Impact In Numbers
10 water refill stations placed at various points in Jabodetabek’s public space which:
- Reduces up to 1 Million single-use plastic bottles
- Provides 600k liters of sustainable & great tasting water
- Enables customer to save up to 10x in drinking water expenses monthly
- Saves 828 tonnes of carbon emission pollution
Key Insights
- Be ready to pivot - don’t fall in love with the idea of your product. WaterHub initially wanted to give out the water for free and then the revenue would come from the advertisement that we displayed in our machine, but they realized in hindsight that this was not viable.
- Communicate value from customer’s perspective - because they talked to customers, WaterHub understood the price sensitive nature of Indonesians. They quickly understood that the customers' stronger motivation is not to be green and sustainable, but to save money.
Impact Interview is our initiative where we explore the stories of changemakers and the initiatives they have developed to support sustainable development in Indonesia. This time, we spoke with Lyonda Huwaidi (Lyonda), Co-Founder and CEO of WaterHub
A lot of people are concerned about the water issue and environment, but not a lot would go out of their way to start a company to solve the issue. So tell us what made you start WaterHub.
Initially, I was pursuing aerospace engineering, which is quite different from the climate startup I’m running now.
During my university years, I became involved in several environmental initiatives that opened my eyes to Indonesia’s environmental challenges. I learned that we are among the world’s top contributors to plastic waste, and our water quality is quite poor.
This situation is ironic given that we are surrounded by water, yet our water management is severely lacking. When I graduated with my bachelor’s degree and was considering continuing to a master’s program, I decided instead to start a startup to create real change and impact many people.
I thought, as an engineer, I could make a tangible difference, so I chose to decline my master’s scholarship and started WaterHub instead.
That was quite fascinating, why didn't you continue pursuing aerospace engineering?
I started university at a relatively young age, enrolling at fifteen and graduating at eighteen.
At that point, I realized I had time on my side. If WaterHub succeeded, it could lead to significant change. If it didn’t work out, I knew I could always return to aerospace engineering.
In my youth, I was very passionate about automotive and cars, which led me to pursue aerospace engineering for its challenging nature and the opportunity to explore the unknown. Running a startup has provided a similar experience, filled with possibilities and challenges.
Can you give us a quick overview of what WaterHub is?
So WaterHub is basically a water refill station where we can process any kind of water like seawater, rainwater and ground water into clean drinking water.
The idea is to re-engineer the way water is distributed in Indonesia because right now we rely heavily on AMDK (Air Minum Dalam Kemasan) or bottled water where water has to be sourced from springs, and then packaged in plastic and transported for distribution.
I think a lot of problem came from the current drinking water cycle.
Firstly the price is very different in different areas because of logistics and because of logistics some areas do not even have access to drinking water.
So we thought by placing our refill station that can process any kind of water on site, we can eliminate inefficiencies. Then we can have flat water prices and have access to water anywhere. Added benefit is that we don’t need any plastic waste anymore and also we reduce carbon emission.
So I think this one simple solution can solve a lot of things – that’s what WaterHub is.
Could you elaborate on how WaterHub's water refill station filters various types of water into drinkable quality?
So basically the machine itself will be transported to any location, where it will then be installed and adjusted to the different water sources. Whether it’s seawater or groundwater, the machine is set up accordingly, drawing water directly into its system. Once inside, the water undergoes a purification process, resulting in clean, drinkable water dispensed from the machine.
The machine is equipped with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, featuring sensors that connect to our dashboard. This connectivity ensures that all operations are monitored and standardized.
Prior to deployment, we conduct rigorous lab tests to ensure that our devices meet standardized quality benchmarks before they are made available to the public.
How did the idea for the machine came about to become an actual functioning machine? Was it born in a lab and did you design it?
It might sound cliché, but as recent graduates, one thing we lacked from the start was capital. So, everything began in our garage.
Fortunately, we had mentors and alumni from our university who were kind enough to provide us a space, supporting us in our early days.
Our very first prototype was quite rudimentary, crafted from plywood (triplek). We had to make do with inexpensive materials due to our initial capital constraints. As we secured investments, we were able to upgrade to better materials and refine our prototype over time. That’s been the journey we had to take.
Indonesians are typically not familiar with the water refill concept, people are used to buying convenient plastic bottles. How successful has it been for you to introduce the concept of a water refill station?
It’s a valid concern, and indeed, many have raised similar questions. To address this, we conducted focus group discussions and awareness campaigns to educate people about our initiative.
One effective method we did was organizing blind taste tests, comparing our water with popular AMDK brands. We asked people to try out three water options and make them guess which one is coming from a huge brand and which one is from WaterHub. Surprisingly, participants struggled to distinguish between them, often mistaking our water for the well-known brands.
So I think the issue would be to build the brand and showing our customers that our product is standardized – they will know that whenever they refill from WaterHub, they will get the same quality.
We have deployed our machines in different schools, GORs and public spaces as well and what we realized is that although a lot of people are aware of the environment problem, their primary motivation to switch to refill stations is cost savings rather than sustainability.
With Indonesians they’re very price sensitive so when we told them that they can save money by refilling water, it’s a no brainer for them to shift to this kind of lifestyle. So what we uncover is that the stronger motivation is not to be green and sustainable, but to save money. That’s okay because at the end of the day by saving money we can help the planet.
I think it really depends on who we’re talking to but the major public I think the saving money concept resonates better with them.
Do you see yourself having better success introducing WaterHub to specific demographics, say women or youth groups?
Interestingly, when you mentioned that, it resonated with our experience. We’ve found it’s easier to introduce this concept to students during school visits compared to engaging with older men (bapak-bapak).
When it comes to the women – I think a lot of ibu-ibu are more aware and conscious about what they’re giving to their kids, and that’s one reason why they want to be sustainable. This awareness often influences their purchasing decisions.
While we’ve noticed an increasing number of men carrying tumblers, indicating a desire to save, the lack of refill stations makes it a challenge. However, we believe this is where the potential for WaterHub to come in and serve this need.
Who are you currently trialing this solution with?
Earlier this year, we kicked off with an event in collaboration with a school, hosting a socialization session for incoming students. During this event, we distributed free tumblers and conducted workshops to educate attendees about WaterHub.
Looking ahead, we’re in talks with the government to expand our initiative to an additional hundred schools across Jabodetabek. Our aim is to significantly scale up our efforts. As part of our ambitious goals, we’re striving to set a world record by the end of the year, focusing on reducing plastic waste, carbon emissions, and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through our expanded WaterHub program.
The opportunity to work with the students is particularly rewarding, as they represent the future agents of change. They'll be the ones leading the way as they grow older, shaping the future landscape.
Beyond schools, how many WaterHub refill stations are out there across other locations in Jabodetabek?
So we currently have 10 water refill stations placed at various points in public space.
Additionally we are also exploring B2B partnerships for example with the hotels.
They’re currently using AMDK water bottles for guests staying in their rooms. We’re helping them to shift to glass bottles, helping them to save costs.
On top of that the impact report that they have can be given to the OJK for incentives, so I think it’s also one thing that can be beneficial for the hotels as well.
I feel like right now is the perfect timing for impact startups because a lot of people are much more aware about such issues and theres also growing support from the government.
I think this is a great momentum for WaterHub as well, we currently do have a lot of MoUs and inquiries from the hotels as well because that’s one solution that they need.
What is WaterHub's business model?
For the B2C aspect, It’s similar to how you buy an internet quota – essentially it’s a subscription model without any expiry dates. For instance you buy five liters worth of water today but you’re only using one, you can use the remaining quota whenever you choose and at any WaterHub machine of your preference.
This flexibility allows users to access their water quota anywhere and anytime, according to their needs.
For business-to-business (B2B) transactions, we offer an invoicing system. Customers simply pay on a monthly basis, similar to a standard invoicing payment process.
Do you also actively collaborate with governments, academias and the local communities?
We’ve established partnerships with the government, and we recently deployed our machine to Madagascar a few months back. In collaboration with Kemenkomarves, we showcased our technology and shared our expertise during our visit. While several other countries have expressed interest in WaterHub, our current focus remains on Indonesia.
Additionally, we’re actively collaborating with other startups dedicated to environmental initiatives, as well as engaging with communities such as sports groups.
Back then, you were in the ideation phase, but now you're in the commercialization phase. What do you think have been the key factors that have allowed WaterHub to grow to where it is today?
I learned a lot – there were ups and downs, with a lot of adaptation needed as I was very new to the startup scene, where everything is going very fast.
Participating in these incubator programs opened numerous doors for me. They provided valuable support and guidance, pairing me with mentors who provided crucial advice on building a startup. These experiences have been instrumental in the growth and success of WaterHub today.
Back then, you were in the ideation phase, but now you're in the commercialization phase. What do you think have been the key factors that have allowed WaterHub to grow to where it is today?
We started back in 2019 but it was back when we did our R&D, then COVID hit and we had to postpone everything because our startup focuses on public spaces.
When COVID ended, we rolled out and went out to go talk to our consumers. I think one of the key reasons that made us here today is because we engage with our consumers – we need to understand and know the pain points of our consumers because they are the ones who are ultimately using our product. Our product needs to resonate with them.
I think a lot of people might be stuck in a bubble where they think their product is like their baby and their baby is perfect, so they have the emotional attachment, where if the product is pivoted to something else, they wouldn’t like it.
That’s one thing that we need to learn because at the end of the day the most important thing is our consumers, not the product. If the product does not fit what people want then we should be willing to adapt it.
For example, WaterHub back then is actually not the WaterHub we see today. Initially, we thought that we could give out the water for free and then the revenue would come from the advertisement that we displayed in our machine.
In hindsight,I think that wouldn’t work in the long run because then we need to figure out who’s going to advertise and we would be busy finding people who are willing to advertise.
We decided to do the B2C approach with our users and have it as how it is today so that’s the pivot that we did.
What are your future plans for WaterHub? Where do you envision taking the company next?
As I mentioned, we are collaborating with the government. This year alone, we will be rolling out 150 machines in various schools across the Jabodetabek area. This doesn’t include public spaces like transportation hubs, sports centers, and hotels, where we also plan to deploy machines.
Next year, in partnership with the government, we will expand to other cities outside Jabodetabek. Our goal is to deploy 5,000 machines across Indonesia within five years—that’s our current roadmap.
I hope the next time we're in Jakarta, we can see a WaterHub station around. If people want to learn more about WaterHub, how can they do so?
Learn more about WaterHub by clicking their social links below
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