanitation facilities.

Application is open till the 30th of November.

The Challenge

Year over year, governments in low-income countries spend millions of euros in new construction of public and / or institutional sanitation facilities in places such as schools, hospitals and health centres, public markets etc.

However, due to lack of regular maintenance and high operational costs many end up being not used.

In addition, the following problems have been identified which make the public toilets expensive, unusable and unsustainable:

Lack of electricity

Inefficient use or lack of water

Structure damage

Frequent requirement for some retrofitting/ maintenance and repair due to vandalism

Unpleasant/not welcoming to use

What Are We Looking For?

Major Improvements on existing systems or completely new ideas, created through novel design, choice materials, smart construction, that will help mitigate the maintenance and operational issues

Innovation of technology (software and sensor-based innovation) to monitor and help solve the maintenance issues is highly encouraged

Innovation must address all components of the toilet (user-interface, safe collection and its functionality)

Simplified and self-sustaining business model

Tips for Success

Toilet design integrated with tech features (IoT devices)

Inclusive solutions for children and disabled (e.g., ramp access, handrails for disabled- friendly toilets)

Important Dates

Contest Launch: 22nd of Sept 2022

Last date for submission: 30 November 2022; 23:59 CET

Shortlist Announcement: 19 December 2022

Winners Announcement in a Live Virtual Event: 15 January 2023

How to Enter

1. Prepare your application with:

The application form (Annex 1)

Supporting materials including:

- 2 videos (landscape format) of 60 seconds of footage of your innovation in action and 60 seconds of interview style explaining how the innovation works

- 3 photos

2. Submit your application and supporting materials (before 30st of November) at this link – 3rd Annual SanTech Hackathon (google.com)

3. Let us know if you completed the application! Follow FINISH Mondial on social media and tag us in a post with #FINISHMondial and why we need to come together to address the #floodprooftoilet.

After the deadline, the TWG selection panel will review submissions to select 5 finalists.

A jury of international experts will then select the winners, to be announced in a live virtual event.

Who Can Enter

We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates.

You can apply as an individual or as part of a group (Research

institution, academic institution, NGO, or entrepreneur). Participants with technical experience in toilet construction are encouraged to apply.

Judging

Panels will select finalists and winners based on:

How does your idea address the challenge? (30% of score)

How smart is your innovation/idea (integration of technology) (20% of score)

How technically feasible is your design, and how easy it would be to implement and scale? (15% of score)

How cost-effective is your idea? (15% of score)

How realistic is it to implement your business model ((20% of score)

Prize

As winners, you will win prize money and a chance to implement your innovation on the field.

First prize: €5,000 + implementation of your solution in one of the FINISH Mondial
countries

Second prize: €3,000

Third prize: €2,000

Audience favorite (live voting during the virtual event): €2,500

About FINISH Mondial

Financial Inclusion Improves Sanitation & Health (FINISH) Mondial (FM) is an ambitious, 6-country programme aiming to substantially scale up the access and use of safe sanitation led by Dutch NGOs, WASTE, Amref Flying Doctors & Aqua for All, funded in part by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (DGIS).

FINISH started in India (2009) with the aim of building a local system to deliver sanitation services on a large scale.

The programme ensures that people are aware of the need for a safe and durable toilet, people want to buy one, it is built and safely managed by local people and is affordable.

FINISH Mondial is on track to construct 3 million improved sanitation systems, benefitting 15 million people and creating at least 32 million workdays in construction alone.

The Technical Working Group (TWG) is one of the main groups supporting FM, comprised of technical experts from all 6 FM countries and advisers who have extensive experience in implementation of sanitation projects.

TWG is focused on technical innovations that will help to reduce costs and improve the quality of sanitation systems.

Additionally, the TWG also works on specific designs of sanitation systems, training of artisans/masons and development of sanitation curricula.

The TWG hosted the first FM technical sanitation contest in 2020 and the 2nd Sanitation contest in 2021 2nd Annual SanTech Hackathon.

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see: Call for Innovation in Smart Public Sanitation Facilities

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