Wasteless water device latest invention from Creaholic

Creaholic is going back to its soap factory roots with its latest wasteless water invention.

Founded in 1986, the Biel, Switzerland-based innovation house is located in a former soap production building, focused on designing innovations for the packaging, food, medical, and cleantech sectors, one of its major shareholders and board member Mars Aeschlimann told the Cleantech Group yesterday. To date, Creaholic has been responsible for more than 600 inventions.

With about 35 employees, it has eight shareholders that have funded the company, with a turnover of CHF 4 million to 5 million (US$4 million to $4.9 million) a year. About two-thirds of Creaholic’s projects are for clients, while a third are generated internally.

Partner Denis Crottet is planning two financing rounds for a total of CHF 10 million (US$9.8 million) within three years, the first round being next year, for a water conservation project that’s been backed to date with undisclosed funding from Creaholic as well as private investors and entrepreneurs.

An average person uses between 0.5 to 1.5 liters of water to wash their hands, he said. Creaholic has created an all-in-one hand washing system that cuts that to one deciliter, for a factor of 10 reduction, he said.

In 2007, California-based SRI Consulting released a report predicting a major global water shortage in less than 20 years (see SRI Consulting warns of water shortage). The research group said worldwide demand for water is expected to exceed supply by 56 percent.

The Cleantech Group has also highlighted the increasingly fragile global water supply that’s at risk (see Eight cleantech developments to watch for in 2008).

Creaholic's internationally patented device produces a first shot on the hands that combines water, soap and air, then a pause for lathering. A second shot of water follows for rinsing.

“By controlling the mixing and the dosing, we can just use [the water] we need,” he said.

Crottet is looking to form a separate company to help bring the product to market, and said he is currently in discussions with potential customers. The device has applications everywhere from public washrooms to airports, malls, and professional spaces or even mobile hand washing stations—wherever there’s a high frequency of hand cleaning.

Crottet said the price point is expected to be comparable to standards already on the market such as faucets with infrared sensors. Following a pilot installation, Crottet said the spinout will likely first target new buildings and renovations.

But this isn't the only cleantech-related product the innovation house has it its pipeline:

• Partner Luc Amgwerd said a product is being designed in-house called W4L, which is still in the research phase. Amgwerd said the filtration device, with a less than a $1 per unit production cost, is expected to filter about half a liter of water without using any chemicals. When submerged in water, the device would soak up like a sponge and expand, containing the purified water. It would feature a spout for drinking. Amgwerd said it would be ideal for emerging countries such as India, China and South Africa. No larger than the size of a newspaper, the device could be shipped in a flattened form.
• Partner Christoph Rusch highlighted additional Creaholic designs, including one created for a client, SwissCleanDrive. It’s a conversion kit that allows the Italian Fiat 500 to be modified from a gasoline engine to a purly combustion engine, all electric engine, or both at the same time, from one gearbox. The car can go 20 to 30 kilometers (12.4 to 18.6 miles) just on the electric engine, Rusch said. It also has the advantage of a bigger 3.5 kilowatt hour battery, compared to the 0.75 kilowatt hour battery in a Prius, for example.

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