Germany's Water Tech Firm SKion Water Acquires Majority Stake in Hyderabad-based Sanpure

Water technology investment company, SKion Water, a subsidiary of SKion GmbH founded by German entrepreneur Susanne Klatten, has acquired majority stake in Hyderabad-based Sanpure Systems Pvt Ltd, which provides high purity water systems to pharma and biopharma companies.

According to a Times of India report, the acquisition deal is expected to be sealed for about $9-10 million and will mark SKion Water’s entry into the high purity water and process equipment business.

The report quoted SKion Water CEO Dr Rei-nhard Huebner saying — the firm has acquired 51% stake in the Hyderabad-based firm with the remaining held by Sanpure founder Basavaraj Nekar.

Founded in 2012, by Basavaraj Nekar, Sanpure Systems Pvt. Ltd. is a company fully dedicated for providing custom engineered solutions for pharmaceutical High purity water systems.

Post acquisition, Sanpure will integrate with SKion Water and the German water technology group will be using the combination of Sanpure and an another SKion group company, Paques, to develop a footprint in the Indian market.

With in-house electropolishing facility, Sanpure is amongst very few with fully integrated facility in India. The Hyderabad based water tech company is among the very few in India, with an automated polishing machines that can deliver high surface finish uniformly and very fast.

With over 36000 Sq. Ft of manufacturing area, Sanpure is well equipped to provide highly customized Process Equipment and Systems for the development and manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products like vaccines,mAB, rDNA protiens, blood fractionation among others. Sanpure caters to industries like –Pharmaceuticals , Bio-Pharmaceuticals, API, Food & Beverages Semi-Conductors.

About SKion Water, it was started in 2011 by Sussane Klatten and is an international water and wastewater technology solution platform which provides reliable and efficient water and wastewater treatment solutions to municipal utilities as well as industrial and commercial water users. It also aims at the development and implementation of innovative water technologies.

In April this year, EnviroWater Group, which belongs to SKion Water, acquired 100% of the company shares of Schweitzer‑Chemie GmbH, a German firm that offers cooling water systems as well as steam boiler systems, ventilation and air conditioning systems, drinking water installations, and other water-carrying systems.

Boon (formerly Swajal) Marks Entry in Bhutan By Collaborating with &Beyond Hotel to Eradicate Plastic Wastage

Boon and &Beyond's collaboration targets a reduction in carbon emissions exceeding 2,800 kilograms.

Boon, a globally recognized water technology startup utilizing cutting-edge IoT technology, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with &Beyond Hotel, marking its entry in Bhutan. Together, they are dedicated to providing access to safe drinking water while simultaneously addressing the critical issues of plastic waste and water inefficiency through Boon's revolutionary ZeroMileWater™ technology. This pioneering endeavor underscores our commitment to sustainability, eco-friendly hospitality, and the broader cause of environmental conservation within the Bhutanese context.

Boon patented Zero Mile Initiative introduces an innovative in-house water purification system that filters and packages water in eco-conscious glass bottles, thus substantially reducing plastic waste. By embracing a zero-mile delivery approach, this initiative further minimizes carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation.

Boon's collaboration with &Beyond in Bhutan is fully aligned with the nation's unwavering dedication to environmental preservation. Bhutan, often heralded as the world's first carbon-negative country, a vital carbon sink in the global fight against climate change. The partnership between Boon and &Beyond is poised to contribute significantly to Bhutan's sustainability efforts, potentially resulting in the reduction of over 2,800 kilograms of carbon emissions and more than 930 kilograms of plastic waste annually. 

Dr. Vibha Tripathi, Managing Director of Boon, remarked, "Our collaboration with &Beyond Bhutan extends the reach of our global impact. Boon's innovative NetZeroWater™ technology seamlessly complements &Beyond's steadfast commitment to sustainable tourism and the broader development goals of Bhutan. Together, we are setting new benchmarks in sustainable hospitality and environmental preservation."

Boon embraces a circular economy approach by providing sustainable glass bottles for monitoring water quality and hydration delivery, aided by state-of-the-art AI and IoT technologies. This initiative significantly minimizes plastic waste generation within hotel rooms and premises.

About Boon (formerly known as Swajal):

Boon, formerly known as Swajal, is a pioneering impact-driven water technology startup that leverages advanced technology and innovation to transform the landscape of drinking water solutions. Boon is on a mission to celebrate water as the precious resource it truly is. Boon introduced the revolutionary WaterATM™ in 2014 and developed one of the world's pioneering IoT platforms, Clairvoyant™, for monitoring drinking water purifiers on a global scale. Over time, Boon has expanded the focus of Clairvoyant™ to encompass not only its profound social impact but also its substantial environmental contribution by enabling hotels, restaurants, and offices to transition from plastic-based hydration solutions to more sustainable alternatives.

B’luru based Boson Whitewater selected for ‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-Up Challenge’ by The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

The initiative is aimed at empowering water startups and it is a part of Union Government’s AMRUT 2.0 (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation)

Each startup will be given a grant of 20 Lakhs and they will work in the field of water supply management and water body rejuvenation

Boson Whitewater, a water utility company that converts STP water into high quality potable water, has been selected for ‘India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-Up Challenge’ by the Ministry of Housing % Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Boson Whitewater is one among the 76 startups selected for the challenge from across India to work in the field of water supply, used water management, water body rejuvenation and ground water management.

Vikas Brahmavar and Gowthaman Desingh  - Founders of Boson Whitewater

Boson Whitewater is a water utility company founded with an aim to change the way industries, IT Parks, malls, and apartment communities recycle their wastewater. Founded in 2011 by Vikas Brahmavar and Gowthaman Desingh, Boson Whitewater converts water from sewage treatment plants(STP) into potable high quality water that can be used for household purposes, centralised air conditioning in commercial buildings, and even for drinking.

Commenting on recognition, Vikas Brahmavar, Founder and CEO, Boson Whitewater System, said, “We are excited to be recognised for our efforts towards creating a sustainable water infrastructure. As cities grow and population increases, we need to find technological solutions that can help us manage our water resources more efficiently. At Boson Whitewater, we believe that wastewater has a great potential to reduce urban water stress. This recognition further strengthens our commitment towards improving our water infrastructure and creating water abundance in our cities.”

Boson Whitewater (BWW) System is a 11 stage filtration system designed in sequence to reduce the various physical, chemical & biological contaminants present in the treated waste water. In the first 4 stages, treated wastewater will be taken through various filtration systems to reduce the turbidity, Odour & Iron present in the water using BWW’s unique filters. In the next 2 stages, BWW uses different types of dosing systems to reduce the organic contaminants present in the water, followed by different levels of micron filtration systems. Post the 3 stages of micron filtration, water is free from the physical contamination which will be taken through the Boson high recovery, low fouling membrane system which is designed to remove the various viruses and dissolved salts present in the water. Post the filtration, any residual bacteria and virus present in the water will be removed using Ultra Violet (UV) disinfectant system.

At the end of all the stages, the water does not have any contaminants. E Coli, Coliforms, heavy metals, high hardness, pesticides, herbicides are all removed and the water is crystal clear and potable. NABL certified lab reports indicate the water is drinkable.

Boson IoT platform collects various parameters at every stage of filtration and uses AI algorithms to detect the various anomalies like filtration efficiencies, variation in life of filters and pump failures.

Sustainable Water-Tech Startup, Uravu Labs, Raises Seed Funding Led by Anicut Capital, Rocketship.vc and Speciale Invest

The funding round was led by Anicut Capital and co-led by Rocketship.vc and Speciale Invest and saw participation of investors from India, Europe, and the US.

Capital to be utilized for tech commercialization and expansion into new geographies

Uravu Labs, a Bangalore based startup focused on building a renewable water infrastructure, has recently announced its seed round of funding. The lead investor in the round was Anicut Capital and it was co-led by Rocketship.vc and Speciale Invest. The company also received participation from investors like Vesta (France), Venture Catalysts (India), Verso Holdings (Luxembourg), Spectrum Impact (India), Echo River Capital (US) and other angel investors from India, the US and the Middle East.

The company plans to utilise the capital to scale its 100% renewable water technology. Their unique technology harnesses inexhaustible atmospheric moisture and uses only renewable energy to produce high-quality drinking water. The industrial-scale and affordable solution has the ability to transform various markets - primarily the beverage industry, real estate and hospitality sectors, and will be commercialised by 2023.

Founded in 2019 by Pardeep Garg, Swapnil Shrivastav, Venkatesh R, and Govinda Balaji, Uravu Labs is dedicated towards bringing the next water revolution. Uravu Labs is thus eyeing to expand its team in R&D, engineering, marketing and business development roles to support its growth and commercialisation in the next two years through the new funds.

The company has signed beverage giants such as AB InBev and Radico Khaitan as customers and is reaching out to many more beverage and commercial customers in the Indian, Southeast Asian, Middle East, and Japanese markets. The fresh funding will build the path for further expansion in these geographies. The company also plans to work with strategic government and CSR partners to reach drought-stricken remote areas in India and Africa by next year.

Speaking on the announcement, Dr. Pardeep Garg, CEO and Co-founder, Uravu Labs said, “The seed investment will enable Uravu to accelerate its ongoing work of minimising the stress on groundwater. It will further enable us to mitigate resource depletion by converting abundantly available air into water using only renewable energy. With field pilots already out, the company is aiming to rapidly test and scale the solution with key customers.” presenting the startup’s determination to help nature and the communities getting affected daily.

On the seed funding, lead investor Ashvin Chadha, Managing Partner, Anicut Capital said, “The Uravu Labs team has embarked on a unique and impactful journey to revolutionise renewable water technology. They bring a rich experience of delivering on clean technology and mobilising the commercialization of the same for industry. With their remarkable innovation and technology stakeholders can adapt, maintain, and thrive on an enriching agenda of renewable water infrastructure.

"Our support to Uravu Labs comes in the wake of our renewed focus to build on the sustainability momentum for the wider industry and to continuously strengthen and encourage startups aiming to change the status quo.” said Ashvin, while stating his trust in the company and the product.

“The concept of 100% renewable water is groundbreaking and we were excited by the progress that the team has made. We believe that Uravu and renewable water will be an important part of our efforts to tackle climate change," added Sailesh Ramakrishnan, Partner, Rocketship.vc validating the good news.

“We believe that climate-tech will play a pivotal role course-correcting environmental degradation. We know that the need for this tech is NOW!, not sometime in the future. We are very pleased to continue to invest in Uravu Labs and partner through their pioneering journey to building sustainable water infrastructure for the world from India.” said Vishesh Rajaraman, Managing Partner, Speciale Invest.

Swapnil Shrivastav, Co-founder, Uravu Labs added, “100% renewable water is the missing puzzle in the transformation towards a more sustainable world and Uravu is aiming to truly deliver real world environmental and social impact with its scalable solution in the mid-to-long term”.

Speaking further on the scalability and commercial plans, Balaji, Co-founder of Uravu Labs added "We have built a strong team on the engineering side and this team is capable of achieving the commercial scale in the fastest possible manner".

Their work was also appreciated by other investors like Jean-Baptiste Lacoste, who highlighted the team’s effort by saying, "At Vesta, we believe that an investment done in the right ideas can make an impact on the whole society and Uravu's 100% renewable water solution serves this purpose. It isn't every day that you get to invest in such innovative and purposeful ideas."

Julien Machot, Managing Partner at Verso Fund, further added, "The team at Uravu is providing the technical solutions we currently need to harvest the most essential asset on earth: water. At VERSO, we value replacing unsustainable water, the backbone of many industries and individuals, with renewable forms that will affect billions of lives. Moreover, Uravu's contribution to sustainability opens up horizons for all other sectors.

Dr. Apoorva Ranjan Sharma, Co-Founder & President, Venture Catalysts Group said, “Today it has become the prerogative of every company, big or small, to adopt models of sustainability and innovation that are in line with the demands of climate crisis, to ensure a better future for everyone. Venture Catalysts are proud to invest in a company like Uravu Labs, that focuses on making renewable water available to people, something which was unfathomable and apparently impossible. We look forward to supporting this novel cause to promote a safer, healthier, and accessible future with renewable water for everyone.”

This new-age climate-tech startup has previously raised an undisclosed amount during a pre-seed funding round led by Speciale Invest in 2021. Other investors included angel investors like Peter Yolles (Echo River Capital), Soren Schroder, Shigeru Sumimoto (Conselux Corporation), and Tomoki Kaneko (Kaneko Cord). Since then, there has been commendable growth in their team size and customer traction, catalysing the change we all want to witness in the water sector.

About Uravu Labs:

Uravu Labs is a Bangalore-based startup on a mission to build sustainable water solutions for the climate adaptation era. It’s a cross-functional team of scientists, engineers, and designers pushing boundaries of innovation and creativity to conceive a new kind of 100% renewable water infrastructure which utilises inexhaustible atmospheric moisture and only renewable energy to produce high quality drinking water. The company has also been a recipient of many awards - it was a global finalist in the Water Abundance XPRIZE, winner in UNIDO’s FLCTD Challenge, and a semi-finalist in the Ashirvad Water Challenge. Using the potential of technology and design, the company aims to deliver measurable environmental and social impact by transforming how the society sources and distributes high-quality drinking water that is accessible to all.

About Anicut Capital

Anicut Capital is founded by financial services veterans Ashvin Chadha and IAS Balamurugan. Anicut Capital currently manages two debt funds with an AUM of INR 1400cr and equity based Angel Fund. Recently, Anicut Capital has announced the first close of INR 500cr Anicut Opportunities Fund I. The first close corpus stands at INR 110cr. The investment firm is aiming to deploy the raised funding across 10-15 growth stage companies across Anicut and non-Anicut portfolios over a span of two years. Anicut Angel fund has deployed INR ~200cr in early and growth stage start-ups with cumulative AUM of INR 1600 cr. A few of Anicut's portfolio companies include brands like Neemans, Bira, Sugar cosmetics, Earth rhythm, Wingreens, Blue Tokai, Sharechat, Mcaffeine, Milkymist, XYXX, Curatio Healthcare, Agnikul and Grip Finance etc