The Circle FC, Israel collaborate to empower start-ups in water sector in India

The Circle Founders Club (FC), a business accelerator supported by Hunch Ventures, has teamed up with the Embassy of Israel in India to introduce “The Water Challenge” program. The initiative aims to empower early-stage start-ups and encourage innovative solutions to address water-related issues in India.

The program was officially launched through the signing of an MoU between Naor Gilon, the Ambassador of Israel in India, and Karanpal Singh, the founder of Hunch Ventures and The Circle FC. The joint statement said that the collaboration represents a significant milestone in India – Israel bilateral relations, fostering cooperation in the critical domain of water technology.

Naor Gilon, said “This 3-month long acceleration programme is a promising opportunity for start-ups in the field of water to innovate, collaborate, and create sustainable solutions.”

Karanpal Singh stated, “Israel is the global leader in water technologies and given India’s large population we are thrilled to work together towards sustainability and water security.”

The primary objective of the joint effort is to leverage leading technologies and collaborate with Indian companies to find domestic solutions to water challenges. The Circle FC will work closely with the Israeli government to assist startups in obtaining tech validation, commercialization, market access, and fundraising opportunities.

The selected start-up founders will participate in a comprehensive accelerator program that includes mentorship and networking opportunities, provided by experts in water technology from both India and Israel. Nemesisa Ujjain (VP – Innovation) from The Circle FC, and Doron Gidony (Innovation Attache at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) from Israel will lead the program.

Together, The Circle FC and the Israel government will identify and support promising start-ups in the water tech domain, facilitating their growth and development, as stated in their joint announcement.

In May, IIT Madras and Israel collaborated to establish the ‘India-Israel Center of Water Technology’ (CoWT) with the goal of addressing challenges related to water resources management and technologies in India.

The India-Israel Center of Water Technology will focus on building human capacity to implement Israel’s advanced water technologies in the Indian context. By tapping into Israel’s expertise as a global leader in water management, the center aims to develop tailor-made solutions to meet India’s water requirements.

This collaboration is expected to play a crucial role in achieving the objectives of India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) ‘AMRUT’ Mission, which focuses on enhancing water supply and sanitation in urban areas.