UK smart leak detection innovator wins pitch contest with Japan’s TOTO - Intralink

Watergate, the British developer of “the world’s smartest stopcock”, has won the pitch event we hosted in November on behalf of TOTO, Japan’s biggest sanitary ware manufacturer. Thanks to Watergate’s success at the event, they will now be flown out to TOTO’s HQ in Tokyo to accelerate commercial discussions.

TOTO was thoroughly impressed by Watergate’s technology, which helps prevent costly leaks, reduces water consumption and lowers carbon footprint.

We held this reverse pitch at the RSA House in London, inviting eight UK innovators to present how they could support the Japanese giant’s growth in the area of water sustainability. It was part of the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, the UK-government funded initiative that helps high-growth technology companies to explore and secure commercial opportunities in the APAC region.

You can catch a full recap of the pitch event below:

Alongside Watergate, seven other innovative companies competed. They were:

• Wizso – maker of proprietary tablets which de-odorise and mask waste, allowing users to flush the toilet less often and conserve water
• Kelda – developer of high-velocity air streams which atomise water into large droplets and create high efficiency showers
• Cascade – domestic micro-greywater reuse technology developer, which reduces water consumption
• Boss Cabins – manufacturer of zero-emission and zero-fuel consumption toilet units for worksites
• FootfallCam – specialist in people counting systems, including a privacy-inclusive bathroom cleaning management system
• Nanogentech – ultra-fine bubble technology innovator for water oxygenation, enhancing aerobic biodegradation of wastewater pollutants
• Showerkap – developer of an AI-driven platform and smart box system which enables businesses to monitor and manage water in detail

Ryoji Nakamura, General Manager of Digital Innovation Division at TOTO, said:

“TOTO's open innovation team is always keen to collaborate with international startups on new value-creating initiatives, and sustainability is high on our priority list. The pitch event organised by the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme was, therefore, a great fit.

Each participating startup offered a unique approach to solving some of the key issues, and we not only learned a great deal but also identified promising business ideas. We look forward to exploring future collaborations with the participating companies – in particular with Watergate, whom we crowned winner of this contest, addressing the undeniably important water leakage problem.”

Krystian Zajac, CEO and Founder of Watergate, said:

"We’re thrilled TOTO selected Watergate as the winner of their pitch competition. The event was incredibly well organised by Intralink, full of positive energy and insights around APAC expansion. TOTO shares our passion for engineering smart solutions to save water and protect our limited water resources. It already has some outstanding sustainability initiatives and we’re looking forward to exploring how we can partner to make these even more effective."

The UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, which we deliver on behalf of the UK Government, helps high-growth technology companies explore and expand into the APAC region. Participating companies benefit from market entry guidance, business development support and connections to potential partners and customers. The programme covers 11 markets including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia.

We have a number of upcoming pitch events – so if you think your company has what it takes to impress some of APAC’s largest corporations, make sure to get in touch!

For more information and to apply to join the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, click here.

You can also contact our Programme Manager, Tom Miller, at tom.miller@intralinkgroup.com.