India’s water crisis isn’t just a rural problem anymore. Now, urban areas, offices, and industries are facing the problem too. In the middle of all this, a Bengaluru startup called Uravu Labs is quietly flipping the script. What if you didn’t need rivers, tankers, or borewells at all for clean drinking water?
Where It All Started
Uravu Labs began back in 2019, when Swapnil Shrivastav, Govinda Balaji, Venkatesh RY, and Pardeep Garg teamed up. The founders came together after repeatedly witnessing water shortages during their student years. Instead of waiting for large infrastructure fixes, they decided to build a decentralised solution that could work anywhere.
Pulling Water Out of Thin Air
Uravu Labs builds machines that literally pull water straight from the air. The process isn’t magic, it’s science. Their systems cool humid air until water droplets form, then filter, purify, and add minerals to make it safe to drink. You get clean water, right where you need it.
But here’s what really sets them apart, they’ve obsessed over energy efficiency. These machines run on renewable energy or waste heat, so they’re cheaper to operate and lighter on the planet. Offices, factories, hotels, college campuses, and water-stressed neighbourhoods can all use them.
On the Fast Track
Investors have started to notice. Uravu Labs picked up seed funding from pi Ventures and Ankur Capital, both known for backing deep-tech startups that care about sustainability. They have joined global innovation programs and earned support from the Marico Innovation Foundation, which helped them move beyond the testing phase.
By 2026, Uravu is rolling out its systems all over India and teaming up with partners to power them with solar, making the whole thing even greener.
Why It Matters
Uravu Labs isn’t trying to wipe out traditional water systems. But in places where you can’t always count on a steady supply, their idea is a lifeline. By making water on the spot, they cut down on groundwater use and plastic waste from bottles. It’s a big step toward a more resilient, climate-smart India.
Sometimes the best answers don’t come from digging deeper. Sometimes, you just have to look up.
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