No water, no life. It is a unique natural element and one of the most valuable resources of our planet. Water waste and misuse contribute to water scarcity and unequal access for millions of people worldwide. Many startups, including waterdrop, work towards ensuring careful use of water.
Another interesting startup is Sküma Water, a water filtration system that generates minimal waste and can also be used to re-infuse the purified water with electrolytes, which are vital for personal health.
£300K investment round
London-based Sküma Water has raised £300K in a pre-seed funding round. The financing round was led by early-stage focused venture capital firm Jenson Funding Partners (which backed ZappedSkin and Not In The Guidebooks)The round saw participation from angel investors, including William Ripley, a notable investor in sustainable technology and ex-director of product strategy at Philips.
The funding will enable Sküma Water to build its D2C sales pipeline and extend its manufacturing capacity. The team is also looking at promising B2B avenues with already promising conversations with a top Premier League football club seeking to cut down the use of its single-use plastic bottles. Furthermore, it is also partnering with various gyms across London in the coming months to provide water fountains with its customisable hydration solutions.
Alexandre Yunus Mahe, co-founder at Sküma Water, said: “Water is a critical part of our diet, but too often it’s neglected. At Sküma, we’ve developed the Super-Filter® cartridge to enhance the benefits of water. With our selection of Infusions®, customers can optimise their personal health with an easy-to-install system, while being 100% sustainable.”
William Ripley, Angel Investor and Board Advisor at Sküma Water, said: “As an angel investor, it’s important for me to invest in companies that I believe are making a difference in the way that we live our daily lives. Sküma Water benefits not just us, but the planet too. It’s clear that this goal is central to what Alexandre, Georges, and Tony have created and this is what drew me in as an investor.”
Sarah Barber, CEO at Jenson Funding Partners, said: “The functional drink industry is growing rapidly, however, few at-home water purification systems are as easy-to-use as what Sküma Water has developed while generating zero-waste. What makes Sküma Water special is not just that it’s easy-to-install, but sustainability is just as important as its functionality.”
Zero-waste water purification system
Founded in 2020 by Alexandre Yunus Mahe, Georges Khairallah and Tony Ho, Sküma Water offers a water filter that generates minimal waste while providing consumers with electrolyte-enhanced water based on their personal needs.
A key market for Sküma is consumers searching for a more sustainable long-term alternative to bottled water and functional beverages.
Sküma Water’s founders have focused on sustainability as a key objective and have implemented this vision in all aspects of the business from glass based packaging for the infusions, to working with TerraCycle where customers are encouraged to send used filters back, so TerraCycle can upcycle them.
Disrupts beverage industry
The cleantech startup is aimed at disrupting the beverage industry with a 100% no-plastic beverage making system. The company has developed the Super-Filter reverse osmosis membrane, which removes 99% of contaminants from tap water, and interchangeable Infusions that can be added to the water based on the user’s needs. A hot water option is also available, replacing the need for a kettle.
