Our Origin
From a science expo idea to a nationally recognised startup
SteamSpark started as a high school science fair entry. In December 2020, Mohau Mokoena stood at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair and asked: what if the steam from a kettle could charge your phone? South Africa's load-shedding crisis turned that question from a curiosity into a mission.
December 2020 — The Origin
Eskom Expo for Young Scientists
Mohau Mokoena, then a student at North-West University (Vanderbijlpark Campus), entered the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair with a project titled "Utilization of Water Vapour to Generate Electricity In Order to Reduce High Electrical Usage." Certified on 15 December 2020. A school science idea that refused to stay there.
2020–2023 — The Development
From expo project to working prototype
The concept evolved from a science fair entry into a real working prototype — TEC1-12706 Peltier modules and an MT3608 boost converter converting waste heat from boiling water into 5V USB output. SteamSpark grew from a school project into a registered brand.
August 2024 — The Stage
Joined Enactus NWU · 2nd place nationally
SteamSpark joined Enactus NWU and entered the Schneider Electric Energy Transition Battery Innovation Challenge — competing against university teams from across South Africa. It made the top 6 nationwide and placed 2nd, winning a €1,500 cash prize and trophy.
October 2024 — The Classroom
Pilot at Beverly Hills High School
With Thuto Africa's learners, SteamSpark ran its first school pilot workshop — "Using a Kettle to Generate Electricity" — bringing clean energy science directly to South African youth.
⚡ The Core Problem
South Africa faces over 200 days of load-shedding per year. Millions of households, schools, and small businesses lose access to electricity daily — but they still boil water for tea and coffee. SteamSpark captures that wasted heat.
🔬 The Science
Thermoelectric generation (TEG) converts temperature differences directly into electricity using the Seebeck Effect. Hot water on one side of a Peltier module, cool air on the other — and out comes usable current. No moving parts. No fuel. No noise.
🌍 The Vision
Every household in Africa that boils water could one day power their phone, their lamp, or their child's tablet — without a solar panel, without a battery pack, without the grid. That's the future SteamSpark is building toward.
🏢 CIPC Registered
What began as Mohau's NWU Vanderbijlpark science expo project in 2020 is now a CIPC-registered company (Reg. No. 2026/312333/07, 2026). Banking with FNB. Operating as a clean energy and STEM hardware venture under the MTMokoena Group.
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