At H2Ok Innovations, our journey is one of humble beginnings & relentless determination. We started in a garage with a vision to revolutionize the industrial fluid systems industry.
Buoys in a Garage: Navigating Through Covid
In March 2020, H2Ok was poised for a significant leap forward - with plans to work out of a Bay Area accelerator and a contract from the US Geological Survey to build buoys for algal bloom detection, the future seemed promising. However, the Covid-19 pandemic had other plans.
As the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe, disrupting plans and routines, H2OK found itself facing unexpected challenges. With health and safety taking precedence, we needed to rethink our strategies and adapt quickly to the new reality.
Our Lead Hardware Engineer, working from his garage in Texas, crafted the initial prototypes, while remote collaboration from our software engineers in Canada and California ensured rapid debugging & testing. However, we then faced the logistical puzzle of shipping the prototypes to final deployment location in the Northeast; with strict UPS shipping requirements, we had to get creative. We eventually adapted our prototype to work like legos, allowing us to ship the buoys in pieces and assemble them on site.
First buoy deployed with USGSThis collaborative and rapidly iterating approach to problem-solving became emblematic of H2OK's ethos; the spirit of adaptability and resourcefulness that we fostered during the pandemic continues to define our work culture.Setting roots in Boston
As H2OK's involvement in the Techstars Farm to Fork accelerator propelled our development forward, the need for expanded space became apparent. With many of our early team members having ties to schools and research labs in the Boston area, centralizing operations seemed like the logical choice.
Finding a suitable space was key, and H2OK discovered a perfect fit at Artisans Asylum in Somerville, MA. This vibrant makerspace offered the flexibility for small companies like ours to rent space by the square foot, providing access to a diverse array of machine shops, electronics labs, and other fabrication facilities essential for our lean and agile team.
First generation H2Ok sensors deployed at a customer site to measure Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) in wastewaterWithin Artisans Asylum, we quickly established a small testing lab, maximizing every inch of available space and then some. This newfound home became the epicenter of our innovation, fostering collaboration and experimentation as we continued to push the boundaries of what was possible.From Artisans to Greentown: A Leap Forward
As H2OK continued its upward trajectory, a pivotal moment arrived when Artisans Asylum made the difficult decision to relocate across Boston to a new neighborhood. Seizing the opportunity for growth and advancement, H2Ok moved across the street to Greentown Labs.
GreenTown Labs, Somerville, MAGreentown and Artisans were like opposite sides of a coin, similar and yet totally different. Where Artisans was full of hackers and repurposed equipment dug out of a dumpster, Greentown had entrepreneurs and a cutting edge electronics lab direct from Keysight.
This shift mirrored the growing maturity of H2OK as we secured funding and expanded our team to meet ambitious growth targets. Within Greentown Labs, H2OK flourished, rapidly outgrowing three spaces in less than two years. We became one of the most active companies using the machine shop and other resources for fabrication and development.
Within Artisans Asylum, we quickly established a small testing lab, maximizing every inch of available space and then some. This newfound home became the epicenter of our innovation, fostering collaboration and experimentation as we continued to push the boundaries of what was possible.Scaling Smart: Partnering with FORGE and AMI
As H2OK continued to expand its footprint, it became evident that our approach to building systems needed to evolve. What once sufficed for one major client was no longer feasible for ten, let alone fifty. Recognizing the need for a strategic shift, we turned to FORGE, a local nonprofit dedicated to bridging startups with local manufacturers.
Through our partnership with FORGE, we connected with AMI, a reputable manufacturer based in Maine. Entrusting the production of some of our most popular products to AMI allowed us to free up internal bandwidth for research and development while ensuring the rapid and localized fabrication of our devices.
The outside of AMI's manufacturing facility in MaineThis strategic move not only streamlined our production process but also upheld our commitment to building quality devices right here in the United States. It was a win-win scenario that empowered us to scale efficiently while maintaining our focus on innovation and excellence.Author
Joseph Sanchez