The Washing Machine Project
The Washing Machine Project is a UK social enterprise that designs, manufactures, and distributes the Divya Manual Washing Machine — a flat-packable, non-electric washing machine — through NGO and corporate partnerships to low-income, remote, and displaced communities in 13+ countries, primarily serving women and girls.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Washing Machine Project does
The Washing Machine Project is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2019 by Navjot Sawhney, a former Dyson and Jaguar Land Rover engineer, that designs, manufactures, and distributes the Divya Manual Washing Machine. The product is a flat-packable, non-electric washing machine intended for low-income, remote, and displaced communities — predominantly women and girls — who lack reliable access to electricity and water. The latest Divya 1.65 version is built from stainless steel with foldable metal tabs that allow hand-rolling and assembly with basic tools, includes a built-in scrubber lid, wider opening for bulky fabrics, and a drain tap design that cuts drainage time by 50%. The machine delivers a 30-minute wash cycle and claims 50% water savings and 75% time savings versus hand washing, with field-measured wash-time reductions of 80% in Uganda and 78% water reduction in Puebla, Mexico.
The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercially transacted. Machines are not sold directly; instead, distribution occurs exclusively through partnerships with international NGOs and INGOs (UNHCR, Oxfam, Save the Children, Care International, Plan International, UK-Med, A Drop in the Ocean) and local in-country organizations. Corporate foundation funding comes from Whirlpool Foundation, RS Group, Jaguar Land Rover, and Santander. Individual giving is solicited through JustGiving and community-powered campaigns such as The People's Container (£70,000 per 72-machine container). Additional revenue is generated from paid speaking engagements and Washout Experience corporate team-building sessions. Manufacturing occurs in the UK (Warrington and previously Newport, where RS volunteers built 32 units in 2021) with planned India-based production scale-up supported by JLR.
As of June 2026, TWMP reports 105,000+ lives impacted across more than 40 programmes in 13+ countries spanning South Asia (India), East Africa (Uganda, Kenya), the Middle East (Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza), Southern Europe (Greece), Central Africa (Republic of Congo, Cameroon), West Africa (Ghana), Southern Africa, North America, Latin America (Mexico), and Oceania (Kiribati). The organization's stated goal is to reach 1,000,000 people by 2030, with Whirlpool Foundation support committed to 150,000 of that total. TWMP is supported by the TWMP Foundation (registered UK charity 1193480) which provides governance and oversight, while the CIC (12113634) is the primary operating entity. The team comprises 15-20 members across R&D, partnerships, programmes, and operations.
The Washing Machine Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Washing Machine Project
- Legal name
- The Washing Machine Project
- Website
- https://thewashingmachineproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Washing Machine Project is a UK social enterprise that designs, manufactures, and distributes the Divya Manual Washing Machine — a flat-packable, non-electric washing machine — through NGO and corporate partnerships to low-income, remote, and displaced communities in 13+ countries, primarily serving women and girls.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Washing Machine Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Manual Washing Machines
- NAICS
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions (BPAGALAI), Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Emergency Services (BPAGAAAE)
Keywords
Where The Washing Machine Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Washing Machine Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Donations/Fundraising: The primary revenue model is through donations and fundraising. The Washing Machine Project distributes machines through partnerships rather than direct sales. Individuals and organizations can donate through the TWMP Foundation (registered charity) to fund machine distribution programmes.
- Campaign Fundraising: Community-powered campaigns like 'The People's Container' allow individuals to collectively fund shipping containers of machines. The £70,000 target funds 72 machines including manufacturing, shipping, deployment, logistics, local partner collaboration, training, and aftercare.
- Speaking Engagements: Revenue generated from speaking fees at corporate events, universities, schools, and conferences. Speaking engagements feature founder Navjot Sawhney and team members discussing innovation, sustainability, and social impact.
- Corporate Partnership Funding: Funding from corporate partners including Whirlpool Foundation, RS Group, Jaguar Land Rover, and Santander for programme rollouts, employee engagement, and product development.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | £972 funds one complete Divya Manual Washing Machine |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | The People's Container campaign target: £70,000 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Washing Machine Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Washing Machine Project designs, manufactures and distributes the Divya Manual Washing Machine, the world's first flat-packable, non-electric washing machine built for off-grid, low-income and displaced communities. The product saves 50% water and 75% of time versus hand washing, and is deployed through partnerships with NGOs, INGOs, corporate foundations and community campaigns across 13+ countries.
Product overview
The Washing Machine Project offers a single unified product: the Divya Manual Washing Machine (currently in version 1.65). This is a manual, non-electric, flat-packable washing machine designed specifically for women and girls in low-income, remote, and displaced communities who currently hand wash clothes. The machine requires no electricity, saves 50% water and 75% of time compared to hand washing, and features a 30-minute wash cycle. The product is supported by complementary services including distribution partnerships with NGOs and INGOs, training programs, and monitoring and evaluation. The organization also runs The People's Container campaign as a fundraising initiative to support machine deployment, but the core commercial offering is the Divya Washing Machine hardware product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Divya Manual Washing Machine The Divya Manual Washing Machine is a manual, non-electric, flat-packable washing machine designed for low-income, remote and displaced communities without reliable electricity and water access. The latest version (Divya 1.65) features a 30-minute wash cycle, stainless-steel construction for durability and recyclability, a built-in scrubber lid, wider lid opening for large fabrics, a faster drain tap, and stronger wheels for mobility. It saves 50% water and 75% of time compared to hand washing and is distributed through NGO, INGO and corporate foundation partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- 105,000+ people impacted since 2019
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use The Washing Machine Project
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Washing Machine Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
The Washing Machine Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UK-MedcoreHumanitarian medical charity. Four Divya machines delivered to field hospitals in Al-Musawi, Gaza for washing medical linens and blankets. Machines built in Warrington, shipped via Jordan.
- Sun KingminorSolar energy company known for improving electricity access in Africa and Asia. Partnered for India feasibility study surveying laundry habits in Danapur, Hyderabad, Hajipur, and Lucknow.
- RS GroupcoreSince 2021, RS Group has impacted over 30,000 lives providing matched funding, products, skills, volunteering, and washing machine build days for employees. Initiatives in Kenya, Uganda, refugee camps in Greece, and homeless communities in Texas, Pennsylvania and California.
- RS Group (Manufacturing)coreBetween June and August 2021, 32 Divya machines built in Newport by RS volunteers. Provided engineering support and materials for Divya 1.5 development.
- Whirlpool FoundationcoreFlagship partnership with Whirlpool Foundation to extend impact, targeting approximately 150,000 people over the next five years. Foundation arm of leading appliance manufacturer supporting machine distribution in India, Mexico, and Republic of Congo.
- Jaguar Land RovercorePartnered to launch 'Creativity for Good' initiative. Pilot year aims to accelerate creation of second-generation machine and distribution model for use and production in India that is more sustainable, cheaper to produce, and easier to assemble, repair, and distribute.
- CarecoreInternational humanitarian organization. Distributed 30 manual washing machines to Mamrashan IDP Camp in Iraq with funding from German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO).
- UNHCRcoreUN Refugee Agency partnership for distribution in Republic of Congo (100 machines in August 2024) in both community settings and individual households.
- Save The ChildrencoreInternational humanitarian organization partnered for child-focused distribution programmes.
- OxfamcoreEarly partner committed to purchasing 50 machines in 2019. Continued partnership for development and humanitarian distributions.
- Plan InternationalcoreInternational development organization partnered for girl empowerment and community programmes.
- A Drop in the OceancoreNorwegian humanitarian organization. Partnership for CCAC Camp Lesvos: initially 5 machines, then 30 more for laundrette facilities. Over 120 people use facility weekly processing 340kg+ of laundry.
- Colectivo TomatecoreLocal partner in Puebla, Mexico for distribution of 140+ machines in 2025. Partnership supporting both households and community spaces.
- InPact UgandacoreCommunity-based organization in Kampala. Brian as Community Health Coordinator distributed machines to households, schools, community groups, and special needs groups. Supports monitoring and evaluation.
- TASSminorPartner facilitating access to Kyangwali refugee settlement in Uganda for machine distribution.
- Alternativas, Aqua, Alight, Tech Ground, AC, Sharana, KynarouminorLocal charities and organizations in various countries for in-country distribution and implementation support.
- Engineers Without Borders (EWB)minorConducted focus group discussions in Vanuatu to gather qualitative insights on non-electrical washing machine use. Informing Non-Electrical Tumble Drum Washing Machine Prototype design.
- Concern InternationalminorPartnered for Iraq research in Kabarto 1 & 2 camps. Conducted interviews to understand residents' washing tendencies.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Washing Machine Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Lifebuoy (Unilever): Global hygiene brand with major handwashing and hygiene behaviour-change programmes in low-income markets. Adjacent comparable to TWMP as a hygiene/household-care player in the same beneficiary segments, though operating as a commercial brand rather than a social enterprise.
- Water.org: Global non-profit tackling water and sanitation access through market-based financing. Comparable to TWMP as a WASH non-profit serving low-income households in emerging markets, though focused on water/sanitation infrastructure financing rather than household appliances.
- WaterAid: Large international NGO focused on WASH access globally. Comparable to TWMP as a humanitarian WASH organization working through partner channels, though operating at significantly greater scale and scope across water, sanitation, and hygiene.
- iDE: International non-profit developing market-based solutions for sanitation, water, and income generation in low-income communities. Comparable to TWMP's WASH and income-generation themes, though iDE operates more broadly across sanitation value chains rather than a single product.
Direct peers
- charity: water: Non-profit funding clean water access in developing countries, with strong donor storytelling and brand-led fundraising model. Comparable to TWMP in operating as a WASH-impact non-profit with a strong digital brand and donor-funded distribution model.
- Splash: Social enterprise focused on clean water and handwashing/hygiene programs for children in urban poverty in the developing world. Comparable to TWMP as a WASH-focused social enterprise delivering measurable hygiene impact through direct program distribution in low-resource settings.
- Practical Action: International development organization using technology to address poverty in the Global South. Comparable to TWMP as a technology-for-development organization focused on low-income communities, with shared emphasis on user-led design and humanitarian impact.
- Engineers Without Borders UK: Engineer-led non-profit designing technology and infrastructure solutions for low-income and displaced communities. Directly comparable to TWMP given its origin as a host organization for TWMP's founder and shared approach of human-centered engineering design for development contexts.
Emerging players
- Sun King: Pay-as-you-go solar energy provider serving off-grid households across Africa and Asia. Already partnered with TWMP for India feasibility research and directly comparable in addressing energy/services poverty for the same customer base, though in solar rather than laundry.
- Del Agua Health: Social enterprise providing clean water and cooking solutions to rural communities in Rwanda and beyond. Comparable to TWMP as a hardware-deploying social enterprise serving off-grid, low-income households in emerging markets through partner-led distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Washing Machine Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Washing Machine Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Washing Machine Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
The Washing Machine Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Washing Machine Project 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 The Washing Machine Project
What does The Washing Machine Project do?
The Washing Machine Project designs, manufactures and distributes the Divya Manual Washing Machine, the world's first flat-packable, non-electric washing machine built for off-grid, low-income and displaced communities. The product saves 50% water and 75% of time versus hand washing, and is deployed through partnerships with NGOs, INGOs, corporate foundations and community campaigns across 13+ countries.
Is The Washing Machine Project a public or private company?
The Washing Machine Project is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Washing Machine Project founded?
The Washing Machine Project was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Washing Machine Project based?
The Washing Machine Project is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Washing Machine Project make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Donations/Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are campaign Fundraising, speaking Engagements and corporate Partnership Funding.
Who are The Washing Machine Project's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Lifebuoy (Unilever), Water.org, WaterAid and iDE. Direct peers are charity: water, Splash, Practical Action and Engineers Without Borders UK. Emerging players are Sun King and Del Agua Health.
Does The Washing Machine Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Washing Machine Project.
What industry is The Washing Machine Project in?
The Washing Machine Project's product category is Manual Washing Machines. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAC, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), with a secondary code of BPAGALAI, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions. Its NAICS code is 3333.