Hydrific, part of LIXIL

🌊I’m happy to share my article “𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿” in the latest issue of INNOVATION magazine! In the article, I share our design journey behind 💧Droplet, a smart home water sensor inspired by the power of nature, designed to reduce water waste and make water conservation easy and accessible. Today also marks the 10th annual Imagine a Day Without Water, and thinking about how we can help inspire meaningful change and bring more mindful interactions with water in our daily lives is part of our mission here at Hydrific, part of LIXIL. Check out my article and the entire INNOVATION issue “Supernatural” which explores humanity’s relationship with nature, and perspectives on how design can shape our future and the natural world. https://lnkd.in/ezWkp-gx Shout out to the other contributors in this issue: Yu Nong Khew, Mark Baskinger, PhD, IDSA, Julian Bleecker, Lisa Krohn, Per Magnus Sköld, IDSA, Tiange Wang, Bruce Hannah, Maximillian Burton, Paul Diehl, Tucker Viemeister, FIDSA, Rebeccah Pailes-Friedman, FIDSA, and Elham Morshedzadeh, Ph.D., IDSA. - Thank you Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and Mark Athitakis! #ImagineADayWithoutWater #WaterConservation #industrialdesign #innovation #sustainability #SmartHome #designthinking #IDSA #hardwaretechnology #innovationintech #natureinspireddesign

Proud moment at the Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards ceremony this week!   Hydrific, part of LIXIL took home two prestigious honors: 👉 Best Product Design of 2024, and 👉 On the Rise: 0-4 Years in Business This recognition from Fast Company, among thousands of submissions, validates our mission to create sustainable solutions that address today's challenges and anticipate tomorrow's needs.   Accepting these awards was a humbling experience. It's a testament to our team's relentless pursuit of innovation and our commitment to shaping a more sustainable future through design and technology.   #FastCompanyAwards #InnovationByDesign #SustainableInnovation #Tech #Hydrific #LIXIL

We couldn't be more excited to share another fascinating milestone!   Droplet has been honored in Fast Company's 2024 Innovation by Design Awards in two categories: - On the Rise: 0-4 Years in Business: https://lnkd.in/ezTQtK7a - Best Product Design of 2024: https://lnkd.in/exhNqZ_5   The competition, evaluating thousands of submissions, is one of the most sought-after design awards, showcasing companies driving innovative progress around the world and across industries. Being on this highly esteemed shortlist of innovators underlines our commitment to sustainable solutions that address today's challenges and anticipate tomorrow's needs.   A big thank you to our relentless team, visionary partners, and unwavering supporters - your passion and dedication have made this possible! I couldn't be more proud of each and every person that stands behind Droplet. A special shout-out to our product and design teams Emilie Williams, IDSA Uma Dhamija Robin Pettersson Petri "Piitu" Pennanen David Schecter Ben G. Ari Morse Phil Rashkovetsky Thomas O'Rourke Michal Olczak Darin Gordon Jesper Skand Jose Pereira - CSPO - CSM Link to full press release: https://lnkd.in/eYSku3ek #InnovationByDesign #FastCompanyAwards #SustainableInnovation #ProductDesign

Just returned from an inspiring Alliance for Water Efficiency Symposium in Chicago!   Our Hydrific, part of LIXIL team had a fantastic time connecting with industry experts and longtime friends. We're deeply committed to listening and actively participating in water conservation efforts at both local and regional levels for water utilities and municipalities. During the symposium, we showcased our innovative Droplet product, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. I'm happy to see utilities embracing this recently launched solution and to expand partnerships in this crucial sector.   A major highlight of the event was LIXIL being named AWE's 2024 Business & Industry Member of the Year! This prestigious award recognizes LIXIL's leadership in the water efficiency and conservation community. A special shoutout to Troy Benavidez for his outstanding advocacy work.   Congratulations to all other award winners as well! Rachael Belisle-Toler Deirdre Irwin Yoppify Drew Blackwell Geneva Gondak EBMUD Tucson Water Colorado Water Conservation Board   Missed us at the symposium? Let's connect to explore how we can partner in water conservation! Thorsten Kostrzewa Taishi Okano #WaterConservation #AWESymposium2024 #Hydrific #LIXIL

Just returned from an inspiring Alliance for Water Efficiency Symposium in Chicago!   Our Hydrific, part of LIXIL team had a fantastic time connecting with industry experts and longtime friends. We're deeply committed to listening and actively participating in water conservation efforts at both local and regional levels for water utilities and municipalities. During the symposium, we showcased our innovative Droplet product, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. I'm happy to see utilities embracing this recently launched solution and to expand partnerships in this crucial sector.   A major highlight of the event was LIXIL being named AWE's 2024 Business & Industry Member of the Year! This prestigious award recognizes LIXIL's leadership in the water efficiency and conservation community. A special shoutout to Troy Benavidez for his outstanding advocacy work.   Congratulations to all other award winners as well! Rachael Belisle-Toler Deirdre Irwin Yoppify Drew Blackwell Geneva Gondak EBMUD Tucson Water Colorado Water Conservation Board   Missed us at the symposium? Let's connect to explore how we can partner in water conservation! Thorsten Kostrzewa Taishi Okano #WaterConservation #AWESymposium2024 #Hydrific #LIXIL

Last week, LIXIL once again partnered with Tools & Tiaras Inc. for their 2024 summer camp in Jamaica, Queens. The team from Hydrific, part of LIXIL led this year’s workshop with a focus on design and water conservation. Julia Deister (née Auer), Uma Dhamija and Emilie Williams, IDSA used their experience and creativity to teach the campers how to tackle important problems around water scarcity, from identifying key issues to building prototypes for their innovative solutions. This marks the 6th year of the partnership between LIXIL and Tools & Tiaras. We're proud to support them in their mission to foster more diversity & inclusion in the trades and introduce the next generation to a variety of potential career opportunities. Our partnership with Tools & Tiaras is also a key part of American Standard’s Trade Up program, an effort dedicated to raising awareness of the skills gap and taking action to inspire more people to pursue plumbing as a viable career path. It is always a pleasure to work with Judaline Cassidy, Jen Jones and the whole team at Tools & Tiaras. We’re so appreciative of our continued partnership and we look forward to next year’s camp!

On July 16th, our team held a water conservation workshop during the Tools & Tiaras Inc. summer camp to educate young girls about sustainable water usage, featuring a hands-on demonstration of Droplet. The session, led by Uma Dhamija and Julia Deister (née Auer), included activities where campers designed solutions to water conservation challenges. Read more in our press release: bit.ly/3Y9Tcoi

💧 Hydrific June Update Hello LinkedIn community, we're excited to share our latest updates with you! 🚀 Pre-Orders Now Available! Missed the Kickstarter but still want a Droplet? You can now place your order and still get a crowdfunding discount! Order here by clicking the "Available to Buy Now" button: https://lnkd.in/ekn8mtYG 📅 On Track for August Shipping We're pleased to share that Droplet is on schedule for our August shipping date. Our team is working diligently to ensure timely delivery and top-notch quality for all our Kickstarter backers! If anything changes, we'll let all of our backers know immediately. 🛠️ Production Updates • Manufacturing: Droplet 2nd round production samples arrived a few weeks ago, and the team is now waiting for the final round of samples before reviewing the final colors and finish! • Software: The 2.6 Beta release is well underway for the end of June. Phil and the software team are hard at work getting everything ready for launch, implementing enhanced firmware security and other under-the-hood improvements. • Beta Testers: Jose & the team continue to onboard new Beta users, working to scale up for production and further test our software as we lead into the August ship window. Taishi, Leader Insights, has been tracking our early users' great feedback and analytics to continually improve Droplet. • Operations: Christopher is rigorously stress-testing our logistics, delivery, and support processes to ensure seamless customer service and delivery in August. 🔍 Team Activities It's been a busy time for our team: • Venture Insights: We are excited to continue the conversation around building innovative and impactful ventures. Check out Julia's conversation with Mach49 about building the Hydrific team from the ground up! https://lnkd.in/etCnEP6s • Sponsorship: We're sponsoring the 2nd annual Alliance for Water Efficiency Efficiency & Conservation Symposium from August 6-8, 2024, in Chicago, IL. Learn More and Register Here: https://lnkd.in/gGUCV9jZ • Podcast: Listen to Emilie share behind-the-scenes insights on Droplet's development journey on the latest episode of the Talking Design & Engineering Podcast from Makelab Listen Here: https://lnkd.in/dJ9uv9bp 📲 Connect with Us! Follow us on Instagram & Facebook to get real-time updates and behind-the-scenes looks at how Droplet is coming to life. https://lnkd.in/eXKN9TGU & https://lnkd.in/etKM5cSh - The Hydrific Team

Proud to announce that Hydrific's journey was feautured by Mach49! Julia Deister (née Auer) had a fantastic conversation with Edward Ross, COO of Mach49, discussing the transition from our initial incubation days to the exciting moment we achieved our Kickstarter goal in just 11 minutes. Check out the full story to learn more.

Makelab has been an incredible partner, not only helping to 3D print hundreds of beta field test Droplet devices, but also assisting in finding the right materials to make them durable and weatherproof in the field, truly replicating long-lasting real-world devices. They've helped our team speed up the path to production in numerous ways, turning around many iterative improvements and refinements with record speed. Makelab’s support, expertise, and craftsmanship brought a ton of value to our design and engineering process. Check out the case study linked below to read more about our team members Ari Morse and Emilie Williams, IDSA working with Makelab to make Droplet a reality! A huge thank you to Christina Perla the entire Makelab team for your dedication and support!