Swahili D Maker, founded by Florence Sakaya and a co-founder after research at the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, is addressing the high cost and limited access to 3D printing technology in Tanzania. The startup manufactures 3D printers locally, trains teachers and students, and converts plastic waste into printing filament, creating a circular economy. "We realised the biggest challenge was not the technology itself but access and cost," Sakaya said, noting that many previously had to travel abroad for prototyping.