HyaPak

HyaPak is a startup that converts water hyacinth (the world's most problematic aquatic weed) into biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic products. 

1. Disposable single-use plastic products lead to land and marine pollution and are responsible for 1.5% of greenhouse gas emissions. Nairobi alone produces an estimated 480 tons of plastic waste daily and only 45% is recycled, according to World Bank.
2. On the other hand, water hyacinth is the world’s most problematic aquatic weed, affecting more than 70 countries globally. Some economic challenges posed by water hyacinth include blocking navigation and water transportation, destroying marine life, obstructing drainage and Hydroelectric Power Production (HEP), providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes with increased malaria risks, and making water bodies unusable for recreational use by destroying beach facilities.

By manufacturing products that decompose within 3 to 6 months, HyaPak simultaneously solves the issue of plastic waste pollution caused by disposable plastics, as well as the problems caused by water hyacinth in freshwater bodies around the world.

HyaPak is a B2B/B2G startup that converts water hyacinth (the world's most problematic aquatic weed) into biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic products.

At HyaPak, we make products that look, feel and behave like plastics but decompose within 3 to 6 months. This way, we simultaneously solve the issues of plastic waste pollution caused by disposable plastics and the problems caused by water hyacinth in freshwater bodies around the world. 

Our underlying technology lies in the bio-conversion of water hyacinth into biodegradable materials. After harvesting the water hyacinth from infested water bodies, we transport the weeds to our facilities at Egerton University and use that for processing. Here, we cut, and dry the weeds before adding additives. We blend these to improve the quality.  

The products we make so far are biodegradable seedling wrappers to replace the conventional plastic seedling wrappers, and pellets (granules) that are an alternative to conventional plastic pellets used in manufacturing.

By using one problem to solve another, we create a circular economy that also offers carbon reduction for sustainable cities.

By making biodegradable products, we are addressing the harmful effects of plastic waste pollution. The impact of this is the reduction of the carbon footprint of the communities and companies using our products. 

In addition to avoiding plastic waste pollution, we are also using problematic aquatic weeds as raw material, thereby increasing sustainability. 

Elimination of water hyacinth offers relief to the communities living next to affected water bodies to improve their socioeconomic livelihoods. 

Currently, the main products produced by HyaPak are biodegradable packaging bags and seedling wrappers made from hyacinth and meant to replace the existing single-use disposables. The biodegradable seedling wrappers are planted together with the seedlings, release nutrients, and lead to a 21-23% increased growth rate of the seedlings.

HyaPak's core target markets are agronomists, nurseries, and organizations using conventional plastic paper seedling wrappers, as well as FMCG and manufacturing companies using conventional oil-based plastic bags or wrappers. HyaPak introduces eco-friendly biodegradable alternatives for both customers.

As a social enterprise, we also run social programs such as tree plantings and an initiative called ‘Adopt A River’, where we mobilise people at the community level to clean up a section of a polluted river running beside their community.

Our lean startup is primarily run by a team of 3; Joseph, Charles and Prisca, alongside a great supportive team of advisors. 

Using his skills in tech and as a civil & environmental engineer, Joseph has designed and built several innovations geared towards sustainability, including the solar dryer now being used across Kenya to revive the pyrethrum industry, smart roads, and smart pipes. The East Africa Community recently awarded him the best innovator in Kenya. He is the CEO.

Working for L'Oréal, Charles is well-versed in manufacturing and running supply chain processes. This experience, in addition to being an engineer, makes him an ideal CTO.

Prisca has an extensive background in tech and finance. She has been a Microsoft Ambassador and Hult Prize coordinator. Her experience in handling projects and relationships with global agencies and customers is handy in her CFO role. She also hails from Homabay, Kenya, where hyacinth surrounds the island for days, and weeks at times. This blocks waterways and sometimes prevents children from going to school.

The team has achieved several milestones such as making scientific validation, and proof of concept of the products, raising over Ksh 3M in funding and winning significant international awards, including the East Africa Youth for Climate Action Award, Best manufacturing startup in Kenya, Best innovation in Kenya by EAC, the World Engineering Day Hackathon by UNESCO, the TotalEnergies Startup of the Year and Falling Walls Lab Nairobi.

To build around our innovation, we are doing joint product developments (with key stakeholders) to improve our products.

For instance, we provided agronomists with some of our seedling wrappers for evaluation. The test seedlings planted using our biodegradable wrappers over conventional ones showed a 21-23% increased growth rate. Currently, we are doing product development alongside the Ministry of Environment in Kenya, to enhance the viability of the end products.

In our prototyping, with the help of the local community, we managed to eliminate over 450kg of water hyacinth from Lake Naivasha. Community members are involved through employment and socio-environmental activities. In 2022, in addition to offering casual employment to 27 people, we have also impacted livelihoods by planting over 3500 seedlings and holding major river-cleanup initiatives

However, we realised that innovations alone would not stop the climate crisis. So, we started side social programs to involve people at the grassroots levels in activities such as tree plantings, dustbin installations and an initiative called ‘Adopt A River’, where we engage people on the importance of environmental restoration as we mobilise people at the community level to clean-up a section of a polluted river running beside their community.

Our go-to-market is facilitated by the widespread global awareness and preference towards sustainable products. We are leveraging this and the continuing governments' bans on single-use disposable plastic products to drive market adaptation and sales.

Furthermore, we are capitalizing on the ever-present and renewable water hyacinth in the lakes, to keep our prices at a lower cost in the long run, than the volatile and increasing oil prices that impact plastic prices. As oil prices increase, the market for renewable and biodegradable materials is set to rise.

Our disruptive nature is from using one problem to solve another, and transforming an existing market while at it.

Conventional plastics are made out of volatile-priced oil, whose cost tends to rise or fall depending on external factors, such as global supply chain issues, inflation, or a pandemic. This makes prices unpredictable and affects manufacturing processes. Oil prices are also projected to rise in the long run, due to a decline in mining.  

Our innovation uses water hyacinth as a main raw material. Since this weed is renewable in nature, price stability is expected all-year round. 

Furthermore, as oil prices increase, the market for renewable and biodegradable materials is set to rise.

Previously, water hyacinth has been explored for making fertilizers, biogas, animal foods, paper, and textile on small scale. 

Our products are unique since they are the first in the market in a commercial capacity, and capitalize on hyacinth as a niche to make bioplastics. 

In developing countries, bioplastics are rarely manufactured. They are also linked with deforestation. However, hyacinth is a self-regenerating aquatic weed and requires no space on land for growth. 

Our impact goals can be divided into 3 mainly;

1. Environmental Impact:

Increase the amount of plastic waste avoided (also proportional to the quantity of CO2 eliminated), and the quantity of water hyacinth removed, in metric tons. For 2022, our estimated CO2 eliminated stands at around 400kg. The water hyacinth removed is almost half a ton.

In 2023, we plan to at least double these figures before Q3.

2. Social Impact:

Community members are involved through employment and socioenvironmental activities. In 2022, in addition to offering casual employment to 27 people, we have also impacted livelihoods by planting over 3500 seedlings and holding major river-cleanup initiatives.

Again, we also plan to at least double this before Q3.

3. Economic Impact:

Units sold, and revenue generated. In S1 of 2023, we estimate producing over 1 Million biodegradable seedling bags.

How we will achieve this;

In manufacturing, we plan to scale up our pilot phase into the growth stage. To do this, we plan to reduce production costs and refine our process for mass productions. 

Currently, we have an outgrowing demand in pre-orders to deliver. To do this and bring down our production costs, we are in the process of transferring our operations to an upscaled location, Nairobi, and talks are underway for a partnership with the Ministry of Environment as well as KIRDI (Kenya Industrial Research Institute). 

To further refine our products and processes, we are also engaging in much R&D, and consumer feedback to get the right fit that scales in the market.

By the end of the year, we plan to have obtained our own machinery; whether by purchasing, leasing, hiring, or outsourcing, depending on the best economic viable alternative. This would be useful in designing and making moulds for the manufacture of different designs of products. 

Also, we intend to similarly have an extruder machine since large-scale manufacture of products requires speed and precision to suit market demand. 

In the longterm, our roadmap is to lease the manufacturing processes so that we can expand the production, sustain market demand and impact more people in these affected communities.

Our main, and patented, technology lies in the material science engineering of bioconversion of water hyacinth into biodegradable plastic alternatives. 

In addition to this, we are using simulation softwares to design the models, and extrusion machinery to manufacture the designed models. The combination and integration of different technologies has enabled us to have successful products.

We plan to offer employment opportunities to at least 100 people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the next 1 year.

At HyaPak, we have a goal to upgrade the socioeconomic livelihoods of communities living next to infested water bodies.

The impact that transcends into elimination of plastic waste pollution is unquantifiable.

In clientele base, we have preorders of over 1 Million seedling wrappers to be fulfilled early 2023.

The main challenges are; 

1. Financing.
2. R&D and Manufacturing. 

While the former is the major challenge, we aim to solve it through the latter. Our desired machinery for mass production are a bit costly, but we plan to first have top-notch R&D for our products. As demand increases, so does the cash flow, and thereafter, we shall be in a position to purchase the equipment and address a wider market need. 

• Ministry of Environment, State Department of Forestry - Research, funding, piloting the project and clientele 
• TotalEnergies, WFEO, East Africa Community (EAC) - Funding
• Egerton University, Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA), National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), and the Institute of Engineers Kenya (IEK) - Research & Product Development
• IGAD/ICPAC - Research & Funding
• Chandaria Business Incubation and Innovation Centre - Mentorship

The key beneficiaries of HyaPak are set to be communities living next to water-hyacinth-infested freshwater bodies, and those living in urban areas that are affected by plastic waste pollution, or by marine pollution in coastal areas.

This will be out of our intervention in the manufacture of our biodegradable products, as well as our social environmental programs such as ‘Adopt A River’ and tree planting activities. 

The unique value proposition of HyaPak is the conversion of water hyacinth into biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastic products.

Our main customer segments for the wrappers are the government, nurseries, agronomies, institutions and organizations, while the customer segment for the pellets are manufacturing companies. 

This will arise from our biodegradable products that will reduce their carbon footprint and improve their sustainability.  

Our channels to reach these customers are social media and PR, collaborations in product development, and exhibitions.

The metrics to measure the impact of this will be through the amount of plastic waste avoided in kgs, the amount of water hyacinth eliminated, the units sold, and revenue.

The key activities in place are manufacturing biodegradable products from water hyacinth and undertaking social-environmental initiatives. To run these activities, we will take advantage of our resources which are unique and innovative products, an award-winning team, and abundant water hyacinth. We will involve fishermen, farmers, institutions (government and private) and manufacturers. 

HyaPak’s revenue streams will arise from the sale of biodegradable products as well as carbon credits. This will cover our cost structure in R&D, manufacturing and processing, the surplus used in marketing, and our social environmental programs such as ‘Adopt A River’ and tree planting activities.

The revenue model in HyaPak works by selling biodegradable products to manufacturing companies and agronomies, and sale of carbon credits. The key success factor to making the business work is through working alongside the government, and our customers, to make sure that our products are effective, and have efficient operation viability alongside the environmental benefits.

Our go-to-market is facilitated by the widespread global awareness and preference towards sustainable products. We are leveraging this, in addition to the continuing governments' bans on single-use disposable plastic products, to drive market adaptation and sales.

Furthermore, we are planning to capitalize on the ever-present availability of water hyacinth in the lakes, which will keep our prices at a lower cost in the long run, than the volatile and increasing oil prices that impact plastic prices.

Our social environmental programs such as ‘Adopt A River’ will also be a huge success factor in driving awareness and customer reach.