Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, January 17, 2024: HCL Group and UpLink have revealed the winners of the Zero Water Waste Challenge, a crucial segment of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative—a five-year, $15 million investment by HCL aimed at propelling innovation in the global freshwater sector.
From a competitive pool of 192 global applicants, 10 Aquapreneurs have been selected to receive a financial award from a substantial 1.9 million CHF funding pool. This funding is designated to empower startups in scaling their solutions to deliver innovative freshwater solutions worldwide.
Participation in the challenge spanned the globe, with notable contributions from Africa (16%), Asia (18%), Europe (13%), and other regions. The diverse cohort of winners includes two from India, four from Europe, two from South America, and two from the United States of America.
Within a year, the initiative has witnessed a noteworthy 10x return, with the first cohort of 'Aquapreneurs' collectively raising $54.5 million after joining the UpLink Innovation Ecosystem.
This year's challenge focused on crucial aspects of freshwater management, including supply capture and protection, water reuse, recycling, and conservation in agriculture—a timely initiative amidst the global climate change crisis.
"In light of the current global climate change crisis and increasing scarcity of freshwater resources, the urgent need for innovative solutions to manage our freshwater supplies cannot be overlooked. These innovations reshape our approach to water, optimizing its use and conservation. HCL stands committed to supporting these innovations for a positive global impact. Congratulations to the winners of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative 2024," expressed Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCLTech.
"Climate change, pollution, and overuse pose a grave threat to the planet’s freshwater supplies. UpLink and HCL are building an innovation ecosystem around early-stage, water-focused entrepreneurs that will provide them with the resources, expertise, and vital funding they need to thrive. The solutions created by these 'Aquapreneurs' will play a crucial role in bringing about the transformative change required to shape a sustainable, water-resilient future for all," emphasized Olivier Schwab, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.
Two of the top innovators had the privilege to present their solutions at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in 2023. Karina Peña, CEO of FieldFactors, shared excitement about bringing their technology to a global stage, enhancing community resilience to climate change impacts. Asim R. Bhalerao, CEO of Fluid Analytics, emphasized the validation of their vision to eliminate urban water pollution as 'Aquapreneurs'.
The winning entrepreneurs, hailing from eight different countries, are at the forefront of innovation, bringing cutting-edge solutions in areas such as greywater reuse, rainwater capture, advanced filtration, precision agriculture, and data analytics and AI.
The additional entrepreneurs awarded include:
Juan Carlos Escobar, CEO and Co-Founder, and Rina Martínez, Co-Founder of AQUAKIT SRL (Bolivia) – A grey water treatment technology enabling household greywater recycling for non-potable uses, reducing wastewater emissions.
Amira Cheniour, Co-Founder and CEO, and Taher Mestiri, Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer of SEABEX SAS (France) – An AI-powered precision irrigation solution using a digital twin to help farmers produce more food with less water.
Gokul Krishna Govindu, CEO of SmartTerra (India) – An AI-powered analytics software designed to analyze data and reduce water losses in city-scale and built environment networks.
Trupti Jain, Co-founder of Naireeta Services Private Ltd (India) - A community-based rainwater harvesting technology that filters, injects, and stores rainwater for use in dry seasons.
Mulundu Sichone, CEO at PYDRO (Germany) – A cost-effective self-powered smart flow meter for water pipes, helping reduce water leaks, prevent pipe bursts, and perform quality checks in real-time and 24/7.
Laurence Battaille, CEO, and Gregoire de Hemptinne, Co-founder of SHAYP (Belgium) - An IoT-enabled SaaS solution that monitors water consumption in real estate buildings in real-time, helping building managers eliminate leaks and related damages.
Greg Newbloom, CEO, and founder of Membrion (United States) – A ceramic desalination technology removing metals, minerals, and salts from harsh industrial wastewater, enabling cost-effective and energy-efficient water recycling.
Jaime de la Cruz Gonzales, CEO of Kran Nanobubble (Chile) – A nanobubble technology solution optimizing water efficiency in agriculture, water treatment, and aquaculture.
Beyond financial rewards, winners gain exclusive access to events, projects, and communities led by the World Economic Forum and its partners.
