Introducing the 2026 Cohort of the Toilet Board Coalition Accelerator
We’re excited to welcome the 2026 Cohort, featuring 24 businesses innovating sanitation solutions across ten countries in Asia and Africa. Together, these enterprises are advancing the Sanitation Economy across three key marketplaces: Toilet Marketplace, Circular Sanitation Marketplace, and Smart Sanitation Marketplace.
Throughout the programme, the Cohort will receive business model coaching, corporate mentorship, and access to investment opportunities designed to support their growth and scale. Matched with investors and corporate mentors from Unilever and LIXIL, these entrepreneurs are set to scale, fuelling sustainable SDG 6 impact at the community level.
“The 2026 Cohort reflects the breadth of innovation emerging across the Sanitation Economy, bringing together a diverse range of solutions from across Asia and Africa, with 13 women-led organisations. These enterprises are building solutions that address sanitation challenges while creating lasting social and environmental impact.” – Lindelani Xaba, Associate Director Acceleration
Learn more about the businesses below:
Asia
The 2026 Cohort welcomes 14 SMEs from Asia, including 10 women-led SMEs from across India.
FeNix: A Retrofit WASH Solution for Schools by Agrifacture India Private Limited
FeNix addresses school WASH challenges with retrofit-ready, water-efficient technology designed for rapid deployment without disrupting operations. Using <500ml water per flush (95% reduction vs. conventional), FeNix integrates decentralised treatment under existing toilet infrastructure—requiring near zero civil works. The system is ISO 30500-compliant, ensuring international hygiene and safety standards.
Critically, FeNix transforms waste into reusable water for campus landscaping and maintenance, turning schools into water-conserving hubs. With no battery, solar, and mains power options, FeNix operates in grid-constrained rural schools, making menstrual hygiene facilities accessible and dignified for girls while reducing operational water and maintenance burden on school administration
Egresan Auttogoes Private Limited is an innovation-driven Indian company focused on advanced sanitation infrastructure for the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector. The company designs and manufactures smart, steel-based public toilet systems (EG-Toilets) integrated with a patented, chemical-free automated sanitation technology. These systems use sensor-based hardware, automated washing and disinfection cycles, water-efficient mechanisms, and real-time monitoring software to ensure high hygiene standards without manual intervention or harmful chemicals.
Unlike conventional public toilets, Egresan’s solution addresses recurring challenges such as poor maintenance, health risks, high water usage, and operational inefficiency. The technology is particularly relevant for high-footfall public areas, including villages, urban local bodies, transport hubs, and government facilities.
The company designs and operates Low Thermal Treatment and Destruction (LTTD) systems for the safe, decentralised disposal of sanitary and hygiene waste. Deployed across three facilities in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi, the technology uses controlled organic thermal decomposition without combustion, fuel use, or human handling. Unlike incineration, LTTD produces no dioxins, has a low water and space footprint, and reduces waste volume by over 98%, making it uniquely suited for urban WASH infrastructure.
By ensuring hygienic, dignified, and environmentally safe destruction of sanitary waste, the solution directly improves public health outcomes, protects waste workers, and strengthens circular and compliant waste management within the WASH ecosystem.
Excelsior develops decentralised sanitation systems that use a closed-loop biological treatment process to safely manage human waste without the need for sewer infrastructure. Its core biotechnology converts waste into a safe fertiliser by-product, making the solutions uniquely well suited for rural communities and disaster-prone regions where conventional sanitation systems are costly or impractical. By providing safe, low-energy, and low-maintenance sanitation, Excelsior improves public health outcomes and strengthens WASH resilience.
In parallel, Excelsior is innovating in the field of medical sanitation. In 2022, the company developed the IN-DASH Bottle, a medical device designed to disinfect and deodorise endoscope waste fluid. The device is currently used at Chiba University Hospital, and Excelsior’s treatment agent is deployed in more than 30 hospitals across Japan. The company is now conducting research in collaboration with Mulago Hospital in Uganda to evaluate the technology’s effectiveness in neutralising Ebola and Mpox in infectious medical waste.
Himalayan Hemp Industries Pvt. Ltd. develops patented, reusable sanitary pads made from cannabis hemp fibre using a low-chemical textile engineering process that combines natural fibre processing, layered biocomposite structuring, and biodegradable lamination to achieve high absorbency, strong antibacterial performance, rash resistance, and durability for up to 60 washes.
Unlike conventional plastic-based disposables, the technology produces pads that are breathable, largely compostable, and free from bleaching or pesticide treatments, significantly reducing environmental waste while improving user health outcomes.
This innovation is highly relevant to the WASH sector, as it directly improves menstrual hygiene management, lowers long-term costs for low-income communities, reduces sanitation-related pollution, and expands access to safe, dignified hygiene solutions in underserved rural and peri-urban settings.
In.sane Labs is a Chennai-based multidisciplinary design, architecture, and urban planning firm, founded in 2020, specializing in sustainable and inclusive spaces aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The company focuses on WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) innovations, including mobile public toilets and educational comics for children, alongside resilient urban infrastructure, social housing, and human-centric designs that prioritize energy efficiency and community well-being. Led by architects and WASH practitioners, the 11–50 employee team collaborates with city corporations and global institutions to tackle climate risks and sanitation challenges.
InstaPad is a women-centric WASH innovation by InstaGood that designs and manufactures smart sanitary napkin vending systems for public and semi-public sanitation spaces. The solution combines indigenous hardware manufacturing with IoT-enabled dispensing, smart card- and QR-based access control, and remote monitoring to ensure reliable availability, usage tracking, and efficient replenishment.
What makes InstaPad unique is its frugal and scalable design tailored for Indian public infrastructure—featuring low power consumption and easy maintenance—while enabling data-driven hygiene service delivery. By improving access to affordable menstrual products in toilets, schools, markets, transport hubs, and workplaces, InstaPad directly addresses menstrual hygiene management, dignity, and health, making it a high-impact, scalable intervention within the WASH ecosystem.
Laguna Innovation develops off-grid, decentralised wastewater treatment and reuse systems using a patented Vertical Green Wall Bio-Filter (VGW-BF), a solar-powered process in which wastewater continuously trickles over engineered biofilm sheets to remove BOD, COD, and suspended solids while generating minimal sludge. The system uniquely integrates anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic conditions within a single compact, modular system that is energy-autonomous, odour-free, and supported by remote IoT monitoring. This design enables reliable, scalable sanitation for schools, clinics, farms, and rural or peri-urban communities where centralised wastewater infrastructure often fails or is unaffordable, directly increasing treatment coverage, reducing environmental contamination, and enabling safer, circular water reuse for irrigation in water-scarce regions — delivering high-impact, low-energy WASH resilience where it’s needed most.
Lambert Water is revolutionising wastewater treatment through its patented Water Battery™, an inductive electrochemical reactor that treats water in just 50–200 seconds—operating up to 200 times faster than conventional biological systems that require six or more hours. Using electromagnetic induction, the reactor creates micro-vibrations at electrode surfaces, reducing passivation by 70 per cent and addressing the primary failure mode of electrochemical systems. This enables chemical-free operation while removing 60–95 per cent of pollutants, generating 70 per cent less sludge, and requiring 60 per cent less space than traditional treatment plants. Complementing this, Lambert Water’s Softion™ technology provides chemical-free hardness removal and scale prevention for cooling towers and hard-water conditioning, enabling communities and industries to use available water resources more efficiently, reduce freshwater demand by up to 50 per cent, and improve overall water quality and access.
The WASH sector impact is transformative. India generates an estimated 72–74 billion litres of wastewater daily, yet nearly 74 per cent remains untreated, with over 12,625 sewage treatment plants non-operational due to limitations of conventional technologies. Lambert Water’s modular, plug-and-play systems enable decentralised treatment at the source, converting wastewater into reusable resources for sanitation, hygiene, and productive use. The company has deployed systems for Kerala government fishing communities (20 KLD), as well as for chemical industries, hotels, and schools, consistently achieving 90–95 per cent water recovery for flushing, irrigation, and cooling. With payback periods of 18–24 months driven by water savings, chemical elimination, and sludge handling, Lambert Water makes advanced WASH infrastructure economically viable for underserved communities and industries, directly addressing SDG 6 while delivering climate resilience through 65 per cent lower CO₂ emissions compared to conventional treatment systems. Their technology transforms the WASH paradigm from centralised, resource-intensive systems to accessible, sustainable, on-site solutions that improve water security, public health, and environmental protection for millions.
MiBliss (mibliss.co.in) focuses on innovative solutions for women’s sanitary hygiene in India. The company, operating under Vishva Jyotsna Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., produces antibacterial sanitary napkins designed to protect against bacterial and fungal infections, aiming to reduce risks such as cervical cancer by ensuring access to hygienic and affordable products for girls and women.
Committed to a 360-degree approach to menstrual health, MiBliss emphasizes affordability and nationwide availability to promote basic reproductive rights.
Openwater.in’s patented technology employs electrocoagulation and electro-oxidation processes for decentralised wastewater treatment, eliminating the need for synthetic chemicals or microbial activity. These plug-and-play units can be installed in a single day without civil construction, and feature remote monitoring, full automation, and low power consumption, treating sources such as greywater, groundwater, domestic sewage, surface water, and certain industrial effluents.
The product portfolio includes scalable models, such as a 250 L/day unit for greywater and groundwater reuse or discharge, and a stackable 2,500 L/day system for industrial wastewater—ideal for emergencies or plant downtimes.
The startup has earned multiple accolades, including BIRAC Innovator Awards (2015, 2017), recognition as one of the Top 10 Hottest Startups globally (2016), and a Google Pitch Fest win (2015). It is backed by grants from India’s Department of Biotechnology, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Karnataka’s KITS. The leadership team includes CTO Sanjiv Sambandan (IISc Associate Professor), CEO Prabha Nagarajan (product development expert), and Growth Director Nitin Parekh (former IBM/Xerox PARC executive), collectively driving the mission to enhance water efficiency amid increasing water scarcity.
Sanizeene has developed Suchiqar, a patented disinfection device designed for public and shared urinals and toilets, engineered to improve hygiene performance while minimising resource use. The system provides automated, consistent disinfection at the user interface, reducing microbial load and enhancing sanitation standards in high-footfall environments.
Developed to bridge technological capability with on-the-ground community needs, Suchiqar is built for scalability, low operational burden, and long-term sustainability. Its design principles align directly with national and global frameworks—including the Government of India’s Swachh Bharat Mission, Make in India objectives, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—positioning the technology as a practical, locally manufactured solution for strengthening public health.
Tellus Habitat is a cleantech startup, founded in 2021 by scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, specializing in sustainable wastewater treatment and reclamation technologies. The company offers innovative, chemical-free solutions, including its flagship R3H2O system, which uses microbial cultures and sensors for decentralised sewage treatment, achieving up to 97% water recovery with 50% less energy than conventional methods.
These products—including household greywater recyclers and modular treatment plants—serve households, communities, industries, and public sanitation systems, promoting water security in water-scarce regions.
Tendryl Products Private Limited designs and supplies IoT-enabled sanitary napkin vending machines, incinerators, and sanitary bins under its Pinkz brand, providing an integrated menstrual hygiene solution from access to disposal. The company’s proprietary machines combine smart digital dispensing (QR, cashless, and cash) with IoT dashboards for remote monitoring, ensuring 24×7 availability, data-driven restocking, and uptime tracking. The incinerators use smoke-control filtration to reduce emissions by up to 95%, while the bins enable safe waste segregation and pickup services.
This integrated “hardware + service” model is unique within the WASH ecosystem, delivering sustainable menstrual hygiene infrastructure that enhances dignity, reduces environmental waste, and supports India’s journey toward gender-inclusive sanitation and net-zero operations.
Africa
This year, the 2026 Cohort features 10 SMEs from Africa—seven English-speaking and three French-speaking—from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Senegal, Uganda, and Zambia. The programme will be delivered in both English and French.
AgriMercarb Ltd is a Ghanaian circular agribusiness building value at the intersection of waste management, food systems, and environmental sustainability. The company transforms segregated organic waste into high-value inputs—specifically insect-based protein for aquaculture and poultry feed, and organic fertiliser—using nature-based bioconversion processes. By turning waste into productive resources, AgriMercarb addresses three critical challenges simultaneously: organic waste management, affordable animal feed supply, and food security, while creating green jobs across the value chain.
Beyond feed and fertiliser, AgriMercarb has a subsidiary innovation stream focused on water and sanitation solutions. Leveraging chitin extracted from the exoskeletons of insect pupae, the subsidiary is developing bio-based filtration materials for water purification. This work targets improved water quality and public health outcomes, particularly within sanitation and hygiene systems.
Esonga Care is a women’s health and hygiene enterprise based in Uganda, addressing critical gaps in access to affordable menstrual and personal care products for women and girls in last-mile and peri-urban communities. The company operates a distribution-driven model anchored by community hygiene kiosks and strategic partnerships with schools, workplaces, and community groups. This approach targets high-demand, underserved markets, delivering both social impact and revenue-generating opportunities.
Fossetic offers an IoT-enabled sanitation service that monitors septic tank fill levels in real time, alerts households before overflows, and automatically connects them to the nearest available emptying provider. By bundling services across households and optimising truck routes, the solution reduces emptying costs by up to 50%, lowers carbon emissions, and prevents groundwater contamination.
The enterprise is a sanitation provider offering biodigester-based toilet solutions for both homes and institutions. These toilet solutions are economically advantageous compared to traditional septic tanks. As an on-site treatment system, they are environmentally friendly, require less construction time, and need minimal space for installation. This makes them a strong option for both new homes and already developed or hard-to-reach communities where the use of sophisticated desludging equipment is not feasible.
The toilet solution uses macro- and microorganisms to decompose faecal sludge into organic soil or compost for agricultural use.
A social enterprise that designs, locally manufactures, and distributes antimicrobial, reusable sanitary pads, combining community-based sales, education, and advocacy with a circular economy model that promotes menstrual health, environmental sustainability, and women’s empowerment.
Martyrs Clean Solutions provides community-based sanitation hubs that integrate affordable eco-toilets with on-site waste processing. The solution converts human and organic waste into eco-fuel briquettes, compost, and reusable water, addressing multiple challenges: limited toilet access, unsafe waste disposal, and unemployment. Designed for informal settlements, the model creates circular value from waste while improving health, restoring dignity, and generating green jobs for youth and women. It is scalable, sustainable, and rooted in community ownership.
Payless Bana Innovations is a Liberian social enterprise committed to improving menstrual health and hygiene for adolescent girls and women. Since its inception, the company has focused on producing affordable, safe, and locally made menstrual hygiene products, including plant-based disposable pads and reusable options. Through education, advocacy, and community partnerships, Payless Bana Innovations has reached thousands of girls across Liberia, addressing period poverty, reducing school absenteeism, and promoting dignity and confidence.
The approach combines innovative product development with holistic menstrual health programmes, ensuring that access to sanitary products is accompanied by education on safe menstrual practices.
By working closely with schools, community groups, and partners such as WaterAid Liberia, Payless Bana Innovations not only delivers products but also empowers girls to manage their menstrual health with knowledge, safety, and self-assurance.
Saniwise Technologies Enterprise Limited is a youth-led social enterprise based in Kisumu, dedicated to solving the sanitation crisis in low-income areas. The company designs and manufactures the Saniwise eco-toilet, a modular dry-toilet system built from 90% recycled plastic waste. These units are specifically engineered for the high water table conditions of Kisumu, providing a durable and hygienic alternative to traditional pit latrines. The eco-toilets feature an innovative on-site recycling model that uses Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae to treat waste directly, converting it into nutrient-rich organic fertiliser and high-protein animal feed for local farmers.
In addition to its on-site technology, the enterprise provides professional pit-emptying services for households and institutions still using traditional latrines.
Umoja SARL is an agri-based enterprise that designs and builds biodigesters to transform farm and domestic waste into clean energy through biogas systems, providing sustainable cooking fuel and organic fertiliser, while also developing a biogas-powered bakery for environmentally responsible food production.
Virgin Green Renewable Energy has made strong early traction. The company has sold over 300 tonnes of eco-friendly charcoal briquettes made from recycled sanitation waste and has piloted its Smart Sanitation Marketplace in three communities. To date, it has served over 12,000 customers, including households, schools, and small businesses. Approximately 100,000 people have directly benefited from improved sanitation services and access to clean energy alternatives.
This work has been validated through 12 signed supply contracts and strategic partnerships with local cooperatives and women’s groups, demonstrating strong community acceptance and growing demand for its sustainable sanitation and energy solutions.
Learn More About the Accelerator
Toilet Board Coalition Accelerator accelerates business solutions to the sanitation crisis. Click here to learn more.