Business Idea

Span Pumps Pvt. Ltd. produces manually-operated water pumps for drinking, sanitation and agricultural uses. The company has a range of ISI-certified products to meet the specific requirements of international markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It has over a quarter of a million installations worldwide.

The company is now embarking on a new initiative to market FUNFLOW "play pumps" that double as a toy for children and a water pump solution. The market for these play pumps is large, including almost every rural school in developing and underdeveloped countries. The company proposes to directly market this product to governments, development-focused NGOs, and programs of International Financial Institutions. Revenue for this project will be derived from the sale of pumps, and the sale of advertising space on the sides of the pump, water tank and sanitation area.

Products and Services

Span Pumps has developed the innovative and environmentally friendly FUNFLOW play pump. This pump is designed as a seesaw or merry-go-round, utilizing the energy of children at play to lift clean water into an overhead tank for drinking and sanitation purposes. The FUNFLOW design is such that it is easy to operate and maintain, as it incorporates locally available parts.

Social and Environmental Impacts

FUNFLOW pumps do not use any fuel, so there are no emissions as compared to normal electric pumps which require 0.5kW of electric power. In addition, Span Pump will primarily serve rural and semi-urban schools where there is a paucity of good drinking water facilities. The availability of clean water is expected to lead to an increase in school attendance, delivering a socially significant indirect benefit.