The United Nations set up the Sustainable Development Goal SDG6 to ensure safe global water access by 2030. Alongside, they also predict a deficit of more than 40% in water availability if the world continues its current path by 2030. Yet, with less than a decade to go, we are blind on how water is used in the residential, commercial, or industrial sectors. Going beyond metering the water enables us to actively acknowledge how the water is used and how we can predict the maintenance of water assets on the last mile of the grid.
Founded in 2018 and established as part of EPFL’s Incubator La Forge, Droople came up with the idea of a smart edge device at any point of use which allows for decentralized water monitoring at the last mile grid. Combining artificial intelligence and a full IoT solution, the start-up enables customers to measure, monitor and analyze their water processes while predicting maintenance and efficiently saving water and energy. In addition, Droople’s water intelligence platform digitizes water-based assets “off the radar” and provides customers real-time access to actionable data, bringing transparency, and optimizing their water and energy use.
By integrating water-saving systems, Droople contributes to multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs 6,9,11,17). The solution aims to conserve water and helps organizations optimize their service costs while making a sustainable impact. Internationally spread across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, Droople’s growing customer base includes water treatment manufacturers, hospitality service providers, distributors, and facility managers.
The start-up, which is based in Puidoux (canton of Vaud), will use the Tech Growth loan from the Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT) to develop its machine learning capabilities, deploy more than 3’000 installations and strengthen its business development team.
International development and recognition
After raising CHF 1.5 million in 2021, Droople obtained the Solar Impulse Label as a recognition for its efficiency for climate action. The company also won the first edition of the Prix Alpiq, stood among the best 50 Swiss Startups to invest in 2020 and has been recently awarded with the Swisscom Climate IoT Award.
Droople recently increased its capital by CHF 875’000, and will close its next round of financing of CHF 6 million combined with a loan from the Swiss Government’s Technology Fund in July 2022, thereby allowing for the opening of two branches, one in Germany and one in the US.
