Funding and Investors
Hyderabad-based technology start-up Water has raised $2.5 million (about Rs 23.7 crore) in a funding round led by Endiya Partners, with participation from angel investors including Pullela Gopichand, Rohit Chennamaneni, and Nandan Reddy, as reported by Deccan Chronicle. The Hindu Business Line also covered the round, naming Gopichand as Chief National Badminton Coach, Chennamaneni as Co-Founder of Darwinbox, and Reddy as Co-Founder of Swiggy.
The Startup and Its Products
Water is developing AI-powered adaptive surfaces that can sense and respond to the human body in real time, according to both outlets. Its two products are Flow, an adaptive chair, and Cama, an adaptive bed.
Flow is designed to respond to posture, movement, and load during seated interaction, while Cama focuses on sleep, recovery, and respiration, The Hindu Business Line reported. Deccan Chronicle described these as focusing on "kinetics" and "somnics," respectively.
A claim carried only by Deccan Chronicle states that both products are built on a foundational model called Vortex, and that the company addresses a gap in connected furniture and sleep-tracking products, which largely focus on sensing and monitoring. Water's system combines sensing, decision-making, and physical response, allowing its surfaces to adjust based on the user's needs, according to that reporting.
CEO's Vision
"Intelligence in the physical world should upgrade the human being at the centre of it. We call that layer Bio Physical Intelligence. The body is constantly telling the surfaces it lives on what it needs," said Teja Vinukollu, Founder and CEO of Water, in comments reported by both The Hindu Business Line and Deccan Chronicle.
In additional remarks carried only by Deccan Chronicle, Vinukollu said: "Vortex is the first model built to listen and respond."
Use of Funds and Future Plans
The funding will support Water's continued technical validation, including proving how its model's understanding transfers across products and users, The Hindu Business Line reported. Deccan Chronicle described this as testing whether Vortex's understanding can transfer across products and users.
Deccan Chronicle also reported that Water is exploring applications in automotive and aviation, has developed a near-production-adaptive adaptive sleep system showcased at CES in Las Vegas, and has filed a foundational patent related to its approach to safety, according to a company release.