Triple Bottom Line
Triple Bottom Line Enterprises (3BL) is a US Public Benefit Corporation that builds and finances affordable piped water systems for rural Ethiopian households using the Flowius mobile management suite, PAYGO repayment through its HomeWater Fund, and CLARA solar-powered disinfection hardware, cross-subsidized by 3BL Studios' BIM and software outsourcing services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAddis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Triple Bottom Line does
Triple Bottom Line Enterprises (3BL) is a US-incorporated Public Benefit Corporation founded in 2014, with operational headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that designs, finances, constructs, and operates radically affordable piped water systems for rural Ethiopian communities. The company deploys the Flowius mobile suite (Survey, Manage, Pay, Dashboard) for community mapping, operations and maintenance, and PAYGO payment collection, and integrates the CLARA plug-and-play disinfection system, which produces sodium hypochlorite on-site from salt and solar power with embedded remote monitoring. As of latest available data, 3BL has connected more than 500 rural homes to piped water, with a HomeWater Fund initiative seeded by Stone Family Foundation and Aqua for All targeting an additional ~2,000 homes and ~12,000 people in the Gurage Zone near Butajira at a target capex of approximately €20 per person.
3BL monetizes through three streams: household connection fees plus four-year PAYGO monthly payments (~$1.80-2/month) recouping system cost; managed services via Flowius Sustain for NGOs, water utilities, WASHCos, and government entities; and 3BL Studios, an outsourcing arm delivering BIM and web/mobile development services to European and US construction and development firms to cross-subsidize the water mission. Customers span rural Ethiopian households (~$1.50-2/day income), the Ethiopian Ministry of Water and local woredas aligned with the OneWASH National Programme, and NGO partners including COOPI, with go-to-market executed through a rurally-based franchise network combining direct community engagement, government contracting, and institutional partnerships.
Triple Bottom Line firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Triple Bottom Line
- Legal name
- Triple Bottom Line Enterprises
- Website
- https://3blenterprises.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Triple Bottom Line Enterprises (3BL) is a US Public Benefit Corporation that builds and finances affordable piped water systems for rural Ethiopian households using the Flowius mobile management suite, PAYGO repayment through its HomeWater Fund, and CLARA solar-powered disinfection hardware, cross-subsidized by 3BL Studios' BIM and software outsourcing services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Triple Bottom Line industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rural Water Supply Services
- NAICS
- Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Storage & Conveyance Structures (Reservoirs, Tanks, Culverts, Tunnels) (IMAFAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Third-Party Water Retailing & Managed Billing Services (outsourced billing, white-label retail operations) (EUANAIAL), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD), Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)
Keywords
Where Triple Bottom Line is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Addis Ababa
- HQ country
- Ethiopia
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
Triple Bottom Line business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Water System Construction and Access Fees: 3BL builds piped water systems for rural Ethiopian communities. Revenue comes from connection fees (approximately 40% of system cost paid upfront by households) and monthly PAYGO charges (remaining 60% paid over four years at ~$1.80-2/household/month).
- HomeWater Fund Investment Returns: Revolving investment fund financing rural home water connections. 3BL provides upfront capital for materials, then recouped through household connection fees and monthly PAYGO payments over four years, after which funds are reinvested in new water systems.
- 3BL Studios Outsourcing Services: 3BL Studios provides outsourcing support for web and mobile tech development and construction technology (BIM) services to companies in Europe and the United States. Builds mobile and web applications for organizations supporting end-users in developing countries.
- Flowius Sustain Management Services: Provides digital tools to help communities, WASHCos, utilities, NGOs, farmer groups, and governments manage water systems - tracking payments, expenses, savings balances, spare parts inventory, and scheduling preventative maintenance. Supports organizations aiming to improve their management systems for a fee.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HomeWater Fund micro-grid water systems |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Household connection fees (40% upfront) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly PAYGO water payments (60% over time) |
| Subscription | Monthly | 3BL Studios Revit/BIM Services |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Triple Bottom Line product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Triple Bottom Line Enterprises (3BL) designs, finances, and builds radically affordable piped water systems for rural Ethiopian communities. The company combines engineered water infrastructure with a mobile-first management platform (Flowius), automated salt-and-solar water disinfection technology (CLARA), and a revolving PAYGO financing mechanism (HomeWater Fund) to deliver household water connections. A separate division, 3BL Studios, provides web/mobile development and Building Information Modeling (BIM) outsourcing services to companies in Europe and the United States to cross-subsidize the water mission.
Product overview
Triple Bottom Line Enterprises operates as a unified product-and-services company focused on sustainable rural water supply in Ethiopia. Its core offering is Flowius, a suite of mobile tools for rural water management, which includes sub-products Flowius Home (piped water systems), Flowius Sustain (system maintenance), Flowius Tech (technology support), and four mobile applications: Flowius Survey (mapping), Flowius Manage (operations), Flowius Pay (payments), and Flowius Dashboard (data visualization). Additionally, 3BL offers CLARA, a hardware product for automated water disinfection with remote monitoring. The company also provides HomeWater Fund, a financial product for financing rural water connections through a pay-as-you-go model, and 3BL Studios, an outsourcing division offering web/mobile development and BIM services to international clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Flowius: Mobile tools for rural home water supply and management of rural water systems, including Flowius Home, Flowius Tech, and Flowius Sustain products.
- Flowius Home
- Flowius Tech
- Flowius Sustain
- HomeWater Fund
- 3BL Studios
Products and services
- Flowius A suite of mobile tools designed to work in rural Ethiopian settings for investing in rural home water supply and enhancing management of rural water systems. Includes sub-products Flowius Home (piped water connections to rural households), Flowius Tech (technology support), and Flowius Sustain (tools to track repairs, spare parts inventory, preventative maintenance scheduling, and financial/technical management for existing water systems); mobile apps include Flowius Survey (community mapping), Flowius Manage (operations and maintenance), Flowius Pay (pay-as-you-go payments), and Flowius Dashboard (data visualization).
- CLARA Water Disinfection System A Plug & Play technology that automatically disinfects water passing through a pipeline with on-site produced sodium hypochlorite using only kitchen salt and solar energy. Includes a remote monitoring system that allows NGOs and water facilities to track system health and KPIs. Designed for rural water infrastructure with no consumable chemical inputs.
- HomeWater Fund A revolving investment fund that bridges the gap between capital expenditure costs and community fundraising ability for rural home water connections in Ethiopia. Provides upfront capital for materials; costs are recouped through household connection fees (approximately 40% upfront) and monthly PAYGO payments (approximately $1.80-$2 per household per month over four years). Target: serve 10,000-20,000 rural Ethiopians through micro-grid water systems.
- 3BL Studios An outsourcing division that generates revenue by providing web and mobile application development and Building Information Modeling (BIM) services to construction companies in Europe and the United States. Also builds mobile and web applications for organizations supporting end-users in developing countries. Revenues cross-subsidize 3BL's rural water access mission.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ rural homes connected to water in Ethiopia
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Triple Bottom Line
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Triple Bottom Line technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Triple Bottom Line partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ClaracoreSwiss water technology company. Partner logo displayed on 3BL website. CLARA is a Plug & Play technology that automatically disinfects water passing through a pipeline with on-site produced sodium hypochlorite using only salt and solar energy.
- COOPI (Cooperazione Internazionale)coreInternational development organization. 3BL supporting COOPI in communities of Boryale and Fikow near Dolo Ado with enhanced management of two solar powered irrigation systems.
- Imagine H2OcoreWater innovation accelerator. 3BL was accepted into their Silicon Valley water innovation accelerator program in 2017, winning runner-up position. Provided press coverage and access to innovation ecosystem.
- IceaddisminorEthiopian innovation/hub organization that helped 3BL develop their business plan. Located in Addis Ababa.
- Ethiopian Water Technology Institute (EWTI)minorGovernment technology institute in Ethiopia focused on water technology.
- Open Capital AdvisorscoreFinancial consulting firm based in Nairobi. Spent time taking deep dive into 3BL's books and helped develop Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) financing model for projects.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Triple Bottom Line competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WaterAid: One of the largest global WASH NGOs with operations across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Operates at much greater scale than 3BL but competes for the same OneWASH-aligned funding pools and government relationships in Ethiopia.
- Splash: Delivers clean water programs primarily in schools and communities across Ethiopia, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable mission and overlapping Ethiopian footprint, with a broader portfolio than 3BL's household piped-water focus.
Direct peers
- Piramal Sarvajal: India's largest IoT-enabled clean water utility serving rural and semi-urban low-income customers via a pay-as-you-go model. Directly comparable to 3BL's combination of water-retail infrastructure, PAYGO payment collection, and tech-enabled service to underserved households.
- WaterHealth International: Operates decentralized water purification systems in underserved communities across India and Africa. Closely aligned with 3BL on deploy-and-operate point-of-source water infrastructure and recurring service revenue in low-income markets.
- GivePower Foundation: Builds solar-powered water desalination systems in water-scarce communities across Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Comparable mission of infrastructure-plus-renewable-energy water systems for off-grid rural populations.
- Naandi Foundation (Naandi Water): Operates large-scale rural drinking water projects in India for underserved communities via community-owned utility models. Directly comparable mission, scale ambition, and operating geography profile to 3BL.
- CityTaps: Provides smart prepaid water metering and mobile-payment technology for utilities serving low-income customers in developing markets. Highly comparable to 3BL's Flowius Pay / PAYGO model applied to piped water.
- Safe Water Network: Supports sustainable small-enterprise water utilities in Ghana, India, and Kenya serving underserved communities. Closely aligned with 3BL on enterprise-based WASH delivery and on operating within low-income rural markets.
Emerging players
- mWater: Mobile and web platform for water quality monitoring, infrastructure mapping, and data analytics across WASH programs. Overlaps with 3BL on the Flowius Survey / Manage / Dashboard software layer for water-sector practitioners.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Triple Bottom Line social profiles
Digital presenceTriple Bottom Line financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Triple Bottom Line leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Triple Bottom Line subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Triple Bottom Line funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Triple Bottom Line M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Triple Bottom Line
What does Triple Bottom Line do?
Triple Bottom Line Enterprises (3BL) designs, finances, and builds radically affordable piped water systems for rural Ethiopian communities. The company combines engineered water infrastructure with a mobile-first management platform (Flowius), automated salt-and-solar water disinfection technology (CLARA), and a revolving PAYGO financing mechanism (HomeWater Fund) to deliver household water connections. A separate division, 3BL Studios, provides web/mobile development and Building Information Modeling (BIM) outsourcing services to companies in Europe and the United States to cross-subsidize the water mission.
Is Triple Bottom Line a public or private company?
Triple Bottom Line is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Triple Bottom Line founded?
Triple Bottom Line was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Triple Bottom Line based?
Triple Bottom Line is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the Africa region.
How does Triple Bottom Line make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Water System Construction and Access Fees are the primary driver. The others are homeWater Fund Investment Returns, 3BL Studios Outsourcing Services and flowius Sustain Management Services.
Who are Triple Bottom Line's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are WaterAid and Splash. Direct peers are Piramal Sarvajal, WaterHealth International, GivePower Foundation, Naandi Foundation (Naandi Water), CityTaps and Safe Water Network. mWater is listed as an emerging player.
Does Triple Bottom Line have an API?
No public API is recorded for Triple Bottom Line.
What industry is Triple Bottom Line in?
Triple Bottom Line's product category is Rural Water Supply Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAGAE, Storage & Conveyance Structures (Reservoirs, Tanks, Culverts, Tunnels), with a secondary code of EUANAIAL, Third-Party Water Retailing & Managed Billing Services (outsourced billing, white-label retail operations). Its NAICS code is 22131 and its SIC code is 4941.