ECOLOO: From BAPSEA Support to a UNDP-Granted Project
The Energy and Water Efficient Toilet
The Swedish environmental technology company ECOLOO is installing energy and water efficient toilets in Southeast Asia. ECOLOO participated in the Swedish Energy Agency’s Business Accelerator Programme Southeast Asia (BAPSEA) batch 2 (2024–2025), where the company selected Philipenes as its primary target market. Following the programme, ECOLOO has now secured a UNDP-granted project on Samal Island in the Philippines, marking a new chapter in the company’s continued engagement in Southeast Asia.
ECOLOO’s toilet systems range from fully waterless to ultra-low-flush solutions that significantly reduce water consumption compared with conventional toilets, which can use around eight liters of water per flush. The systems are also designed to operate without external energy. The bacterial treatment process decomposes waste onsite within 3–4 days, rather than relying on sewage transport or centralized treatment infrastructure.
ECOLOO identifies Southeast Asia as a priority region due to water and energy scarcity in island and coastal communities, as well as sanitation challenges in rural and tourism areas. The company also sees growing government interest in decentralized infrastructure solutions across the region.
Energy and water efficient toilets in Southeast Asia. Photographer:
Nicole Agi – Deputy CEO på ECOLOO.
Why BAPSEA?
ECOLOO states that the decision to join BAPSEA was driven by the need for structured market access rather than technical validation.
– Entering Southeast Asia requires more than technology, it requires institutional trust and local integration. BAPSEA offered structured access to public stakeholders, regulators, and development agencies, which significantly reduces market-entry friction for impact-driven infrastructure companies like ours, says Deputy CEO Nicole Agi.
During the programme, ECOLOO reports that they achieved engagement with government and municipal stakeholders in the Phillipines, validation of its solution within development-sector frameworks, and support in positioning for public-sector and donor-funded deployments.
The company also highlights practical elements of support, including institutional introductions, guidance on procurement and documentation processes, and increased credibility through the Swedish Energy Agency’s BAPSEA programme, Business Sweden’s local networks, and the broader Team Sweden ecosystem. ECOLOO notes that these elements contributed to structuring the UNDP Samal Island project.
Key takeaways from BAPSEA
ECOLOOs biggest realisation from doing business in Southeast Asia was that institutional confidence is often a greater barrier than technical performance. They note that projects move forward once risk perception is addressed, not once specifications are proven.
Reflecting on the experience, Nicole Agi emphasizes the importance of building trust with public stakeholders, adapting financing structures to local market conditions, and working closely with local operators. In many cases, implementation partnerships play a decisive role in determining whether projects succeed.
From BAPSEA Support to a UNDP-Granted Project
Following its participation in the BAPSEA programme, ECOLOO secured a UNDP-granted project on Samal Island in the Philippines.
Samal island faces a typical small-island sanitation challenge: limited freshwater availability, groundwater contamination risks, and dependence on septic systems that are difficult to manage sustainably. The aim is to demonstrate a replicable island sanitation model where decentralized, water-independent sanitation solutions can improve living conditions in these types of communities. ECOLOO emphasises that this project is designed as a proof-of-scale, not only a proof-of-concept.
The company views this opportunity as a direct outcome of the foundation established during the programme:
– We are proud to share that this journey has now resulted in a UNDP-granted project on Samal Island in the Philippines, an outcome that we firmly believe would not have been possible without the foundation laid through BAPSEA, says Nicole Agi.
Looking Forward
With the project now underway, the company is transitioning from market exploration to implementation.
Nicole Agi concludes that ECOLOO “looks forward to building on this momentum and continuing to represent Swedish cleantech and circular solutions in future international projects.”