From UK Design to Ethiopian Enterprise
Project overview
WaterScope Ethiopia is a locally led venture built through a CGE-facilitated transfer of the WaterScope design and know-how from the UK team to two Ethiopian engineers at the BiT MakerSpace in Bahir Dar. After the UK venture pivoted to empower in-country leaders, the Ethiopian team took ownership of the solution and started shaping a made-in-Ethiopia service that includes training and repair. Local ownership is proving powerful: the team is gaining traction with national stakeholders and building demand for a locally manufactured option that can undercut imported kits and fit real testing workflows.
What we’re doing and how
CGE supported the handover with practical training, documentation, and a stipend from WaterScope UK, and funded a Co-create Travel Award to bring the UK and Ethiopian teams together in Addis Ababa for hands-on sessions and joint stakeholder meetings. That visit built technical capacity, clarified validation and regulatory steps, and surfaced operational realities such as customs processes and which parts can be made locally versus imported. The plan is to focus local production on consumables, establish small-batch assembly, train users with health bureaus and schools, and stand up simple data tools so results guide action.
Progress and what’s next
The team recently pitched to Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health in Addis Ababa and received highly encouraging feedback, including Letters of Intent for a locally manufactured and managed service. They have also attracted interest for an initial tranche of units and been invited to tender as a national option for routine testing. Next steps include pilot production with in-country assembly and QA, user training and support, and formalizing pathways (such as startup licensing and customs relief) to keep prices well below imported competitors while building durable local capability.
