An ethanol production process for agricultural waste, a non-invasive vein locator, and a diesel engine filter that cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent won places in the social venture accelerator ASME Innovation Showcase (ISHOW) Kenya 2023.
Three devices designed to improve the quality of life in underserved communities won top places in the Kenya regional competition of the social venture accelerator by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Innovation Showcase (ASME ISHOW). Announced June 14th, the winners of ISHOW Kenya are:
- Alcoford Corporation (Lomé, Togo) for its “Dehydrated Cost-Effective Ethanol Process” – an innovative process that converts cassava and post-harvest losses into ethanol through the intervention of multilevel distillation technology, helping women farmers earn better
- A-Lite Uganda Limited (Mbarara, Uganda) for its “A-Lite Vein Locator” – a non-invasive medical device that uses red light to provide easy access to patients’ veins
- ClearExhaust LLC (Doha, Qatar) for its “Smokeless Exhaust Tube” – a diesel engine filter capable of eliminating 100% of smoke emissions and reducing other greenhouse gases by ~30%.
The three teams will share (USD) $30,000 in seed grants and receive technical support to help bring their products to market.
A fourth team won over the crowd with the most social media votes, winning (USD) $1,000. This round’s “Fan Favorite” is Timao Group from Nairobi, Kenya, for their “PORESI Builder modular construction materials made from polymer-sand. The innovation enables quick-build, affordable structures such as homes and classrooms.
Browse case studies of ISHOW winners from 2015-2021
Information about this year’s winners and finalists is on ISHOW’s website. Careful, though, because the site can be addictive. It’s a repository of case studies, videos, design art and other information about winners and finalists worldwide since 2015 when ISHOW launched. Each technology represents a creative, unique solution to problems inherent in underserved communities. And each is a shot at putting something that could change lives in the hands of people who need it. Give yourself some time and start by browsing case studies of ISHOW winners from 2015-2021.
ISHOW alumni have developed affordable devices to address issues including clean combustion, crop threshing, fetal health, food waste prevention, health diagnostics, safe drinking water, and many more that address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Each year, ISHOW matches 24 carefully selected innovators with appropriate experts to ensure that the proposed hardware solutions are technologically, environmentally, culturally, and financially sustainable. The 2023 ASME ISHOW Kenya judges and facilitators include experts in research, mechanical engineering and product design, manufacturing, startup financing, supply chain, and business strategy, representing organizations including Gearbox, Villgro Africa, Sun King, Philips, Net Zero Afrika, Afrinet Capital LLC, Kenyatta University, Strathmore, BuildX Studio, and Earth Tech Ventures. These subject matter experts provide technical and strategic guidance based on five pillars: customer/user knowledge, hardware validation, manufacturing optimization, implementation strategy, and sustainability/impact.
This year, ASME hosted ISHOW India in April and will host ISHOW USA for social ventures from the Americas July 18-26.
Learn more about ISHOW’s global impact in this dynamic dashboard.
This article is adapted from a press release by ASME ISHOW. Read ISHOW’s press releases on their site: thisishardware.org/press.
