Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, BDO EA and Pangea have launched the ShelterTech 2018 program in Kenya. The program will provide support to 30 startups working in the area of energy, water, and general housing construction technology.
The program will also work with startups to grow their businesses, connect with mentors and advisors, and also help them gain exposure to investors.
The three believe that access to water, energy and housing are basic needs that must be met for nations to develop. While the Kenyan government has made substantial strides in improving access to basic utilities, there remains an enormous market potential to provide cheaper, smarter solutions for marginalized populations that have limited access to adequate utility and housing infrastructure.
This program is to find, train and support the most promising entrepreneurs addressing challenges in housing, water and sustainable energy for marginalized Kenyan populations. The program is looking for startups in energy-those increasing access to energy for underserved communities, improving the adoption of clean technologies, or startups creating new business models for households or businesses to manage their energy consumption.
Water startups to be considered include those that are increasing access to potable water, providing innovative water management tools and processes, or building new products for households or business that conserve water resources or combat water pollution.
Housing startups disrupting the housing industry with alternative building supplies that value resource conservation will also be considered for the program. They should also be working towards improving access to low-income housing, or improving the quality and living conditions of people in underserved areas in the country.
