Start-ups, entrepreneurs and SMEs can benefit in a number of ways, including access to:
Water scarcity affects ~2.7billion people globally, acutely impacting developing countries. As such, sustainable water management is a crucial UN Sustainable Development Goal. In 2019, a recent graduate and current student of University of Leicester conceived a solution.
Dr Nkeiruka Onyia and Lensa Etefa Jotte realised ESA Copernicus satellite data could be used to monitor water resources and provide decision-making tools to local stakeholders, farmers and NGOs.
Launchpad programme participation and Santander Entrepreneurship seed funds obtained through the University of Leicester’s Innovation Hub (part-funded by European Regional Development Fund) transformed their inspiration into commercial reality with the incorporation of LENKÉ Space and Water Solutions Limited in March 2020.
LENKÉ’s soil water index forecasting (SWIFT) and water quality analysis (WQAT) tools enable user monitoring, management of water resources and optimised harvesting.
In December 2020, LENKÉ joined the ESA Business Incubation Centre UK at Leicester (part of the nationwide network including Harwell, Daresbury and Edinburgh), receiving a €50,000 grant alongside business and technical support packages from within the University and Space Park Leicester. This support will enable product piloting in Ethiopia’s Central Rift Valley Lakes leading to commercialisation of their product by the end of their incubation.
Combining inspiration with University expertise and funding has ensured LENKÉ’s unique innovations are primed to improve environments, lives and livelihoods globally.
