In 2009, Tampa, Fla., experienced the worst drought in its history, causing
quite a stir in the city's water department. From January to March,
water enforcement officials had issued six citations a day for improper
water usage. The situation became so dire that the city issued a ban on
sprinkler systems, until the drought was under control.
King of Prussia sprinkler firm
UgMo Technologies is helping Florida
business and home owners protect against drought without throwing the
baby out with the lawn water. They created
ProHome, a wireless soil
sensor that detects when soil has been adequately saturated and
automatically shuts the water off, saving customers an average of 53
percent on water bills. Along with Florida, the company has sales teams
in drought-plagued areas in Texas, California, Florida and Georgia. This
week,
Ben Franklin Technology Partners announced $500,000 in investment
to help UgMo expand ProHome to larger, more commercial projects across
the country.
"This is a true green product that allows you to cut down on your water
usage and provides real savings," says UgMo CFO Joe Cahill. "That is
something you don't see much in the green tech market."
After launching in 2004, UgMo began developing
ProTurf, a version of
ProHome marketed to sports facilities and golf courses. After releasing
ProTurf in 2009, UgMo was well along developing its second product,
ProHome. The Ben Franklin investment will help UgMo launch a new
commercial version of its technology. The company looks to expand
drastically in the next year, hiring in every department and expanding
into home and commercial markets.
"The next generation of UgMo will address larger irrigation systems;
everything from office parks to municipalities and strip malls," says
Cahill. "As we spend the next year developing this product, the
investment will help us continue our growth."
Source: Joe Cahill, UgMo Technologies
Writer: John Steele