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Conserving water, improving efficiency

HYDROPOINT DATA, PAX PRODUCTS SAVE CRITICAL RESOURCES

PETALUMA and NOVATO – Developing geothermal, wind and biodiesel energy sources are attracting big investment dollars, but what about ways to better use the resources we already have?

That’s what HydroPoint Data Systems and Pax Scientific Inc. have in common, that and their growth.

HydroPoint’s smart irrigation systems are in such demand by residents, businesses, schools and utility districts that the 76-employee company projects 50 percent to 100 percent growth during the next two years.

HydroPoint’s automated irrigation control systems pull down a constant stream of satellite weather data and coordinate it with local moisture readings to determine how much water to apply to plants and when.

“How often do you encounter a technology that lowers your costs immediately, requires no changes in behavior and is good for the environment as well? This is a rare confluence of positives,” said President and CEO Paul Ciandrini.

HydroPoint has raised about $30 million since it was founded in 2002. Another round will probably be sought in 2009, and after that an acquisition or IPO could be possibilities.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ciandrini wants to expand the Petaluma company’s markets.

“We are very, very good at what we do for our customers in North America. Now it’s time to expand our dominance and broaden the markets – including overseas markets – and the verticals we serve,” he said.

Pax Scientific in San Rafael looks at conservation from a different angle.

It was founded in 1997 by visionary Jay Harmon to improve industrial design by studying and adapting the efficiencies of nature.

Its first product was an impeller – the reverse of a propeller – designed to mimic a whirlpool, the path of least resistance for air and liquid movement. The device is currently used to mix drinking water during the purification process.

To commercialize other applications, Pax Scientific has spun off Pax IT for the development of computer cooling systems, Pax Water Technologies for wastewater management systems and PaxAuto for car cooling systems.

Most recently, green investment leader Vinod Khosla put $6 million behind a new spinoff: Pax Streamline. Reportedly another $6 million will be forthcoming as the startup meets certain milestones.

Telecom veteran and Turin Networks Chairman John Webley took the position of CEO in the new enterprise, which has its own quarters in Novato.

Pax Streamline will develop turbines, heating and air-conditioning systems and aerospace drag reduction technologies.

“We expect to be shipping product in two years,” said Mr. Webley. He compared investment in clean tech to early excitement over broadband technologies.

“The same investors we talked to about telecom are switching to clean tech. Companies in the space have huge valuations compared to telecom. But the market is so much bigger – into the trillions,” he said.

Pax Scientific anticipates growing its staff of 37 to 50 by the end of the year as projects require. Pax Streamline, now at 16 employees, expects to grow to 30 by 2009.