The meeting between Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Korean SME With Masters Inc. has placed a spotlight on a US$8.5 million Gates Foundation project aimed at commercializing sewage-free toilets for developing countries. Through its work on Household Reinvented Toilet (HRT) technology, With Masters showcases how Korean innovation is shaping solutions to some of the world’s most urgent sanitation challenges.
Korean SME With Masters Inc. Secures Global Spotlight
With Masters Inc., led by CEO Kim Jong-ho, has drawn international attention for its work in sanitation innovation. The company is developing eco-friendly Household Reinvented Toilets (HRTs) that operate without sewage infrastructure, tackling one of the most persistent barriers to safe sanitation in underserved regions.
The Gates Foundation has committed US$8.55 million (approx. KRW 11.7 billion) to accelerate the affordability, reliability, and scalability of these toilets for use in developing countries.
The 15-month project, announced in June 2025, is part of the Foundation’s long-standing effort to combat waterborne diseases through improved water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions.
Bill Gates Meets With Masters CEO to Review Reinvented Toilet Prototypes
On August 21, Bill Gates met with CEO Kim Jong-ho in Yeouido, Seoul, during his visit to Korea. According to the company, Kim reported on the latest HRT prototypes under joint development with the Foundation.
CEO Kim Jong-ho stated in an phone call interview with Maeil Business Newspaper,
“I reported on the latest model of the Household Reinvented Toilet (HRT), which we are developing in cooperation with the Gates Foundation.”
With Masters Inc. CEO Kim Jong-ho, an engineer who previously served as head of Samsung Electronics’ Global Quality Innovation Office and later as president overseeing set manufacturing, explained that the HRT system integrates sedimentation, oxygen aeration, microbial decomposition, filtration, and high-temperature sludge drying.
The core innovation allows waste to be processed without traditional sewer pipes. Solid matter is separated and treated through a 750°C drying process, producing non-toxic granules, while water is purified through microbial treatment and filtration to reclaimed water standards.
With Masters’ Technology Adopted in Gates Foundation Programs
During his tenure at Samsung, CEO Kim Jong-ho pioneered 100% wastewater recycling technology, a breakthrough later adapted by the Gates Foundation for public health programs in low-income countries. His leadership at With Masters has extended this expertise into a new class of eco-friendly, sewage-free toilets designed for homes and facilities in regions where sewer systems are lacking.
In a previous interview with Maeil Business Newspaper earlier this year, Doulaye Koné, deputy director at the Gates Foundation, highlighted With Masters’ rapid progress and promised committed support, noting:
“With Masters has achieved in just nine months what other companies and universities worldwide took three to four years to develop. Gates Foundation will work together with With Masters to improve sanitation conditions in developing countries.”
Korean SMEs Driving Global Sanitation Innovation
The partnership between Bill Gates’ Gates Foundation and With Masters Inc. highlights how Korean SMEs are contributing to global sanitation innovation, a sector that often receives less attention than consumer technology but has significant implications for public health.
Since 2011, the Gates Foundation has invested more than US$400 million (approx. KRW 590 billion) in sanitation initiatives, with the commercialization of HRTs as one of its flagship projects.
By aligning advanced engineering expertise with urgent health challenges in emerging markets, With Masters demonstrates how Korean technology can achieve global scale and impact. The company’s work not only supports Gates Foundation goals but also underscores Korea’s role in driving solutions for water, sanitation, and hygiene challenges worldwide.
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