In Bengaluru, the ecosystem’s critical area lies at the intersection of aquapreneurship, governance and financing. Early-stage innovators such as FluxGen Technologies, SmartTerra (an UpLink Aquapreneur Top Innovator) and Boson White Water are developing promising solutions in water quality, sanitation and resource efficiency. However, without stronger support from investors, accelerators and public institutions, these innovations struggle to grow beyond pilot projects. The focus for stakeholders in Bengaluru – particularly city authorities, utilities and funders – is therefore to strengthen investment mechanisms, improve integration with governance processes and build cross-sector coordination (E3, E4) that can help aquapreneurs scale. The investor and accelerator landscape is particularly thin. Rainmatter Foundation stands out as one of the few India-based entities providing grant-based support for water innovation. International actors such as Imagine H2O Asia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) offer some mentorship and exposure, but their reach remains limited within the local entrepreneurial context. As a result, aquapreneurs face a persistent gap in private investment and access to commercial scaling opportunities. Supporting academic stakeholders such as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) and the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) contribute high-quality research and environmental modelling – for example, tracking lake and river pollution through remote sensing. However, these actors remain disconnected from decision-making and lack pathways to support innovation deployment. Bengaluru’s innovation ecosystem reflects a vibrant, bottom-up drive for change. Realizing its full potential will require bridging institutional gaps, building stable financing mechanisms for water start-ups and embedding grassroots solutions into formal public-sector planning frameworks. Bengaluru spotlight: Bengaluru NGOs driving data and accountability BOX 6 Bengaluru’s water sector benefits from robust NGO activism that bridges data transparency, technology and grassroots engagement. WELL Labs, a city-based water research group, prepares comprehensive analyses of the urban water system to inform better water-security planning. Its 2023 Bengaluru Urban Water Balance study highlighted critical issues – from over-exploited groundwater to neglected lakes – providing data- driven evidence for policy action.43 Paani Earth Foundation, a citizen-led think tank, empowers communities with accessible river data and open-source tools. The initiative produces maps and pollution analyses using free geographic information system (GIS) software and collaborates with institutes such as the International Centre for Clean Water on water- quality monitoring. By sharing findings publicly (e.g. on Arkavathi River pollution) and convening “riverside” citizen forums, Paani Earth enables the public to advocate for cleaner water and hold authorities accountable. Arghyam, a Bengaluru-based foundation, scales such innovation by linking grassroots and government efforts. It partners with public agencies as a tech and data collaborator and it champions open-data “commons” for water. Through participatory groundwater programmes and open knowledge platforms like the India Water Portal, Arghyam fills institutional gaps and pushes for more accountable water governance. Water-BOOST: Enabling Innovation for Future-Ready Cities 33

Water BOOST Enabling Innovation for Future Ready Cities 2025