Secure access to clean, affordable drinking water should be a given for everyone on Earth. It was particularly concerning, therefore, to hear the World Health Organisation announcement last year that 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, and more than 4.5bn lack robust sanitation.
But water is also being recognised as the key to development in newly industrialising economies. Access to water services will be critical for growing populations to access opportunities such as education and employment. The new World Bank Water Strategy recognises that “access to water is a key pillar of sustainable development”.
Across the globe, companies and investors have responded to the resulting $600bn per year water industry opportunity.
Although they face many challenges, startups have at times the opportunity to find solutions to problems that the mainstream water market is not addressing – from technological innovation to helping the poorest, the most vulnerable in some of the world’s poorest nations and communities.
1. NEER
The idea behind this startup: Redefining Water Infrastructure Modeling and Asset Management through Machine Learning
Headquarters: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Industries: Asset Management, Machine Learning, Predictive Analytics, Smart Cities, Software, Water
Founders: Elango Thevar
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2. Nama Water
The idea behind this startup: Ethically sourced, sustainably packaged premium drinking water
Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
Industries: Food and Beverage, Sustainability, Water
Founders: Deepika Phakke
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3. Antelope Water Management
The idea behind this startup: Antelope Water Management partners with the oil & gas and mining industries to deliver water infrastructure, sourcing and disposal services.
Headquarters: Austin, Texas, United States
Industries: Energy, Oil and Gas, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Chris Kelley, Dustin Brownlow, Zachary Sadow
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4. Three Good
The idea behind this startup: Three Good is a workplace wellness SaaS platform that offers insights and analytics on team mental health and wellbeing
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, United States
Industries: Food and Beverage, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Braven Greenelsh
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5. Waterhound Futures Limited
The idea behind this startup: Cloud-based SaaS forecasting modelling tool for performance optimisation of water and wastewater treatment systems and processes.
Headquarters: Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom
Industries: Environmental Engineering, Industrial, SaaS, Software, Waste Management, Water
Founders: Unknown
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6. Aquagga
The idea behind this startup: We offers end-of-life destruction of PFAS and other environmental contaminants with less energy and safe end-products.
Headquarters: Unknown
Industries: CleanTech, Energy, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Nigel Sharp
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7. RanMarine USA
The idea behind this startup: autonomous drones, marine waste removal, water quality
Headquarters: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Industries: Environmental Engineering, GovTech, Marine Technology, Smart Cities, Water
Founders: Doug Shumway
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8. AMTR Scientific
The idea behind this startup: AMTR Scientific provides an integrated method for treating a wide range of industrial waste waters.
Headquarters: Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
Industries: Industrial, Manufacturing, Waste Management, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Edward Brook-Levinson
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9. Enbiorganic Technologies
The idea behind this startup: End-to-end natural and sustainable solution for Wastewater.
Headquarters: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Industries: Water, Water Purification
Founders: Unknown
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10. Mirsae
The idea behind this startup: We bring technical advancements in water conservation. Featuring Mirsae Showerhead, an experience-first shower head with 70% water savings
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Industries: CleanTech, Environmental Engineering, Water
Founders: Unknown
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11. Tankless Review
The idea behind this startup: Tankless Review is a product review website about tankless water heaters. Reviews and product recommendations, consumer guide, and more
Headquarters: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Industries: Home Improvement, Home Services, Water
Founders: Rex Cauldwell, Rex Cauldwell
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12. FIC Healthcare Solutions LLP
The idea behind this startup: Alkaline Water Ionizer Manufacturer
Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Industries: Water, Water Purification
Founders: Unknown
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13. Central Element Ltd.
The idea behind this startup: Unique Nuclear Magnetic Resonance technology application for remote sensing
Headquarters: Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
Industries: Consulting, Environmental Consulting, Marine Technology, Military, Mineral, Nuclear, Oil and Gas, Water
Founders: Unknown
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14. DeWarmte
The idea behind this startup: DeWarmte specializes in recovering heat from domestic wastewater and it is used to make hot tap water.
Headquarters: Delft, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands
Industries: Renewable Energy, Sustainability, Water
Founders: Unknown
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15. Blubrim Systems
The idea behind this startup: Blubrim Systems specializes in the development of automated water quality testers in the field of aquariums and aquaculture.
Headquarters: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Industries: Aquaculture, Test and Measurement, Water, Wireless
Founders: Alexandru Marin, François D’Amours-Lavoie
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16. Flowless
The idea behind this startup: Smart Solutions for Comprehensive & Sustainable Water Resources Management
Headquarters: Ramallah, West Bank, Palestinian Territory
Industries: Artificial Intelligence, Asset Management, Infrastructure, Machine Learning, Sustainability, Water
Founders: Baker Bozeyeh
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17. nanoFreaks
The idea behind this startup: nanoFreaks builds a rescue system on the sea, creating an environment where everyone can live with peace of mind.
Headquarters: Fukuoka, Fukuoka, Japan
Industries: Public Safety, Water
Founders: Unknown
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18. Aqualumos
The idea behind this startup: Clean Tech, Water Purification, Environmental
Headquarters: Unknown
Industries: Advanced Materials, Chemical Engineering, CleanTech, Environmental Engineering, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Unknown
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19. Aquasafi
The idea behind this startup: Aquasafi is a startup company that monitors water quality.
Headquarters: Kigali, Butare, Rwanda
Industries: Water, Water Purification
Founders: Unknown
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20. Clear Air Energy
The idea behind this startup: Founded by research scientists and engineers formerly of Sandia Laboratories, and similar advanced research organizations, the company
Headquarters: Unknown
Industries: Agriculture, Energy, Water
Founders: Unknown
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21. Cascade Water Solutions
The idea behind this startup: Cascade Water Solutions provides economical technology in the global water treatment field.
Headquarters: Greenwood Village, Colorado, United States
Industries: Energy, Renewable Energy, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Mark Holtzapple, Mickey Fouts
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22. The Green Stop
The idea behind this startup: The Green Stop developed water refill stations for outdoor spaces, in order to reduce plastic pollution.
Headquarters: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Industries: Water, Water Purification
Founders: Unknown
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23. Blu
The idea behind this startup: IoT-connected water purification and refill stations
Headquarters: Unknown
Industries: Internet of Things, Water
Founders: Unknown
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24. Parity Water
The idea behind this startup: Parity Water Provides continuous water monitoring to optimize farming practices.
Headquarters: Unknown
Industries: Water
Founders: Unknown
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25. Wallaby Water
The idea behind this startup: Wallaby Water is Australia’s recyclable packaged water alternative.
Headquarters: Buninyong, Victoria, Australia
Industries: Food and Beverage, Water
Founders: Unknown
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26. RENEW.
The idea behind this startup: RENEW. offers natural mineral and packaged drinking water.
Headquarters: Delhi, Delhi, India
Industries: Service Industry, Water
Founders: Unknown
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27. Nirgandh
The idea behind this startup: Nirgandh provides bio-tech solution to covert human feces into water and methane gas.
Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana, India
Industries: Biotechnology, Water
Founders: Unknown
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28. Nirvana Water Sciences
The idea behind this startup: Nirvana Water Sciences develops life-enhancing beverages by combining pure water, innovations of science, and care for the environment.
Headquarters: Unknown
Industries: Biotechnology, Water, Water Purification
Founders: Unknown
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29. S&W InfraTech
The idea behind this startup: S&W InfraTech is a solid waste management, air pollution mitigation, and water treatment company.
Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
Industries: Pollution Control, Waste Management, Water
Founders: Unknown
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30. AngelH2O
The idea behind this startup: AngelH2O develops a cost-effective B2B cloud-based managed solution to detect leaks before they become floods.
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Industries: Cloud Data Services, Water
Founders: Unknown
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