Ketos Raises $18M for Water Quality Monitoring Software

Ketos, a company specializing in water quality and logistics monitoring software, has secured $15 million in funding from a diverse group of investors to capitalize on the increasing need for advanced water management solutions and technologies.

Growing pressure from government regulations concerning industrial water usage and wastewater handling at the local, state, and federal levels, alongside heightened expectations from consumers and investors for greater corporate environmental responsibility, is fueling rapid adoption of technologies and services focused on enhancing conservation and minimizing waste across various industries.

Effective water monitoring also delivers crucial data to public health authorities regarding potential disease outbreaks and other health concerns within communities.

Recently, analyzing wastewater has proven effective in identifying outbreaks of the virus responsible for COVID-19.

This renewed focus on water resources prompted Citi’s investment division to join lead investor Motley Fool Ventures and Illuminated Funds Group as new stakeholders in Ketos. They were joined by current investors including Ajax Strategies, Better Ventures, Broadway Angels, Plum Valley Ventures and Rethink Impact.

Silicon Valley Bank contributed $3 million in debt financing to the company.

The company plans to utilize these funds to enhance its integrated hardware and software service, which provides detailed information on water quality and identifies potential damage to water pipelines used for both water delivery and wastewater disposal.

“By establishing a substantial centralized repository of water quality data – encompassing details on hazardous heavy-metal toxins, combined with location-specific mapping and identification of potential contamination origins – the possibilities for machine learning and artificial intelligence are vast,” explained Meena Sankaran, founder and CEO of the company.

A key advantage of the company’s approach is its application of machine learning to anticipate potential issues within water systems, thereby reducing the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades.

“KETOS is fundamentally changing the water intelligence sector through the autonomous (remotely operated) data it collects and provides to customers for forecasting water management challenges, a concern that is particularly relevant during the ongoing COVID pandemic,” stated Ollen Douglass, managing director of Motley Fool Ventures. “For the first time, predictive modeling and essential insights are accessible without significant capital investment in infrastructure, enabling proactive decision-making and effective management of water networks.”