Susteq
Susteq B.V. is a Dutch company that designs, manufactures, and sells a solar-powered prepaid water ATM system (Water Hub, Shop Hub, NFC tokens, online dashboard) for water utilities, NGOs, and local entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersEnschede, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Susteq does
Susteq B.V. is a Dutch private limited company founded in 2013 in Enschede, Netherlands, by Anton Lepelaar and Tom van Zutphen. The company designs, assembles, and sells the "Susteq Solution," an integrated prepaid water ATM system for water service providers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its core technology comprises a solar-powered Water Hub (a modular dispenser supporting 1-3 taps with 1" or 2" outlets), a Shop Hub credit-vending terminal for local vendors, three types of NFC smart tokens (grey for vendors, blue for end users, orange for maintenance technicians), and a cloud-based Online Monitoring Dashboard with API access for integration with utility billing systems. The hardware is designed for off-grid operation on 5W solar with up to 8 days of battery backup, GPRS-only connectivity (it can dispense water without mobile network), OTA software updates, IP65 protection, and a 15-year design lifespan.
Susteq's customers are primarily national, regional, and municipal water utilities (WASAC Rwanda, NCWSC Nairobi, NWSC Uganda, MORUWASA Tanzania), NGOs and non-profits (Water Compass, ICS), and local water entrepreneurs (Sheepcare, WeTu) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sales are executed through a network of African resellers and distributors (Maji Milele, Water Forever Uganda, Hope Water, Villagepump) offering territorial exclusivity, supplemented by direct enterprise sales to larger utility and NGO accounts. As of April 2026, Susteq had produced 5,000 cumulative dispensers, with 4,000+ deployed across 12 African countries, serving over 250,000 people daily and dispensing more than 3 million liters per day.
Susteq earns revenue from one-time hardware sales (Water Hub, Shop Hub, NFC tokens, spare parts), recurring Online Monitoring Dashboard subscriptions on 1- to 15-year terms, and ongoing maintenance/spare-parts services. The company does not charge per-liter fees; the client owns the system and data. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting the modular configuration of each deployment. The company is founder-led, appears bootstrapped (no external funding rounds disclosed), and is ISO 9001:2015 certified. It maintains strategic partnerships with Demcon (engineering CSR/incubator), World Waternet, VEI Dutch Water Operators, and donor-funded programs (WaterWorX, Sustainable Water Fund).
Susteq firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Susteq
- Legal name
- Susteq B.V.
- Website
- https://susteq.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Susteq B.V. is a Dutch company that designs, manufactures, and sells a solar-powered prepaid water ATM system (Water Hub, Shop Hub, NFC tokens, online dashboard) for water utilities, NGOs, and local entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Susteq industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Prepaid Water Dispensing Systems
- NAICS
- Totalizing Fluid Meter and Counting Device Manufacturing (334514), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Totalizing Fluid Meters & Counting Devices (3824), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customer Billing & Revenue Management (rate configuration, billing, adjustments, revenue assurance) (EUANAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Payments, Collections & Credit/Delinquency Management (payment channels, dunning, write-offs) (EUANAIAE), Digital Self-Service & Customer Portals (web/mobile, e-bill, notifications, consumption dashboards) (EUANAIAI), Meter Data Management & Analytics (MDM, validation/estimation/editing, usage insights) (EUANAIAB)
Keywords
Where Susteq is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Enschede
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Susteq business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Hardware sales (Water Hub, Shop Hub, tokens): One-time sale of the Susteq prepaid water ATM hardware (Water Hub and Shop Hub), smart NFC tokens (blue, grey, orange), and spare parts (battery, flow meter, ball valve). Customer owns the system and data; no per-liter charges.
- Online monitoring dashboard subscriptions: Recurring subscriptions for the online monitoring dashboard, available in 1, 5, 10, or 15 year terms. The system operates without a dashboard subscription, but the dashboard is required for monitoring, alerts and credit flow visibility.
- Reseller/distributor channel revenue: Susteq sells through an extended reseller/distributor network across Sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia and other African countries), offering exclusivity in agreed territories.
- Spare parts and maintenance services: Spare parts (battery, flow meter, ball valve) and maintenance support available through the distributor network or directly via Susteq. Replacement does not require specialized skills.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Quote-based hardware pricing (modular, varies by configuration) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Online monitoring dashboard subscription |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom feature development on request |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
Susteq product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Susteq designs, manufactures and sells a prepaid water ATM system consisting of the solar-powered Water Hub dispenser, Shop Hub vendor terminal, NFC smart tokens, and a cloud-based Online Monitoring Dashboard. The solution enables water utilities, NGOs, and local entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa to dispense metered water on a pay-as-you-fetch basis, reduce non-revenue water, and remotely monitor performance.
Product overview
Susteq offers a single integrated prepaid water dispensing solution (the "Susteq Solution") rather than standalone products. The core product is the Susteq Water Hub (prepaid water ATM for end users), supported by the Susteq Shop Hub (credit-vending terminal used by local vendors) and NFC-based Smart Tokens (grey for vendors, blue for end users, orange for maintenance). These field components feed into the cloud-based Online Monitoring Dashboard, which provides operators with real-time performance data, alerts, and API access for integration with billing systems. An optional Mobile Payment Service (mobile money integration such as MPESA) extends the Water Hub / Shop Hub / Smart Tokens stack with mobile-money-based token recharging.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Susteq Water Hub Solar-powered prepaid water ATM / dispenser. End users present an NFC smart token to fetch a metered volume of water on a pay-as-you-fetch basis. Supports 1-3 simultaneous taps with 1" or 2" outlet diameters; modular architecture connects to existing water infrastructure.
- Susteq Shop Hub
Quantifiable outcome
- Some clients report a 2-year ROI; NWSC Kampala achieved 6-12 month ROI for customers with bad payment history
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Susteq
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Susteq technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature11 records
Susteq partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered preferred partner (csr and incubator program), flagship reseller, regional reseller, project partner, project partner / customer, strategic partner, awareness partner and media partner.
- Demconpreferred partner (csr and incubator program)Demcon is a mechatronics engineering company that works for many different high-end customers. Susteq is part of Demcon's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and incubator program, providing long-standing preferred partner support for engineering and development.
- Maji Mileleflagship resellerKenya-based Susteq reseller/distributor. Maji Milele partnered with Susteq at the AfWASA 2025 conference in Kampala. Started a new cooperation with WASAC Ltd (national water utility of Rwanda) - after a successful pilot, 49 systems are in use with the aim to upscale to 200.
- Water Forever Ugandaflagship resellerUgandan distributor of Susteq. Signed a contract with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) for delivery of Susteq solutions to be implemented in informal settlements of Kampala, Uganda, serving at least 750,000 people. Partnered with Susteq at AfWASA 2025.
- Hope Waterregional resellerSusteq's distributor in Malawi. First successful project in Malawi using the Susteq Solution completed; partnership established to support others.
- Project Majiproject partnerSusteq project partner active in East Africa, sharing progress of their work deploying the Susteq Solution in the field.
- WeTu Kenyaproject partner / customerKenyan social enterprise operating 8 hubs around Lake Victoria. Uses 9 Susteq ATMs to dispense 2.4 million liters per year serving ~1,300 people. Customers recharge tokens via MPESA mobile payment. Achieves SMS alerts for technical issues.
- World Waternetstrategic partnerDutch water operator partnering with Susteq and Villagepump under the WaterWorX partnership to support MORUWASA in Tanzania. World Waternet, Susteq and Villagepump support rehabilitation of 10 water kiosks and implementation of prepayment systems using mature ultrafiltration membrane technology.
- Villagepumpproject partnerPartner of Susteq and World Waternet supporting MORUWASA Tanzania in rehabilitation of 10 water kiosks and implementation of prepayment systems under the WaterWorX partnership.
- VEI (Dutch Water Operators)strategic partnerDutch Water Operators partnering with WASAC Rwanda under the SCALE project, a Water Operators' Partnership co-funded by the Sustainable Water Fund (FDW). VEI partnered with Maji Milele to deploy Susteq prepaid water dispensers in Kigali and Eastern Province.
- Siemens Stiftungawareness partnerCo-organized webinar 'Social Entrepreneurship to secure rural water supply' with Whave during SIWI World Water Week (August 20-24, 2023). Susteq featured as a case/example in the webinar recording.
- Whaveawareness partnerCo-organized webinar 'Social Entrepreneurship to secure rural water supply' with Siemens Stiftung during SIWI World Water Week (August 20-24, 2023). Susteq featured in the webinar.
- De Twentsche Courant Tubantiamedia partnerRegional Dutch newspaper that featured Susteq on World Water Day (March 22, 2026) in an article about the 5,000th prepaid water dispenser milestone.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Susteq competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Grundfos: Global pump and water solutions manufacturer whose AQtap/Aqva smart water station is a direct competitor to Susteq's prepaid water ATM in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing markets, serving the same utility, NGO and entrepreneur customer base with solar-powered prepaid dispensing.
- eWATERpay: UK-based provider of prepaid water dispensing and pay-as-you-fetch solutions for communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Directly competes with Susteq on the same use case (prepaid water at communal points) for utilities, NGOs and donors.
Broad incumbents
- Xylem: Global water technology company (including Sensus metering and a range of smart water solutions). Operates broadly in water metering, network monitoring and utility analytics, overlapping with Susteq's online monitoring dashboard and metering capabilities at a much larger scale.
- Itron: Global smart utility metering and analytics provider serving water utilities worldwide with AMI/AMR solutions. Broad incumbent in the same end market (water utility metering and revenue management) that Susteq addresses in developing markets.
- Kamstrup: Danish supplier of smart metering solutions for water, heat and electricity utilities. Sells smart water meters and AMI/analytics platforms to utilities globally, overlapping with Susteq's metering and monitoring offering though focused on more developed markets.
- Diehl Metering: German provider of metering solutions for water, heat and gas, including smart metering systems and AMI. Operates broadly across the same water utility metering and billing space as Susteq with a much wider product portfolio.
- Badger Meter: US-based manufacturer of flow measurement and smart water metering solutions. A broad incumbent serving utilities with metering and analytics products that overlap with Susteq's flow measurement and monitoring functionality.
Emerging players
- Arad Group: Israeli manufacturer of water metering solutions with strong presence in emerging markets. Offers prepaid and smart water meters for utilities, overlapping with Susteq's prepaid water ATM business model in similar geographies.
- Maddalena: Italian manufacturer of water meters and metering solutions, including prepaid and AMR/AMI products. Sells into water utilities globally including emerging markets, competing with Susteq's metering and prepayment functionality.
Regional players
- Davis & Shirtliff: East Africa's largest supplier of water equipment (pumps, treatment, boreholes) headquartered in Kenya. Sells into the same African utilities and water projects as Susteq, including competing prepaid water kiosks, though its portfolio is much broader than prepaid metering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Susteq social profiles
Digital presenceSusteq compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Susteq financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Susteq leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Susteq funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Susteq 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 Susteq
What does Susteq do?
Susteq designs, manufactures and sells a prepaid water ATM system consisting of the solar-powered Water Hub dispenser, Shop Hub vendor terminal, NFC smart tokens, and a cloud-based Online Monitoring Dashboard. The solution enables water utilities, NGOs, and local entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa to dispense metered water on a pay-as-you-fetch basis, reduce non-revenue water, and remotely monitor performance.
Is Susteq a public or private company?
Susteq is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Susteq founded?
Susteq was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Susteq based?
Susteq is headquartered in Enschede, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Susteq make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware sales (Water Hub, Shop Hub, tokens) is the primary driver. The others are online monitoring dashboard subscriptions, reseller/distributor channel revenue and spare parts and maintenance services.
Who are Susteq's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Grundfos and eWATERpay. Broad incumbents are Xylem, Itron, Kamstrup, Diehl Metering and Badger Meter. Emerging players are Arad Group and Maddalena. Davis & Shirtliff is listed as a regional player.
Does Susteq have an API?
Yes. Integration with existing billing systems through an API, enabling pro-poor pricing and connection to external billing infrastructure. The Online Monitoring Dashboard also exposes improved API support for partners/operators.
What industry is Susteq in?
Susteq's product category is Prepaid Water Dispensing Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANAIAC, Customer Billing & Revenue Management (rate configuration, billing, adjustments, revenue assurance), with a secondary code of EUANAIAE, Payments, Collections & Credit/Delinquency Management (payment channels, dunning, write-offs). Its NAICS code is 334514 and its SIC code is 3824.