They say that necessity is the mother of all invention. This adage especially held true for wine growers. The necessity was the growing concern and the battle against chronic water shortages. Water, and in sufficiently large quantities, is the life blood for vineyards. Though the entire world is engrossed in different stages of water crisis, it is the wine industry that has seen something resembling a breakthrough.
The invention is a web application that alerts wine grape farmers when their vines are parched. The impetus for the invention came about from a global competition started by Imagine H2O.
Here’s what they do –
Imagine H2O, a national non-profit, inspires and empowers people to solve water problems. We offer prize competitions and incubation and mentoring support to help innovators and entrepreneurs turn great ideas into real-world solutions that ensure available clean water and sanitation.
The inaugural prize was taken by Fruition Sciences. There innovation is sensor based and it monitors the vineyards and gives owners real time updates of key variables like irrigation and crop density. The real time alerts helps the owners make informed decisions on the spot. Fruition succeeded in showing significant water savings for nine California grape growers that used their system.
Fruition Sciences operates both in California and France. Fruition co-founder Sebastien Payen has an expertise in sensor and information technology. His collaboration with the company’s co-founder Thibaut Scholasch’s work on vine water needs led to the product.
Why the incentive catalyzed focus on water? Because compared to its $500 billion global business and its near criticality, water management attracts minuscule investments. This is where Imagine H2O stepped in to give it a push.
Scott Bryan, director of operations for Imagine H2O, said this about Fruition’s win,
“In the water sector, most entrepreneurs want to be in every single market, but Fruition has started out with an intriguing niche market where they can polish their idea and then go broader into other agricultural markets.”
Imagine H2O chairman and executive director Tamin Pechet himself is a Sillicon Valley venture capitalist. He has a hope that the prize and Fruition’s win would rub off on budding innovators to seek solutions.
“The prize is intended to become a magnet for water entrepreneurship and give the finalists extraordinary exposure to the investment and business community.”
Image: fcphoto
