H-D-P Triple Nexus: Humanitarian-Development-Peace
EssentialTech’s three divisions follow the lines of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) triple nexus as described by the United Nations to capture the interlinkage between the sectors. When aiming to address an issue in one sector, it is key to pay close attention to the other two.
Sustainable Development
Our Sustainable Development division collaborates with experts, local stakeholders, and researchers to design technology solutions for vulnerable contexts, focusing on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, we address challenges related to extreme poverty, resilience, and empowerment. While technology drives progress in industrialised nations, LMICs face significant barriers, including limited funding, weak infrastructure, insufficient training, and harsh climates.
To address this, we deliver durable, affordable, high-performance solutions co-designed with local stakeholders, ensuring long-term, sustainable impact.
Humanitarian Action
Our Humanitarian Action division promotes responsible use of technology to save lives, restore dignity, and support crisis recovery.
Collaborating with global and local partners, we focus on research, implementation, and education to enhance humanitarian response while minimising risks to vulnerable populations. We address challenges like displacement, conflict, and climate-driven disasters through partnerships with EPFL labs and humanitarian organizations.
Initiatives such as Engineering for Humanitarian Action (with EPFL, ETH Zurich, and ICRC) and the Geneva Technical Hub (with UNHCR) integrate science, technology, and sustainability into humanitarian efforts. Our Future of Humanitarian Design program combines engineering, social sciences, and design to innovate crisis response.
PeaceTech
EssentialTech champions PeaceTech—a cutting-edge approach to harness technology to foster peace and/or to prevent it from fueling conflict.
PeaceTech’s main goal is to address all three forms of violence: cultural , structural and direct violence. By applying STEM skills, we aim to advance peace and security in several impactful ways. These include supporting peace mediators, post-war reconstruction efforts, humanitarian demining operations, combatting gender-based violence, countering misinformation and polarisation.
A Unique Methodology
At the EssentialTech Centre, we have developed a unique methodology proven to deliver effective, sustainable innovations for pressing global needs.
Guided by the core principles of cooperation, interdisciplinarity, and entrepreneurship, our rigorous approach begins in the academic and research environment, where we collaborate with local stakeholders to develop a needs assessment, concept, and proof-of-concept. We then transfer our innovative solutions to the private sector for implementation at scale. In addition to technological development, we design long-term strategies and social business models that centre on sustainability and broad accessibility. This approach transforms our projects from robust research initiatives into tangible, real-world solutions.
Cooperation
Interdisciplinary
Entrepreunership
In the Heart of EPFL
Located in Switzerland, EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) is one of Europe’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan science and technology institutions. It welcomes students, professors and collaborators of more than 120 nationalities. EPFL has both a Swiss and international vocation and focuses on three missions: Education, Research and Innovation.
EPFL collaborates with an important network of partners, including other universities and colleges, secondary schools and gymnasiums, industry and the economy, political circles and the general public, with the aim of having a real impact on society.
13'500 students
4 campus in Switzerland
428 laboratories