Orion Herman Interview: Nedbank Pitch & Polish Top 8 Finalist

Orion Herman Interview: Nedbank Pitch & Polish Top 8 Finalist. South African entrepreneur Orion Herman is proving that waste can be a goldmine – literally. With LiquidGold Africa, he’s spearheading waterless sanitation systems that turn human waste into valuable products like animal feed, compost and fertiliser. With this innovative environmentally friendly business, Herman has managed to secure a spot in the top 8 of the Nedbank Pitch & Polish competition for the R1 million prize. We recently had a conversation with Herman regarding the competition, his business journey and where he seeks to take his business should he win. Check it out below!

What inspired you to view human waste as a resource rather than a problem?

Our inspiration came from seeing the daily struggle of communities living without safe sanitation, while valuable nutrients were literally going to waste. We realised that human waste, if treated correctly, is one of nature’s richest resources — capable of regenerating soil, improving food security, and protecting water. At LiquidGold Africa, we chose to challenge the stigma by showing that dignity, sustainability, and circular economy principles can coexist. Nature wastes nothing, and neither should we.

How does your technology work to transform waste into compost, animal feed and fertiliser?

Our technology mimics nature’s own recycling system. We collect and process organic and human waste through a combination of biological and mechanical treatment. Black Soldier Fly larvae convert the waste into protein-rich animal feed, while the remaining material becomes high-quality organic compost. We also extract nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser for regenerative farming. This closed-loop model ensures zero waste, reduces pollution, and transforms sanitation challenges into valuable economic and environmental resources.

What has been the biggest challenge in changing perceptions around waste management?

The greatest challenge is breaking the social stigma around human waste. Many people associate it with disease and discomfort, not opportunity. Our approach has been to educate and demonstrate — showing that with the right technology and care, waste can generate clean, safe, and profitable outcomes. By creating visible success stories and measurable environmental impact, we’re shifting public perception from fear to fascination and from avoidance to action.

How do you market such an unconventional product to mainstream consumers or businesses?

We position our products around value, not waste. Our marketing focuses on the quality, safety, and sustainability of our outputs — certified organic fertilisers, nutrient-rich compost, and natural animal feed. For businesses, we highlight the ESG benefits and cost savings of sustainable waste solutions. For consumers, we connect the dots between cleaner communities, healthier soils, and better food. We use storytelling to make the circular economy relatable and desirable.

What has been your proudest milestone with LiquidGold Africa so far?

Our proudest moment has been transforming over 115 tonnes of waste into valuable products while delivering safe sanitation to more than 100 informal households. This impact means clean environments, healthier communities, and meaningful green jobs created for youth and women. It proves that our model works — socially, environmentally, and commercially. Seeing dignity restored where it once lacked is the true measure of our success.

How has Nedbank Pitch & Polish sharpened your storytelling and communication skills?

The Nedbank Pitch & Polish campaign with Raizcorp has been transformative. It has helped us refine how we communicate a complex technical solution in a way that’s simple, relatable, and emotionally compelling. We learned to balance data with storytelling, speaking not only about what we do, but why it matters — to communities, to funders, and to the planet. It’s elevated our confidence, clarity, and ability to inspire action.

What opportunities do you see for scaling your waterless sanitation systems across Africa?

Africa faces a critical sanitation and soil health challenge, and our model addresses both. With modular, off-grid systems and scalable waste-to-value hubs, we can expand rapidly into urban and rural areas. Each system creates jobs, restores soil fertility, and prevents pollution. The opportunity lies in local partnerships — with municipalities, agribusinesses, and impact investors — to turn sanitation from a cost into a circular economy driver across the continent.

How do you balance innovation with cost-effectiveness for communities?

We innovate with inclusion in mind. Every solution we design must be affordable, maintainable, and locally producible. By combining simple engineering with biological processes, we reduce operational costs while ensuring reliability. The by-products we generate — compost, feed, and fertiliser — create new revenue streams that make our systems self-sustaining. Our aim is not only to innovate but to democratise access to sanitation and environmental regeneration.

What role does regenerative farming play in your business vision?

Regenerative farming is central to our purpose. Our sanitation systems close the nutrient loop by returning organic matter and minerals back to the soil. Instead of polluting water and land, we regenerate them — naturally and safely. By supplying farmers with organic compost and fertiliser, we’re helping rebuild soil health, improve yields, and reduce chemical dependence. It’s how we connect sanitation, food security, and climate resilience in one circular solution.

If you won the R1 million prize, how would you invest it?

We would invest the prize into a bundle of industry related certification and compliance, expanding our decentralised waste processing network, enabling us to serve more households and recover even greater volumes of waste. The funding would go toward scaling our compost and animal feed production, training local youth in green skills, and improving our product packaging for market reach. Every rand would directly contribute to growing impact, creating livelihoods, and regenerating nature’s gold at scale.