Meet 4 Indian Startups Using AI to Clean Rivers & Water Bodies
Jul 21, 2026, 04:00 PM
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India's water bodies face pollution, sewage, and plastic waste every day. These four startups are using AI and robotics to make cleaning safer, faster, and more effective.
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Unscene Innovation
Founded in 2022 by Cephas Joseph, Ritika Sadana, Ben George and Dr Glen Bennett Hermon, Unscene Innovation is tackling water pollution with autonomous robotics.
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Its flagship autonomous watercraft, Amit, uses AI, robotics and advanced sensors to locate, collect and remove floating plastic waste from rivers, lakes and other water bodies.
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Amit operates in both still and flowing water without a crew. It identifies floating waste, collects it autonomously, and returns to base, making water clean-up safer and more efficient.
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2. Clearbot
Founded by Sidhant Gupta and Matteo Masina, Clearbot develops AI-powered autonomous boats that collect floating waste from rivers and lakes.
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Its electric boats use computer vision to identify plastic bottles, bags, and other trash, then collect it without disturbing aquatic ecosystems.
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The boats send real-time data on waste collected, helping governments and organisations monitor pollution while reducing manual clean-up efforts.
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3. Solinas integrity
Founded in 2018, Solinas is an IIT Madras-incubated deep-tech startup using AI and robotics to transform water and sanitation management.
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Its HomoSEP robots clean septic tanks and manholes without human entry, replacing hazardous manual scavenging with safer robotic operations.
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Its EndoBot inspects underground pipelines for leaks and cracks, while Swasth AI maps underground assets for predictive maintenance and faster repairs.
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Today, Solinas works across 30+ cities in 15 states, helping municipalities improve sanitation, prevent groundwater contamination and modernise water systems.
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4. Fluid Robotics
Founded by Abhinav Ramesh, Fluid Robotics develops robots that inspect and clean water infrastructure without putting workers in dangerous conditions.
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Its robots enter pipelines, tanks and confined spaces to inspect damage, remove blockages and collect real-time data where humans struggle to operate safely.
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By reducing manual intervention and improving inspections, Fluid Robotics helps utilities maintain water infrastructure while enhancing worker safety and efficiency.
Photo Credit : NVIDIA Blog
Source: The Better India
