Overview
Joseph CEO and founder of Jay Leatherman Ltd, a company based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Our innovation involves the use of an enzyme for hair removal stage during leather production. This enzyme is a game changer in the leather industry as it will eliminate the use of the highly polluting sodium sulphide currently in use while producing improved quality hides and skins with regard to touch and feel as well as reducing the pollution load in the wastewater stream.
Our enzyme is safe to use and the technology leaves the hairs and fat intact without breaking them down. This enables the recovery of intact hair and fat by a simple sieving/decantation technique and hence reducing water pollution load as well as cost of effluent treatment. The wastes, now by-products, can be used for other industrial applications such as the manufacture of biodiesels, soaps, fertilizer, poultry feed, lotion, and cosmetics thereby reducing land pollution as they would, otherwise, end up in landfills.
This technology will greatly benefit tanners who will plug it directly into their production line. Leather product manufacturers and leather consumers as a whole as will also benefit as they will be consuming responsibly produced products thus ensuring the industry is responsible for life on land and below water. This enzyme will not only make leather processing cleaner but also sustainable and with reduced health risks to employees, and water and land pollution.
Case study details
Country: Kenya
Cohort: LIF 7 and LIF Advance 3
Primary United Nations' Sustainable Development (SDG) Goal 14: Life Below Water
Secondary SDG, Goal 15: Life on Land.
Mentoring and leadership skills
Innovation and commercialisation, “the programme equipped me with skills on how to transition an innovation from the lab to the commercialisation stage and delivering to the market”
Skills and personal development, “LIF enhanced my skills and acumen in communication and networking, business strategy, market analysis, and financial management”
Impact post-programme
New contacts and partnerships “during the residential I had the chance to meet manufacturers in the UK who are willing to partner and help the further development of my innovation”
IP, “we have reached an agreement to transfer the IP to our name with the University of Nairobi not based on percentages but rather on future collaborations and benefits for both sides”
Joseph Ondari, Founder and CEO of Jay Leatherman Ltd.
What is next for Joseph...?
Production up-scale “to supply our product to the increasing market demand”
Team growth and spin-out from University “to support business growth and autonomy”
Interested in participating in the LIF programme?
Visit our programme pages for more information including eligibility. Follow us @RAEngGlobal