Last Wednesday, the cleantech Kran, based in the city of Puerto Varas – near the Chilean Patagonia – was chosen as one of the “Top Innovators” in the Zero Water Waste Challenge, an UpLink initiative of the World Economic Forum WEF – with funding from the HCL Group.

UpLink is the WEF’s open innovation platform, which seeks innovative solutions around the world and harnesses the power of the Forum to create an innovation ecosystem where entrepreneurs can connect with investors, corporate partners, experts and other organizations so they can scale their innovations to address global challenges.

The challenge, in which 192 companies from all over the world participated, rewarded the 10 best initiatives that promote sustainable management and efficient use of water, among them Chile’s Kran. The winners of the competition will not only receive financial support, but also the opportunity to have exclusive access to WEF-led events, projects and communities.

From Patagonia with its nanobubbles

The startup, which in 2021 participated in the Startups Latam Fest competition organized by Startups Latam, is a cleantech that develops solutions based on nanobubble technology, which, through the physical and chemical properties of water, can solve critical water challenges and revolutionize key industrial processes.

“Kran was born from the search for a scientific, technological and 100% green solution to face the production challenges of the salmon industry. Today we are proud to see how our solutions have applications in different areas, helping companies in the management of global challenges, with efficient water management in production processes,” says Jaime De la Cruz, founder and general manager of Kran.

Currently, Kran has operational and pilot projects installed all over the world. Its use in agriculture has allowed the prolongation of fruit freshness, the revitalization of dams and lakes by eliminating contaminants and improvements in the efficiency of extensive irrigation systems; while in the industrial area, it has contributed to the reduction of water consumption in food and beverage industry processes and, at the same time, has been highly effective in odor management, says De la Cruz.