Sago Network

What Sago Network does

Sago Network is a not-for-profit community development organization founded in 2008 and registered in both Papua New Guinea (Sago Network Association Inc., registration 5-5953) and Australia (Sago Network Ltd, ABN 72 154 229 375). The organization addresses water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) challenges at the community level in Papua New Guinea through direct partnerships with rural and coastal communities, government agencies, private-sector CSR partners, and educational institutions. Sago Network's current focus is on supporting the production, marketing, and sale of the Sago Dry Toilet and related initiatives, operating from offices in Annandale, Sydney, and Waigani, Port Moresby.

The organization's core product is the Sago Dry Toilet, a waterless, permanent above-ground sanitation solution specifically engineered for Papua New Guinea's flooding and high-water-table environments. The unit has a stated service life of 15-20 years with proper installation, maintenance, and usage, and is delivered with usage guidance, maintenance protocols, and training resources to support community adoption. As a complementary offering, Sago Network provides architectural consultancy services through its "Architecture for Communities" practice, which spans master-planning, sustainable urban planning, school and university facility design, custom housing design, pre-fabrication, rural project design, and project management for community development partners.

Sago Network operates a community-led go-to-market model, partnering directly with rural and coastal villages that commit to local decision-making and meaningful contribution toward project outcomes. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of the Sago Dry Toilet to communities and partners, alongside professional services revenue from architectural consultancy work. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the organization does not report financials. Outreach is conducted through its website, a Facebook page, and direct community engagement, with no app, API, or digital platform layer.

Name

Sago Network

Legal name

Sago Network Association Inc. (PNG) / Sago Network Ltd (Australia)

Website

https://sagonetwork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sago Network is a not-for-profit founded in 2008, registered in Australia and Papua New Guinea. It produces the Sago Dry Toilet, a waterless above-ground sanitation system for PNG's flood-affected communities, and provides architectural consultancy to community development partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Sanitation Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI), Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Community sanitation solutions
• Waterless toilet systems
• WASH program delivery
• Rural development consulting
• Architectural consultancy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sago Dry Toilet Sales: Production, marketing and sale of the Sago Dry Toilet and related initiatives to communities and partners in Papua New Guinea.
2. Architectural Consultancy Services: Architectural consultancy services provided to community development partners in Papua New Guinea, including design, documentation, and project management.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sago Network designs, produces and distributes the Sago Dry Toilet, a permanent above-ground waterless sanitation solution built for rural and coastal communities in Papua New Guinea affected by flooding and high-water-table conditions, with a 15-20 year operational lifespan. Alongside this physical product, the organisation delivers Architecture for Communities, an architectural consultancy service covering master-planning, sustainable urban planning, school and university facility design, custom housing design, pre-fabrication, rural project design, design review, development consultancy and project management. Both offerings are delivered through community-centred partnerships that place local decision-making, GEDSI processes and capacity building at the core of every engagement.

Product overview

Sago Network is a not-for-profit community development organization that offers two main offerings: the Sago Dry Toilet as its core product, and Architecture for Communities as a complementary service. The Sago Dry Toilet is a specialized, long-term waterless sanitation solution targeting rural and coastal communities in Papua New Guinea, designed for areas affected by flooding and high-water table environments with a 15-20 year lifespan. The Architecture for Communities service provides architectural consultancy including master-planning, sustainable urban planning, school/university facility design, custom housing design, and project management services. The organization focuses on community-centred development, partnering with rural and coastal communities to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene standards while empowering local decision-making.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sago Dry Toilet A waterless, permanent above-ground toilet solution designed for rural and coastal communities in Papua New Guinea affected by flooding and high-water-table environments. When installed, maintained and used correctly, the unit has a lifespan of 15-20 years. The product is targeted at PNG villages where conventional sewage-based sanitation is impractical, and includes usage guidance, maintenance protocols and training resources.
• Architecture for Communities Architectural consultancy services for community development partners in Papua New Guinea, covering master-planning, sustainable urban planning, school and university facility design, custom architectural housing design, pre-fabrication, rural project design, design review, development consultancy and project management. Targeted at development organisations, NGOs, government agencies and communities needing built-environment expertise in PNG contexts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15-20 year durability with proper installation, maintenance and use
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Water.org: Global nonprofit pioneering market-based WASH solutions, including waterless sanitation financing; comparable in developing specialized, context-appropriate WASH products for underserved communities.
• WaterAid: Global NGO focused exclusively on WASH access for marginalized communities; directly comparable as a nonprofit delivering sanitation and hygiene programs in low-income geographies, with similar community-engagement models.
• Habitat for Humanity Australia: Nonprofit delivering housing and community infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific, including sanitation components; comparable in combining physical infrastructure delivery with community-led development and PNG regional presence.
• World Vision Australia: Australian-headquartered NGO with substantial WASH and community development programming in PNG; comparable in mission, donor base (Australian public), and PNG operational footprint.
• Plan International Australia: Child- and community-focused NGO running WASH programs across PNG and the Pacific; directly comparable in addressing sanitation in rural PNG communities using participatory, GEDSI-aligned approaches.

Emerging players

• Sanergy: Social enterprise building low-cost sanitation infrastructure for informal settlements in East Africa; comparable as a mission-driven organization developing specialized, durable sanitation products for low-resource, flood-prone environments.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam Australia: Large Australian NGO with WASH, water security, and community development programs across the Pacific including PNG; comparable as a domestic Australian fundraising entity supporting WASH delivery in PNG.
• UNICEF Papua New Guinea: UN agency running large-scale WASH programs in PNG; comparable as a major WASH funder and implementer in the same geography, and a likely partner or grantor for organizations like Sago Network.

Regional players

• Live & Learn Environmental Education: Australian NGO with PNG country operations focused on WASH, hygiene education, and environmental health; comparable in being a small Australia-based NPO executing WASH programming in PNG.
• Caritas Australia: Australian Catholic agency for overseas aid with a strong PNG country program covering WASH and community development; comparable as an Australia-registered NPO raising funds domestically for PNG delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sagonetwork
• Xx.com/SagoNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sago-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sago Network