About Us

Water. Secured.

Climate-resilient infrastructure removing arsenic, fluoride, and other impurities at scale. Proven technology. Trusted partners. Measurable impact.

Our Mission

Safe Water for Everyone

Drinkwell exists to solve the global water crisis through innovative technology and sustainable business models. We believe access to clean, safe drinking water is a fundamental human right—and we're building the infrastructure to make it a reality for millions of people across South Asia.

From Research to Impact

Drinkwell was founded on a simple observation: millions of people in South Asia were drinking water contaminated with arsenic and fluoride, yet existing solutions were either too expensive or too complex for rural communities.

Our team is commercializing HIX-Nano™ technology—a breakthrough in ion exchange that makes water treatment affordable, regenerable, and sustainable that was first developed at the Arup K. SenGupta Research Labs at Lehigh University. Since then, we've deployed over 700 treatment plants serving more than 3 million people daily.

Today, we're recognized by the World Economic Forum, Asian Development Bank, and leading global corporations as a pioneer in climate-resilient water infrastructure.

Our WATER Values

The principles that guide everything we do—from technology development to community partnerships.

W

World Class

We hold ourselves to the highest standards in technology, execution, and impact measurement.

A

Agility

We adapt quickly to challenges, tailoring solutions for diverse communities and conditions.

T

Trust

We build lasting relationships with communities, partners, and institutions through transparency and reliability.

E

Empathy

We listen deeply to the people we serve, designing solutions that meet their real needs.

R

Resilience

We build infrastructure that endures—climate-resilient systems for communities facing uncertainty.

Awards & Honors

A decade of recognition from leading institutions validating our technology, impact, and approach to solving the global water crisis.

2026

Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award

2025

Assocham National Water Award

2022

US Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence

2018

Millennium Alliance Award

ImagineH2O Urban Drinking Water Challenge Award

2017

Ashoka Fellowship

2016

Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Social Entrepreneur

GLG Social Impact Fellowship

Bluhm-Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship

VentureWell Sustainable Practice Impact Award

2015

Forbes 30 Under 30 US Social Entrepreneur

Action for India Silicon Valley Challenge Award

ImagineH2O Early Stage Water Track Runner Up

2014

Echoing Green Fellowship

Global Social Venture Competition Winner

Sankalp Best Water & Sanitation Social Enterprise

Cleantech Open National Sustainability Prize

SOCAP Social Entrepreneur Award

SXSE Eco Best For-Profit Social Impact Company

US-India Science & Technology Endowment Fund Award

Board of Directors

Drinkwell's Board provides governance oversight and strategic direction across technology development, public-sector partnerships, and long-term operational performance.

Minhaj Chowdhury

Co-Founder & CEO

12 years experience executing community water systems. BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Fulbright Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow.

Dr. Mike German

Co-Founder & Director

Commercialized HIX-Nano resins as part of Fulbright Fellowship and PhD research at Lehigh University. BS Chemical Engineering from UMBC; Masters & PhD Environmental Engineering from Lehigh.

Sanjay Verma

Director

Founding Director of ITC InfoTech; previously DVP, PTC; Board Chair of Virtalis. BS Chemical Engineering from UMBC; Masters & PhD Environmental Engineering from Lehigh University.

Samir Shah

Director

Founding Partner of Peak Sustainability Ventures—leading cleantech investor. Previously at Goldman Sachs. BCom & LLB from University of Mumbai; MBA from Wharton.

Valerie Mazon

Director

General Manager of Danone Communities; serves on boards of various water & nutrition startups globally. DESS in Marketing from Sciences Po; Executive Programs at HEC Paris and ESSEC.

Our Advisors

Prabhat Pani

Advisor

Former Head of Technology & Partnerships at Tata Trusts; former CEO of Ginger Hotels; Executive Director at SP Jain Institute of Management. BE Mechanical Engineering from BITS Pilani; PGDM from IIM Ahmedabad.

Joel Kolker

Advisor

Former Global Lead for Water and Finance at the World Bank Water Practice. 35+ years experience in infrastructure finance. Led projects in 30+ countries across Africa and Asia. Master's degrees from University of Pennsylvania.

Join Our Mission

Whether you're looking to partner, invest, or join our team, we'd love to hear from you.