Product: Machines that Generate Water out of Air Developer: Aryeh Kohavi Company: Watergen Year of Foundation: 2009
One of the most pressing issues in the modern era is scarcity of drinking water, a problem which is intensifying as climate conditions become more extreme and water sources become increasingly polluted. According to data released by the UN, 1.7 million deaths a year of children under the age of five are attributed to diseases caused by a lack of safe drinking water, and about 2 billion people worldwide are forced to drink water from contaminated sources that contains life-threatening bacteria. According to current forecasts, in 2025, roughly half of the world population will face a shortage of drinking water.
Watergen was founded in 2009 by Arye Kohavi in an effort to supply water for soldiers on the front lines. Dr. Michael Mirilashvili, owner of Beer Itzhak Energy, recognized the company’s potential. He invested in the company in 2014, providing it with the resources necessary to mature the technology for a global commercial breakthrough. As part of this endeavor, Mirilashvili outlined a new business strategy addressing both governmental and civilian markets. Mirilashvili delineated the company’s vision: providing an unlimited supply of high-quality drinking water across the globe, without depending on any natural resources other than air.
Watergen’s solution is ingenious in its simplicity. It extracts a huge amount of clear drinking water out of the air, a global natural resource that never dries up, making efficient, costeffective use of energy – up to four liters of water for every kilowatt-hour of electricity. A single Watergen machine can supply enough drinking water for a school, a hospital or a large community center. Several Watergen machines can supply enough drinking water for an entire village or even a city.
The groundbreaking concept of extracting water out of air has awarded the company international recognition in the fields of innovation and water production and supply. The founder of Watergen, Arye Kohavi, was named one of the world’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers. In 2017, Watergen supplied water to thousands of people left without drinking water in the aftermath of the hurricanes in Houston, Texas and Miami, Florida.
