Exciting developments are underway as The Art of Living and Ashirvad by Aliaxis are joining forces to launch major environmental and social projects across India. The big reveal happened on the 9th of June 2024, at The Art of Living International Center in Bengaluru. The event was graced by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, world renowned humanitarian, spiritual leader and founder of The Art of Living; and also featured Shri Arvind Chandra, the dynamic CEO of Ashirvad by Aliaxis.
Promising Plans for the Future
The two influential powerhouses are set to roll out a series of impactful projects aimed at enhancing water conservation and community empowerment. Here’s what to expect:
- River Rejuvenation, Restoring Vital Waterways: A comprehensive approach will restore the hydrological cycle and revitalise water bodies in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Specialised structures designed by scientists, hydrogeologists, and GIS experts will maximise water percolation into groundwater aquifers.
- JalTara Project, Enhancing Water Sustainability: The secret behind JalTara’s success lies in its simplicity and the dedication of its architects. Recharge structures, unpretentious in design, help in replenishing and storing water in the ground. 1,000 such JalTara structures will be built across Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka to boost water resources.
- Pond Rehabilitation, Sustainable Sewage Treatment: Two key ponds in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, have been contaminated with sewage over the years. To address this, sewage treatment plants with cutting-edge wastewater treatment systems will be set up near both ponds – providing cost-effective and natural sewage treatment. The initiative will also involve community engagement.
- Tree Plantation, Reclaiming the ‘Garden City’: An impressive 15,714 trees will be planted in Bengaluru, Karnataka, to help restore the city’s former glory as the ‘Garden City’. This effort aims to significantly boost the local ecosystem by enhancing green cover and improving air quality. The project not only contributes to alleviating heat but also supports biodiversity and offers recreational green spaces for the community. Through this large-scale plantation drive, Bengaluru will see a greener, healthier and more sustainable environment.
- Women Empowerment, Bridging the Skills Gap: Skill training will be provided to 375 women through the Bridge Training Program in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa. This aims to equip women with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in their communities and beyond.
Why It Matters
This collaboration is all about creating a sustainable and empowered future. By combining their strengths, The Art of Living and Ashirvad by Aliaxis aim to conserve water and green spaces, tackle environmental challenges and provide valuable skills to women, driving social change and uplifting communities. Stakeholders and the wider community are invited to participate in this journey toward a more sustainable and empowered India.
~ Ashirvad Pipes and The/Nudge Institute launched the Rs. 2.5 crore Prize to improve Water Sustainability in India in Feb 2022~ The Challenge will support disruptive innovations in solving India’s water security crisis, with potential to scale to 19 crore households
~Technologies selected range from AI and Machine Learning to mechanical and scientific products to community enablement through tech
~ This Prize is in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and 20+ allies across investors and academia
Bengaluru, June 23, 2022: 25 water-tech startups have been selected as semi-finalists for ‘The/Nudge Prize | Ashirvad Water Challenge’ by The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) and Ashirvad Pipes in partnership with the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. The challenge was opened for applications in February this year. Selected out of a total of 140 applicants, these 25 startups will now compete for a total prize purse of INR 2.5 crores, which comprises a grand prize of INR 1.75 crore for the winning solution and runner-up and milestone grants for five finalists.
Of the 25 water-tech innovators, four work in the areas of water leakage and distribution, five in wastewater treatment, nine in water purification, three in atmospheric generation of water and four towards enabling water ecosystems. Many of the semi-finalists use deep tech interventions such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Some are working on efficient ways for rainwater harvesting, watershed management, or membrane filtration for purification. All the proposed solutions exhibit a promise to be cost-effective and can be scaled equitably. Six of the 25 shortlisted organizations are founded by women.
Speaking on the occasion, Sudha Srinivasan, CEO, The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation, said, “It is very encouraging to see that these 25 semi-finalists have innovated and developed potentially scalable solutions that address the most pressing water issues in the country. We are also proud of the fact that women lead several of these startups, working at the cusp of technology and social transformation. We firmly believe that these entrepreneurs will go a long way in solving complex issues within the water ecosystem, and will play a massive role in enhancing the quality of life of people, thereby realizing our dream of a poverty-free India in our lifetime.”
Deepak Mehrotra, Managing Director, Ashirvad Pipes, added, “The/Nudge Prize | Ashirvad Water Challenge aims to nurture technology-based innovations that improve water cycle management. Through this challenge, the focus is to support solutions that improve water quality, enable efficient water harvesting, storage, drainage and reuse, and incentivize behavioral change towards water conservation and waste avoidance. We congratulate the 25 startups for being chosen as the semifinalists and wish them the very best as they begin the user-testing phase.”
For the next six months, each semi-finalist will pilot its project and begin user-testing or expand their solution presence across various locations, to understand scalability potential and impact.
The selection was spread across three stages. In the first stage, the solutions proposed by the applicants were assessed for their relevance towards clean water enablement. Out of 140 applicants, 102 made it to the second stage, where several factors were assessed: applicants’ depth and team credentials; research and proof of concept in their proposed solution & innovation; operations and maintenance requirements; adaptability of the solution; and scalability (market, tech enablement, pricing/revenue models, and sustainability). In the third stage, 35 startups faced another round of rigorous assessments on their scalability, proof of concept, and demographic focus and reach, which helped the panel narrow down the 25 semi-finalists. The selection panel included 11 members from Indus Water, IH2O Asia, Arghyam, IHE Delft, Aavishkaar, and Social Alpha.
About The/ Nudge Prize:
The selected applicants highlight The/Nudge Institute’s motive for enabling The/Nudge Prize platform. The Prize methodology has demonstrated the ability to draw innovation, talent, capital and public attention to underserved problems, creating disruptive and sustainable solutions, scaling even after the challenge ends. As most of the entrepreneurial energy in the nation is focused towards lucrative problem-solving, The/Nudge Institute leverages The Prize platform to channel some of this innovative energy into the social sector, inspiring India’s top talent and established start-ups to apply themselves to the most critical developmental issues.
The/Nudge Prize platform intends to run several such challenges focusing on specific issues and garner support from government, visionary philanthropists, esteemed advisors, markets and reputed knowledge and technology partners.
For more information about the candidates refer to details provided in Annex- or visit webpage: https://prize.thenudge.org/ashirvadwaterchallenge/semi-finalists
Annexure
Profiles of the Semi-final Cohort of The/Nudge Prize| Ashirvad Water Challenge
1. Agua Wireless Systems Pvt Ltd: Agua is working at tackling the fresh-water crisis facing us today. Agua’s smart water distribution which includes automated valves, motor controllers, level and flow sensors are used to automate every aspect of water distribution and management.
2. Aumsat Technologies LLP: Aumsat Technologies provides ready-to-use satellite data and analysis for smart agriculture, water, and surveillance sectors.
3. Urdhvam Environmental Technologies Pvt. Ltd: Urdhvam helps in making borewells highly sustainable thereby increasing bore yield. Their efforts have resulted in improved irrigation & drinking water quantity & quality, reduction in salination of soil due to dissolved salts and improvement in soil health, among others.
4. Covestro (India) Private Limited: Covestro’s solar water purification system can be used on any contaminated, or unclean or open water source. It also helps recharge and harvest water bodies, making the solution function without the sun as well.
5. Hydroquo+: A Bangladesh-based company, Hydroquo+ utilises a unique product suite to improve water quality and reduce losses. By harnessing the power of chemometric analytics tools to maximize information and data available for leading water innovators, to dramatically improve the quality of water worldwide.
6. i47 Innovation Labs: The Aegir water management solution developed by i47 is a metering and water saving on purchase and distribution side with intelligent server-side analytics to help you manage your water demand.
7. JK Nanosolutions: JK Nanosolutions has developed a nanotechnology based treatment method to treat wastewater and then followed by treatment of textile effluents collected from different locations in India, to address the issue of water pollution.
8. JSP Enviro Private Limited: JSP Enviro’s vision is to work towards a circular economy by reuse and recycle of industrial wastewater across the globe. The company provides a one stop solution for pollution control to improve the quality of land and water. JSP Enviro is working on creating an energy positive, carbon neutral technological solution for industrial effluent treatment.
9. Maithri Aquatech: Maithri Aquatech is reinventing water access and water purification with decentralized, sustainable and highly scalable water solutions. The MEGHDOOT technology is able to generate water from air. This decentralized capability enables true flexibility, having already served individuals in their homes, to organizations spanning various industries.
10. Manhat: A UAE based organization, Manhat is a deep technology startup focusing on natural water distillation.
11. Naandi Community Water Services Pvt Ltd: Naandi Community water services is engaged in providing potable drinking water to rural communities. Using technologies like Reverse Osmosis, UV and having a robust business model which has helped not only in creating a sustainable solution for the drinking water for the bottom of the pyramid communities, It has also ensured that the operations & maintenance are taken care of with the surplus generated.
12. NirNal: NirNal is an affordable, non-electric, pluggable water filter making company whose product has been distributed to several villages, schools, and even India’s military.
13. VAS Bros. Enterprises Private Limited: VAS Bros. Enterprises helps in water purification by removing heavy metals and hazardous contaminants like Arsenic without using electricity and also detects toxic chemicals in waste.
14. Organic Solutions: Organic Solutions is a cost-effective sewage treatment solution providing organization that incorporates the principles of microorganisms, earthworms , plant roots found in healthy soil to treat water without generating any daily sludge, noise or odour and also reduces the burden of fresh-water on natural fresh water resources.
15. Ossus Biorenewables: Ossus Biorenewables work in the direction of production of biohydrogen and have proposed to design a prototype hybrid bio-electrochemical process to desalinate seawater and reduce the salt content by 90-95% ,along with degrading waste to produce hydrogen.
16. Padmaseetha Technologies Pvt. Ltd: Padmaseetha are working on Jalavimalata, a portable, water purity monitor accompanied with a filter that can send water quality results in real time and help in designing interventions. They also plan to build a Jalasena community of water experts who will be deployed to the grass root level.
17. Sambhaav Trust: Saambhav Trust, a non-profit organization, actively works in water-management, reviving water systems, by community-led participation and involving multiple stakeholders across sectors to adapt to ecological processes of change by looking at community needs.
18. Smartterra: Smartterra uses its AI-powered analytics platform to create a digital model of water networks and customers along with focusing on reducing water losses by assessing leakages and deploying trained members to fields to solve issues.
19. Solinas Integrity Pvt. Ltd: Using robotics to detect leakages, Solinas Integrity, also works in the direction of eliminating manual scavenging. The firm intends to use technology to clean septic tanks along with pipeline leakages.
20. Source Water India Pvt Ltd: Source Water India uses a hydropanel driven by solar energy to pull clean water from the air and convert it into drinking water which is delivered straight to taps and faucets even in dry and arid areas
21. Swades Foundation: Swades Foundation intends to transform rural lives by empowering communities to follow the telescopic distribution system of water where the flow of water is not continuous and pressure on the valves is reduced thus preventing water wastage.
22. Taraltec Solutions Private Limited: Taraltec provides solutions to get rid of microbes in water drawn from hand pumps by sending electric shockwaves in the water as soon as it is pumped out.
23. Tarun Bharat Sangh: Tarun Bharat Sangh works to preserve water, recharge aquifers by mobilizing communities to construct rainwater harvesting systems along with improving water literacy among citizens.
24. Telemachus High Tech Private Limited: Telemachus reduces water treatment costs and recycles 100% of wastewater through in-situ technology
25. Uravu Labs: Uravu Labs use a scalable system that runs on all kinds of renewable energy (solar, waste, biomass) to generate water from air.
About The/Nudge Institute
The/Nudge is an action institute working towards a poverty-free India, within our lifetime. We partner with governments, markets and civil society to build resilient livelihoods for all, through our Centre for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (CSDE), Centre for Rural Development(CRD) and Centre for Social Innovation(CSI).
About Ashirvad Pipes
Ashirvad Pipes, an Aliaxis group company, is India’s leading provider of advanced plastic piping systems for residential, commercial, infrastructure, industrial, and agricultural applications. A pioneer in the design of uPVC column pipes used in agriculture, we are the world’s largest manufacturer of CPVC and uPVC pipes and fittings. Over the years, we have evolved, grown, and expanded across the entire water management value chain: from pipes and plumbing to water storage and dispensing systems. Today, we are an integrated ‘Tank to Tap’ provider of comprehensive water management solutions with a global footprint, exporting to over 40 countries. Our 5000-strong workforce includes our pan India sales team, and personnel at our headquarters in Bangalore, factories in Bangalore and Bhiwadi – Rajasthan, Durgapur – West Bengal, Cuttack – Orissa, 12 water storage tank manufacturing plants, and 11 warehouses. Our state-of-the-art Research and Technology Center in Bangalore is one of three such facilities in Aliaxis globally.
Aliaxis is a global leader in advanced piping systems for building, infrastructure, industrial and agriculture applications. The company provides communities around the world with sustainable innovative solutions for water and energy, leading the industry in a way that anticipates the rapidly evolving needs of its customers and of society. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Aliaxis is present in over 40 countries with over 14000 employees.
PR Contact:
Sindhujaa Kumar (sindhujaa@thenudge.org) | 97425 90099)
Rupali Pant (rupali.pant@edelman.com | 93198 99181)
Grant will support innovators developing solutions that scale access to clean water and sanitation, reduce wastage, better manage water for agricultural and industrial use, and improve water, energy and food security
Bangalore/Delhi, 4th June 2021: Ashirvad Pipes and The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation are announcing a partnership to support disruptive innovations in solving India’s water security crisis. Ashirvad Pipes will fund this initiative with a Rs. 4 crore grant to support enterprising startups working on solutions that address population-scale challenges in water. The company, a leading provider of water management solutions, will also provide advisory support, granting access to subject matter experts, and help innovators to bring their solutions to market. The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation, will conceptualize and manage the program, select and hand-hold the startups in achieving large-scale impact. It will provide mentor networks, funding access, technology and knowledge support, government and policy circle support and a complete ecosystem for the startups to grow.
The project will nurture technology-based innovations that improve water cycle management. The focus could extend to solutions that improve water quality, enable efficient water harvesting, storage, drainage and reuse, and incentivize behavioral change towards water conservation and waste avoidance. The grant will evaluate solutions for their potential to be deployed on a large scale, on parameters such as degree of automation and unit cost, technology uniqueness, end user value propositions, and so on.
Speaking on the occasion of World Environment Day, Deepak Mehrotra, Managing Director, Ashirvad Pipes said, “Water is one of the three most essential things for the survival of all living beings. Despite receiving abundant rains, India continues to have challenges in both water access and water quality. We believe integration of intelligent technologies into rural and urban water infrastructure can solve both these problems. This partnership with The/Nudge Foundation is one of our many initiatives to involve social innovators and technologists in our quest to help secure the nation’s water, energy and food resources.”
“Water is a key driver of public health, resource conservation and livelihoods. The water-energy nexus has a direct impact on the economic and social welfare of our country, in addition to environmental and climate impact. The/Nudge aims to draw talent, capital and public attention to underserved issues like Water Sustainability. We are excited to partner with Ashirvad in designing a program to attract social entrepreneurs, who can spark bold innovations to reverse the threat of Day Zero water scarcity. We’re aiming to scale disruptive solutions to secure access to clean water for all Indians, efficient agricultural and industrial use, and water conservation.” said Sudha Srinivasan, CEO – The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation, commenting on the significance of this partnership.
Water security is one of India’s biggest challenges – the country ranks second from the bottom in terms of water quality globally. More than 600 million Indians face “acute water shortages”, 160 million Indians lack access to clean drinking water, 70% of the nation’s water supply is contaminated and 21 cities could soon run out of groundwater, as per NITI Aayog. There is an urgent need for smart water management through innovation, large-scale behavioral change, and pivotal shifts in policy.
About Ashirvad Pipes
Ashirvad Pipes, an Aliaxis group company, is India’s leading provider of advanced plastic piping systems for residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial applications. A pioneer in the design of uPVC column pipes used in agriculture, we are the world’s largest manufacturer of CPVC and uPVC pipes and fittings. With sanitary, fire safety, and water storage solutions, Ashirvad offers a complete portfolio of water management solutions. Our 5000-strong workforce includes our pan India sales team, and personnel at our headquarters in Bangalore, factories in Bangalore and Bhiwadi, Rajasthan and 17 warehouses. Our state-of-the-art Research and Technology Center in Bangalore is one of three such facilities in Aliaxis globally.
Aliaxis is a global leader in advanced piping systems for building, infrastructure, industrial and agriculture applications. The company provides communities around the world with sustainable innovative solutions for water and energy, leading the industry in a way that anticipates the rapidly evolving needs of its customers and of society. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Aliaxis is present in over 40 countries with over 14000 employees.
About The/Nudge Centre for Social Innovation
The/Nudge Centre of Social Innovation is an impact stream of The/Nudge Foundation, with a purpose to “nudge and nurture top talent to solve India’s biggest challenges”. Its initiatives provide hands-on support to individuals and early stage for-purpose startups working on problems of poverty through grants, deep mentoring and ecosystem connect. The AIC NCore SPV, an incubator under the Atal Innovation Mission, specifically focuses on promoting application of technology to solve development problems of national importance. Since starting up in 2017, The/Nudge has selected and supported 80 non-profits through its incubator and accelerator programs. Many of these have gone on to win national and international accolades for their path breaking work, and deliver meaningful impact at scale.