Kumulus Water, a Tunisia-based WaterTech startup that turns air into clean drinking water, has raised $3.5 million in seed funding to expand its operations and scale its atmospheric water generation technology, a company statement showed on Tuesday.
Funding details
The round was backed by Bpifrance (via France 2030 SGPI and the Île-de-France Region), regional VCs including PlusVC, Khalys Venture, and Flat6Labs, as well as family offices from Europe and North Africa, prominent startup founders, and Spadel — one of Europe’s leading bottled water companies.
The new funding will be used to accelerate the development of Kumulus Boks, a new high-capacity line of atmospheric water generators (AWGs) designed for industrial and community-scale use. The company will also strengthen its presence in France, Spain, and Tunisia, while supporting expansion into Saudi Arabia, a key market where sustainable water solutions are urgently needed.
“What convinced us is Kumulus’ ability to produce water locally — without packaging or transportation, offering a truly sustainable alternative,” said Clément Yvorra, Global Business Development Manager at Spadel, in a statement.
Kumulus Water designs and manufactures atmospheric water generators (AWGs) that capture humidity from the air to produce clean, safe drinking water. Built to operate off-grid, the units require no existing water or electricity infrastructure, making them ideal for remote or underserved areas.
According to the statement, Kumulus machines are already deployed in schools, hotels, and communities across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, offering a sustainable solution as global water scarcity intensifies. By providing a scalable, eco-friendly alternative to bottled water and centralized systems, the technology helps reduce plastic waste and expand water access in even the most climate-challenged regions.
A spark in the desert
The idea for Kumulus Water was born during a trip to the Tunisian desert, where co-founder Iheb Triki noticed dew forming on his car and tent in the early morning. This simple observation sparked a transformative question: could atmospheric condensation be harnessed to create safe drinking water?
Motivated by this insight, Triki teamed up with co-founder Mohamed Ali Abid to launch Kumulus Water in September 2021. With less than $20,000 of personal savings, they bootstrapped the startup—setting up headquarters in France and establishing their first affiliate in Tunisia.
Early backing from accelerator programs helped them build momentum, leading to a $1 million pre-seed round composed of both dilutive and non-dilutive funding. By 2023, they closed a seed round, bringing their total funding to around $4 million across both rounds.
Big numbers
In 2023, Kumulus produced 260,000 liters of water, reduced 8,000 kg of CO₂ emissions, and eliminated 5,000 kg of plastic waste, according to the statement.
About Kumulus Water
Kumulus Water is a Paris-based climate-tech startup building atmospheric water generators (AWGs) that transform air into safe, clean drinking water. Designed to operate off-grid and without infrastructure, Kumulus machines are already serving schools, hotels, and communities across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.For press inquiries or partnership opportunities, please contact:
contact@kumuluswater.com
www.kumuluswater.com
Source: Forbes Middle East
