Sustainable Impact Challenge

Water management

Being water a fundamental resource for the survival of our planet makes it crucial that we safeguard it as a resource. Among others, we are strongly committed to Goal 6 of the SDGs: Clean Water and Sanitation. Hence, we are looking for startups working on innovative solutions and technologies within water management, such as water treatment, usage, resilience, and sanitation.

Solution directions

Water treatment

Solutions and technologies around water quality assessment and water purification for households and communities.

Water usage

Innovative services and solutions to give access to water and control and monitor equipment and availability. Example solutions are: low technology solutions for well and equipment monitoring, off-grid water pumps for personal use and irrigation, and irrigation control.

Water resilience

Solutions to reduce water availability’s exposure to external factors, such as watershed management, artificial groundwater recharge, atmospheric water generation, and data analytics solutions for water availability monitoring.

Sanitation

Innovative products and services to improve households and communities’ sanitation in rural areas. We are looking for solutions for wastewater treatment and reuse, and solutions to improve hygiene.

Notable projects

Access to water resources in Nigeria

Eni collaborated with FAO, in an initiative to promote access to clean, safe water in the country by building wells powered by photovoltaic systems in Nigeria. 6 wells were built in 2020, in addition to those drilled in 2018 and 2019, amounting to a total of 22 wells for domestic use and field irrigation and reaching 67,000 beneficiaries. Through this national project, we are helping to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation (Goal 6) and end all forms of poverty (Goal 1) and hunger (Goal 2). Furthermore, we are committed to promoting efforts to combat climate change (Goal 13) and to strengthening and renewing the global partnership for sustainable development (Goal 17).

Eni Congo delivers three potable water wells to the Tchitondi, Dionga and Bondi villages in the Hinda district, Kouilou Department

Eni Congo has delivered 30 potable water wells to the Tchitondi, Dionga, and Bondi villages, to benefit a population of around 20,000 people. The three wells are powered by photovoltaic energy; the tanks’ capacity ranges from 10 to 12 m3, supplied with 1250W, 1980W, and 3500W pumps, respectively. To ensure good technical management, Eni Congo established and trained management committees to monitor access to the wells according to schedules and to ensure technical maintenance and observance of hygiene standards, with a focus on measures against Covid-19. The management committees promote the sustainability of the venture, as they facilitate the involvement of local communities.

Sustainable management of water resources in Kenya

Between 2015 and 2018, Eni ran a programme to promote access to drinking water in the country and helped in building a solar-powered desalination plant in Lamu County to meet the needs of local communities. By designing, a reverse osmosis unit powered entirely by solar energy, we were capable of producing about 20,000 liters per day. This project directly benefited 2000 inhabitants of the Siyu community, but in the drought period, the unit helps more than 6,500 people every day.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
  • Access Eni’s expertise, knowledge, and skills to further develop your startup or scaleup
  • Open door to a new geographic location –  if you are a global startup, OR opportunity to scale faster and further within your region –  if you are a local startup
  • The connection with Eni and partners, comes with the possibility of a potential collaboration outside of this challenge

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?

Local solutions

  • Have a consolidated team
  • Fully functioning solutions
  • Preferably ave run pilots before
  • Strong interest in working with Eni

Global solutions

  • Incorporated companies with a growing and ambitious team
  • Post seed-funding stage
  • Possibly have run successful pilots/projects with other global players
  • Strong interest in working with Eni