Finalists announced in African Utility Week's Innovation Hub for energy and water industry

Aquaponic farming, a geyser switch and other water and energy savings gadgets and software are amongst the winning innovations and inventions that will be showcased at the Innovation Hub taking place during the upcoming African Utility Week in Cape Town from 17-19 May. Fifteen SMEs, start-ups and young innovators have been selected for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of the event and take their businesses to the next level.

The finalists will each receive a free exhibition stand within the Innovation Hub area for the duration of the three-day exhibition and showcase their developments or inventions through live presentations. Four of the entrants have also earned speaking slots in the Innovation Hub conference sessions. They will furthermore meet industry incumbents, VC funders, project developers, incubators and be able to interact with the 6000+ visitors at African Utility Week. The winner of the Innovation Hub Award will be announced during the African Utility Week Industry Awards gala dinner on 18 May.

The Innovation Hub finalists are (in no specific order):

1. PowerOptimal:
   Power demand management technology that is commercially proven in diverse installations such as hotels, office buildings, shopping malls and golf courses.

2. Tiisetso Dev Solutions (Pty) Ltd/TDS Innovations:
   A cost effective early warning device that is an addition to the existing ready board currently deployed by government for the electrification of low-income houses, known as RDP homes.

3. Bontle Ke Tlhago:
   This co-operative offers a waste sorting service and sells the waste product on to suitable buy back centres.

4. GCX Africa:
   A sustainability services company that provides consulting for all matters that relating to water, waste, energy and carbon.

5. WHC:
   This start-up water conservation business currently focuses on a Leak-Less Valve.

6. SAGIFON Technologies:
   A wireless geyser control system.

7. Aquaponic Farmer (Pty) Ltd:
   The company assists in settingup aquaponic farming practices as well as growing high quality lettuce.

8. SeeSaw
   Innovative mobile technologies that assist with data generating to produce useful and actionable information for water utilities, and other clients that support the water sector.

9. D&C Technologies (Pty) Ltd:
   D&C Technologies have engineered a far more efficient method of heating the water in a geyser by perfecting the positioning of a newly designed element within the geyser itself.

10. Solarus:
    Solarus develops, produces and sells hybrid solar PowerCollectors™ and integrated project solutions, creating four times more energy per square meter compared to normal PV.

11. Ekasi Energy:
    Ekasi Energy has developed a pico-solar home system that lights, charges batteries and cooks indoors without any smoke using eco-friendly biomass pellets.

12. HeliosLite:
    Portable sun tracking solar solution for decentralised PV energy production.

13. Garth Middleton:
    Combined rinse/flush system for a urinal – a noteworthy innovation and application that will collectively reduce water wastage by having a 2 in 1 process.

14. Mobile4Energy:
    Mobile4Energy has developed a proprietary cross-sector mediation platform that provides utilities with an end-to-end meter to cash solution that costs a third of what it costs them today.

15. Upande
    Upande is a Kenya company that provides internet web mapping and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) services to a variety of clients.

African Utility Week

The Innovation Hub finalists will join an impressive list of 250 technology and service providers to the energy and water sector on the continent will showcase their solutions at the 16th edition of the annual African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa conference and exhibition. Some 6000 engineers, stakeholders and solution providers from around the globe will gather for the Cape Town event. The trade exhibition will be free for visitors when registering in advance and feature hands-on demonstrations and CPD-accredited technical workshops on the exhibition floor. The event will also feature technical site visits.

Dates for African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa 2016:

Conference and expo: 17-19 May 2016
Awards gala dinner: 18 May 2016
Site visits: 20 May 2016
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Websites: www.african-utility-week.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities #AUW2016
Linkedin: African Power Forum

Media accreditation and interviews:

Communications manager: Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone: +27 21 700 3558
Mobile: +27 82 562 7844
Email: moc.tnegilletnips@lobdoor.eiramenna