10 promising startups that deliver water-focused data and analytics solutions have been selected as finalists in Imagine H2O’s Water Data Challenge, competing for $50,000 in cash awards. The final winners will be announced at Imagine H2O’s WaterGala event in San Francisco on March 16, 2016. In the meantime, the startups will participate the non-profit organization’s specialized water innovation accelerator program which will provide mentorship and grant them access to industry events as well as introductions to investors, utility partners, and beta customers.
“It will be impossible to tackle the global water challenge without basic data about our water resources,” said Tom Ferguson, VP of Programming for Imagine H2O. “These companies address some of the most pressing data problems in water, from utility process control to high accuracy weather forecasting.”
The finalists are:
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ANDalyze, an Illinois-based company that produces water contamination testing products that use catalytic DNA technologies to detect and quantify chemical levels.
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APANA, which is developing a water efficiency solution with analytics and reporting functionality to help businesses save money by saving water, reducing compliance risk, and strengthening operational sustainability.
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Ayyeka, a startup based in Israel that offers “plug-and-play” water, wastewater, and environmental kits for the management and cyber-secure protection of infrastructure and resources.
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Ceres Imaging, a startup currently operating in California and Australia that is offering end-to-end capture, processing, and delivery of high-resolution spectral imagery to help growers make important resource allocation decisions by demonstrating plant health without selling them hardware.
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FarmX, which monitors soil, plant and environmental variables using its FarmMap Soil Probe and provides real-time analytics and precise recommendations to increase productivity and reduce costs by leveraging multiple data sources and the use of advanced machine learning processes.
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FLUID, which is developing a water meter and corresponding app that helps people identify their water consumption levels, progress toward reduction goals, and detect leaks.
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Ignitia, a Swedish startup working in Ghana and elsewhere in West Africa to deliver the most accurate forecasting technology for tropical weather, which can increase farm income by up to 80 percent.
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Mapistry, a company offering a comprehensive environmental compliance platform for enterprises and facilities, including a centralized dashboard, State-specific forms, automatically configured notifications, and other features.
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NJBSoft, an Arizona-based company offering regulatory compliance software tools and needs-specific software development, customization, integration, training and implementation services for civil and environmental engineering activities.
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Sourcewater, which is building an online marketplace where energy operators, service companies, and landowners can buy, sell, recycle, treat, and dispose of water.
Over 90 startups applied for the Water Data Challenge, from 18 countries on 5 continents. The 10 finalists join Imagine H2O’s portfolio of over 60 water technology companies, which represent about 10 percent of early-stage investment dollars in the water sector.
“Once again, Imagine H2O attracted an extraordinary field of startups tackling the global water challenge,” said Debra Coy, a partner at XPV Water Partners. “I am pleased that these 10 companies will benefit from accessing the organization's connections in the water industry and Silicon Valley.”
Some of these startups may face competition from much bigger players in the space. For example, AT&T, IBM and Mueller Water Products teamed up last year to use Internet of Things technology to address water sustianability in cities.
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Published Jan 12, 2016 2pm EST / 11am PST / 7pm GMT / 8pm CET