Water is us. Water is the most valuable and scarcest commodity of our century. Our entire economy and survival are dependent on it. More than 80% of Spain’s water use is for agriculture. Water management and savings are key to the future in a situation of extreme water scarcity, particularly in the southern part of the peninsula.
The central government recently approved a PERTE to digitize the water cycle, with a planned investment in excess of 3,000 million euros. It is crucial to optimize this vital source of life, given the obvious consequences of climate change as well as the challenges it poses. Agualytics, which is a company that specializes in the efficient, sustainable and comprehensive management of water, was founded in this context.
This Andalusian startup is taking part in Alhambra Venture this year. It aims to improve water use in agriculture through technology and digitization. Their greatest potential lies in their team’s ability to develop accessible solutions that allow them to make informed decisions. The team includes Saturnino Gonzalez (CEO), Fernando Gonzalez (director of technology) and Gabriel Gimenez (director of operations). They have combined more than 45 years experience.
The goal of the company was to use technology to serve the sector. They began work in 2017 to maintain the market’s equipment and systems to collect information about the problems and needs. They have digitalized water supply networks and uses that provide irrigation for over 5,000 hectares of intensive agricultural. There are dozens of equipment installed to serve more than 3,500 users. The company was founded in Almeria in 2021, which is a global benchmark in intensive agricultural technology. Its goal is to offer solutions that focus on the concept traceability of water, and technology.
70% of all water extracted globally is used by agriculture. This means that the country’s agricultural sector is responsible for providing water to more people and less resources. It is important to get high-quality water in a sustainable manner and ensure that it can be sustained over time.
Agualytics software provides data about the water cycle, from the source (groundwater, desalinated or surface water) to its end user. These data can be stored and processed. They can save up to 30% on energy when obtaining and disseminating water. There are also 30% to 30% savings on water consumption. They also ensure the preservation, recovery, and sustainable use for various water bodies, which is a guarantee of their continued use.
Because it includes all actors involved in agriculture and irrigation, the target customer is broad. Companies, organizations, and communities, as well as institutions managing a water supply network, can be included in the target customer group.
While they recognize that there is a lot of competition in this sector, they insist that water management is part of their DNA. They also believe that their greatest advantage is their experience in the field. They defend that the company was founded in a highly competitive environment, where companies from all over the globe visit our province to develop, sell or validate their products. This makes it difficult for indigenous companies to survive. However, once it does, they can continue to operate anywhere in the world due to the company’s experience and knowledge.
They claim to have digitized irrigation communities, where they no longer need pencil and paper but can now work exclusively with their smartphones. They also have many success stories behind their backs in terms of water savings and energy efficiency. They believe that they have the experience and the PERTE for digitalisation water to be well positioned to fulfill the sector’s needs. They are confident that this approval will provide significant economic assistance, and they can become a national benchmark for the sector, reaching 5% in 2025.
They are looking to expand the company’s internationalization and think more long-term. They say that the problems they solve here are global problems. This is evident in their participation in European programs to reduce water scarcity in Southern Europe. However, they also point out that these problems are recurring in Africa and Latin America.
They understand the importance of participating in the Alhambra Venture. This is because they are aware that there is a real problem that affects everyone. They want to concentrate on the solution which includes making sustainable and efficient use of water in agriculture to allow this economic activity to continue and ensure that there is water for tomorrow.
