Factor[e] contributes engineering and industrial design expertise to demonstrate a cost-effective way to disinfect personal protective equipment in Kenya

Factor[e] Ventures exists to create positive impact in emerging markets. Under typical circumstances, this means investing capital and hands-on support to technology-enabled ventures whose business models are directly tied to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in sustainable livelihoods improved. However, this has not been a typical year. Starting in March of 2020, Factor[e] team members have been contributing their time and unique skillsets to projects outside their normal scope of work to help combat the unforeseen challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This recent article published by the Stanford Engineering department highlights the work of Nairobi-based investment Principal and Stanford alumni, Jit Bhattacharya, who joined Factor[e] in 2019. For the past several months, Jit has worked with Stanford-organized international group of scientists N95Decon.org, as well as Nairobi-based Design Engineer Payan ole-MoiYoi, to locally produce an N95 mask and respirator decontamination unit based on the designs created by Thomas Baer and Bert Hesselink at Stanford.

As stated in the Stanford article, “Bhattacharya now plans to demonstrate a prototype to the Kenyan Ministry of Health and at several Kenyan hospitals. He says that given what hospitals in Kenya are currently paying for N95 masks, the UV cabinet would pay for itself in weeks by enabling health care workers to safely reuse their N95 masks rather than disposing of them.”

Thank you Jit, Payan, and all those contributing their time and skillsets to help combat COVID-19.

Photos of the decontamination prototype in the Nairobi-based lab as of November 24, 2020.

Source: Payan ole-MoiYoi