Israeli data company Kando raises $16m to bring AI to wastewater and revolutionize environmental and public health

Tel Aviv, Israel, 12th May 2021

• The Series B investment brings Kando’s total amount raised to $16 million, making it one of Israel’s best-funded environmental technology start-ups
• The financing round focused on global growth and accelerated R&D development, with participation from UK, European, and US investors.
• Kando’s market-leading wastewater intelligence experience has valuable applications in improving environmental and public health, optimising operational efficiencies, and maximising utilities’ capital investment returns.

Kando Team

Kando Environmental Services LTD (Kando), an Israeli wastewater intelligence and data company, has raised $6 million in its Series B financing round, bringing the total amount raised to $16 million. Kando improves environmental and public health with its wastewater intelligence solution that brings smart data collection and analysis into wastewater collection networks.

The new investors are Aliaxis, DC Thomson, the Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA), the GB Israel Investment Fund, and Kibbutz Degania Bet. Existing investors, Ram-On Investments and Holdings (listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange) and Bridges Israel also increased their investment, with the Israel-Colorado Innovation Fund, a key supporter of Kando’s US growth from the firm’s first funding round, continuing its commitment to support Kando’s development. This funding round makes Kando one of Israel’s best-funded environmental technology firms. The company’s approach to funding has been strategic, working with investors who are equipped to support Kando’s continued global expansion and accelerated R&D roadmap.

“The 2020s are set to see a radical realignment in environmental policy and investment around the world, with water management attracting increasing attention,” said Ari Goldfarb, Kando’s co-founder and CEO.

Clean water is a finite resource. As water demands increase, the question of how to manage resources effectively, enabling growth without inviting negative environmental or ecological consequences represents a formidable challenge.

Water scarcity and low wastewater quality already impact significant areas of the planet. Technologies that improve water quality and availability are necessary everywhere. Kando has a track record that includes successful activity in Europe, America, Australia, and Israel, in each case adapting to different need cases and environmental challenges.

No matter the geography or a client’s specific needs, Kando’s approach is consistent in every deployment: gathering hard-to-reach data that flows inside a client’s network and using market-leading analytics to turn that data into a tool to support the utilities’ goals.

Kando aims to be a global leader in environmental and public health, supporting wastewater service providers with clear insights into changing network conditions, enabling wastewater utilities to manage wastewater more effectively, improve effluent quality, and reduce costs, all while protecting the environment and public health.

The company is working with partners, investors, and clients to improve public and environmental health all over the world. Closing this funding round is a huge step in along the road to securing a cleaner and more sustainable water future for all.

Fabian Seunier, Head of Aliaxis Ventures: “Aliaxis Ventures focusses on smarter water management and Kando stands at the forefront of that area. Our partnership with Kando is a significant step towards developing complementary capabilities between those technologies and Aliaxis’ solutions; and to bring them to water and wastewater utilities to improve wastewater infrastructure.”

John S. Thomson, Investment Director, DC Thomson: “We are delighted to partner with and support this highly innovative environmental technology firm as it scales up in the global market. Kando has the potential to change the face of the wastewater sector around the world.”

Mitchel Rosenzweig, JNF-USA: “We believe our work with Kando represents another significant step in US-Israeli water cooperation and an expansion of JNF-USA’s work in Israel. As we face new and developing challenges, we will learn from each other, support each other, and work for a more sustainable, collaborative future.”

Seth H. Bernstein, Managing Partner, GB Israel Investment Fund: “Supporting Kando’s accelerated deployment and development aligns with our goals completely. We’re championing Israeli companies as they grow and collaborate in new markets, and enabling firms that have the vision and drive to build a more sustainable future.”

Ram Hachmon, Business Manager, Degania Bet: “Degania Bet sees Kando as a leader of change, improving the environment and making our world greener and healthier. The charm and beauty of Kando and its groundbreaking technology, applied in enlightened cities, enhances the quality of life of residents greatly, while improving processes and outcomes for those authorities implementing the solution.
We believe in the company and its environmental solutions, and are proud to be part of the family and its green revolution!”

Gili Elkin, partner at Kando and the Israel-Colorado Innovation Fund: “Kando is bringing for the first time artificial intelligence to the wastewater in order to improve the water quality in the world with a direct impact on public health and the environment. Kando has built itself on people with solid technology and environmental experiences and a strong passion to make a positive change in this world”.

Ari Goldfarb, CEO & Co-Founder, Kando: “These are all important and strategic partnerships for Kando, and we’re excited to be working with each of them. Together, we are going to inspire people, have a real impact on their lives, and benefit the environment all over the world. From the very beginning, we’ll combine our capabilities and ambitions to create new value propositions for customers and build a more efficient and sustainable future.”

Contact person:
Jenny Gelman, Head of Brand & Communications, jenny@kando.eco

• Kando began operations in 2012, with the first full-scale deployment outside Israel in 2018.
• In 2018, Kando’s Series A funding round closed after raising $10m in investment. Ram-On were the first to invest, with Bridges Israel and the Israel – Colorado Innovation Fund joining later in the round.
• The solution was built to answer a real-world need and it was clear that Kando will have a global application.
• Kando currently has four strategic partnerships in place to support its operations in Israel and overseas: Amarel Inc. (Israel), Hach (US), BM Technologies (Italy), OnSite (UK).
• As of Q1 2021, Kando employs around 50 people across Israel, the US, and UK. Kando’s headquarters are in Tsur Yigal, Israel, with a subsidiary office in Denver, CO.

About Kando
Kando, an environmental technology and data company, has developed an innovative digital solution to support improved environmental health and sustainable ways of living.
Specializing in delivering insights from within wastewater networks, Kando’s solutions enable water utilities to detect, track and anticipate condition changes in wastewater systems in real-time (such as pollution events or viral outbreaks). By extracting data from wastewater with unique wireless IoT units, and using artificial intelligence (AI), Kando provides decision makers with reliable, actionable insights to optimize their operations through an SaaS (Solution as a Service) structure. Kando has been operating in major cities all over the world, improving wastewater quality by as much as 80%, cutting OPEX by up to 20%, and CAPEX by around 10%. Kando’s technology enables customers to see their network continuously and remotely, and in a way that has never before been possible.

Kando’s mission is to empower their clients to take actions based on data and insights, and, together, have a positive impact on people’s lives and the environments in which they live. For more information, please visit www.kando.eco.

About Aliaxis
Aliaxis is a global leader in advanced plastic piping systems for building, infrastructure, industrial and agriculture applications. The company provides communities around the world with sustainable innovative solutions for water and energy, leading the industry in a way that anticipates the rapidly evolving needs of its customers and of society. With a global workforce of more than 14,000 employees, Aliaxis offers specific solutions that meet our customers’ most demanding needs across the globe. Aliaxis is active through leading local brands and operating in over 40 countries, combining local solutions with global innovation and operational excellence. The company is privately owned, with its global headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

About DC Thomson
D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, a Scottish family-owned media and investment company, also participated in the investment round. D.C. Thomson Capital invests in private high-growth companies across the CPG, Retail, Agtech, Water, Circular and Blue Economy industries. More on www.dcthomson.co.uk

About the Jewish National Fund-USA’s Impact Investment Committee
Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation building activities in Israel’s north and south. As part of JNF-USA’s sophisticated philanthropic investment strategy, the organization invests in early-stage concepts and companies operating in the Negev and Galilee. JNF-USA deploys funds that support drawing in co-investors to increase the likelihood of success for these businesses, thus creating exciting employment and growth opportunities within these frontier communities. More on https://www.jnf.org

About GB Israel Investment Fund
GB Israel Investment Fund is a private fund that seeks social impact venture opportunities in Israel. The fund was founded by experienced entrepreneurs who were brought together by their love for JNF-USA and their knack for successful investments. The fund is based in Atlanta, GA.