What mWater does

mWater is a New York-based social enterprise (founded 2011) that operates a free, open-access data management platform for the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. Its core products are the mWater Surveyor mobile application (Android, iOS, and web, available in 28 languages with offline capability), the mWater Data Portal (web-based forms, maps, and dashboards), and the mWater Integrator (an AI-assisted data import/export tool launched February 2026). The platform is built on approximately 70% open-source code and is engineered for low-bandwidth environments, leveraging proprietary components such as minimongo (open-source MongoDB implementation for offline sync) and vector maps. As of Q1 2026, the platform serves 360,000+ registered users across 198 countries and territories, with 7,000+ organizations, 46M+ survey responses, and 6.7M+ mapped infrastructure sites covering an estimated 1.08 billion people.

mWater's revenue model is a freemium hybrid: the core platform is free with no per-user fees or data limits, while revenue is generated through (i) Custom App Configurations (USD 25,000 one-time), (ii) Light Blue customizable hub deployments (USD 50,000 one-time), (iii) paid training and technical support, and (iv) enterprise national MIS deployments for ministries and large NGOs, typically funded by USAID, UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank, and major foundations. The company operates through a dual structure — a non-profit arm and Solstice, a US-based for-profit small business qualified as a Woman-Owned Small Business — and has been entirely revenue-based since late 2013, with an 8-person team and no institutional venture backing. Key customers and partners include UNICEF, USAID, WaterAid, World Bank, WHO, World Vision, Water.org, CRS, LIXIL, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and national governments of Haiti, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, Angola, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.

Name

mWater

Legal name

mWater

Website

https://mwater.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

mWater operates a free, open-access data management platform for the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector, serving 360,000+ users across 198 countries. It monetizes via paid custom app configurations, customizable hubs, and enterprise national MIS deployments for governments and large NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

WASH Data Management Software

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Utility IoT (SCADA, Leak/Quality Monitoring) (EUADAPAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Self-Service & Customer Portals (web/mobile, e-bill, notifications, consumption dashboards) (EUANAIAI), Commercial & Customer-Side Loss Management (Service Lines, Premise Leaks, Customer Programs) (EUANAKAI)

Keywords

• WASH data management
• Water utility software
• Sanitation monitoring platform
• Mobile field data collection
• Water infrastructure mapping

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Freemium Platform Access: The core mWater platform is free for unlimited use to governments, NGOs, service providers, researchers, businesses, and community-based organizations. No per-user fees and no data limits for standard use. This free user base creates network effects and market penetration that attracts paying clients.
2. Custom App Configuration: One-time cost of USD 25,000 for organizations needing the mWater Surveyor app tailored with custom branding, feature controls, automations, preloading of site data, limitless full-resolution images, and routing of problem reports. Includes up to 5 configurations per organization and 3 days of personalized consulting.
3. Light Blue Customizable Hub: One-time cost of USD 50,000 for a fully customizable site framework as a fully customizable mWater hub. Includes own Light Blue website, permanent website management access, 5 days of advanced support and consultation, and permanent priority support. Often paired with custom app configurations.
4. MIS National/Program Monitoring: For ministries, regulators, and large programs running national or sector-wide monitoring information systems. mWater builds and supports dedicated MIS deployments with indicator definition, data collection workflows, dashboards, integrations with existing government systems, and ongoing training and technical support. This is the tier most national governments use as their official sector monitoring system.
5. Training and Technical Support: Paid training and technical support for teams adopting the platform. In many countries, mWater can connect organizations with local consultants already trained in mWater.
6. Data-Driven Program Implementation: Partnership on delivery of data-driven programs including project design, statements of work, terms of reference, and cost estimates. Funded by external funding sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

mWater provides a free, open-access mobile and web data management platform for the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector that enables governments, utilities, NGOs, and researchers to collect, analyze, visualize, and share infrastructure and service data. The platform combines the Surveyor mobile app (online/offline data collection in 28 languages), the Data Portal (forms, maps, dashboards, team management), and standardized indicators aligned with WHO/UNICEF JMP. Revenue is generated from paid enterprise offerings including Custom App Configuration (USD 25,000), Light Blue customizable hubs (USD 50,000), national/program MIS deployments, paid training, and technical support.

Product overview

mWater is a free, open-access data management platform for the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. The platform consists of a unified system combining the mWater Surveyor App (mobile data collection for Android, iOS, and web), the mWater Data Portal (web-based data management, forms, maps, and dashboards), and the mWater Integrator (AI-powered data import/export). Related products include Solstice (governance operating system for broader international development sectors), Light Blue (customizable website hub at USD 50,000), and Custom App Configurations (branded app deployments at USD 25,000). The platform supports Asset Systems for water infrastructure mapping, a Global Indicator Library with standardized WASH indicators, Workflows for utility automation, and Billing/Accounting tools for financial management. mWater serves governments, utilities, NGOs, and researchers across 198 countries with over 360,000 registered users.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• mWater Platform: Free data management platform for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector used by governments, utilities, NGOs, and researchers in 198 countries
• mWater Surveyor
• mWater Portal
• Solstice
• Solstice.World
• mWater Foundation
• Light Blue
• Horizon
• Global Indicator Library
• minimongo

Products and services

• mWater Platform Free, open-access data management platform for the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector that enables governments, utilities, NGOs, and researchers in 198 countries to collect, analyze, visualize, and share water and sanitation data through mobile and web tools.
• mWater Surveyor App Mobile application for Android, iOS, and web that enables data collection, infrastructure mapping, and water service management online or offline, available in 28 languages for governments, utilities, NGOs, and field enumerators.
• mWater Data Portal Web-based platform for managing data and teams, creating forms, maps, and dashboards, and sharing results with partners and the public, used alongside the Surveyor app.
• Solstice Operating system for governance in low-resource regions built by the mWater team, extending data-driven management beyond the WASH sector into health, education, agriculture, and other humanitarian topics. Operates under the for-profit Solstice entity, a US-based Woman-Owned Small Business.
• Light Blue Customizable mWater Hub Fully customizable website hub framework (USD 50,000 one-time cost) that lets organizations build tailored public and private pages for their mWater activities, including impact showcase pages and country program sections, with advanced support and consultation included.
• Custom App Configuration Tailored configuration of the mWater Surveyor app for organizations (USD 25,000 one-time cost) with custom branding, feature controls, automations, preloaded site data, unlimited full-resolution image storage, and routing of problem reports; includes up to 5 configurations and 3 days of personalized consulting.
• MIS for National/Program Monitoring Enterprise Management Information System (MIS) deployment for ministries, regulators, and large programs running national or sector-wide WASH monitoring, including indicator definition, data collection workflows, dashboards, integrations with existing government systems, and ongoing training and technical support on a multi-year contract basis.
• Horizon Free flood and rainfall awareness app available worldwide, providing river-flood risk and incoming heavy rain information including areas where weather radar does not reach, for the general public in the context of El Niño conditions.
• mWater Training Center Online learning platform providing mWater App and Portal training modules with certificates on completion, supporting paid training engagements and connecting organizations with local consultants trained in the platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 billion people estimated to be served by mapped water and sanitation infrastructure on the platform
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers29 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature14 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Water MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Water Mission, a Christian engineering nonprofit, partnered with mWater to expand the use of mWater's unified platform for remote monitoring and WASH program management. The collaboration integrates Water Mission's decade of experience in remotely monitoring water treatment systems with mWater's enhanced capabilities in mapping, data visualization, and software integration for scalable, data-driven management. The partnership supports Water Mission's global programs and benefits the broader WASH sector.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF partners with mWater for monitoring systems in Angola and Madagascar, and for the UNICEF/LIXIL Partnership monitoring system for market-based sanitation in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. The partnership uses innovative youth citizen reporter approach for real-time data on sanitation programs.
• USAIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAID partners with mWater for multiple projects including the Haiti Water and Sanitation Project (digital platform for all urban utilities), STAWI program in 19 counties of Kenya, and IUWASH PLUS in Indonesia. USAID funding supported development of the Water System Management Standard.
• WaterAidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterAid is a major partner supporting development of analysis and visualization tools and countless other improvements across the platform. They conduct national WASH monitoring across multiple countries using mWater and use customized Surveyor app configurations.
• World Vision InternationalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorld Vision International uses mWater extensively, particularly for customized Surveyor app configurations. They use the platform for field operations to focus on attributes critical to their success, track assets, and address issues in a timely manner.
• Water.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater.org was an early partner that doubled down on USAID's investment, allowing mWater to build a web portal to design forms and manage data. They consolidated global monitoring and evaluation activities onto the mWater platform and continue to use their investment daily.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Bank works with mWater on projects including dam mapping in Zimbabwe in collaboration with the government. The World Bank supports investment in WASH infrastructure based on data from the mWater platform.
• WHOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO collaborated with mWater on the Water and Sanitation for Health Facility Improvement Tool (WASH FIT), building a stand-alone interface for health facilities to measure indicators integrating health and safe water.
• LIXILcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIXIL partnered with UNICEF and mWater for the Sanitation Market Shaping Partnership, combining UNICEF's sanitation promotion with LIXIL's SATO products. mWater monitors uptake of SATO toilet and handwashing products at household level through youth citizen reporters.
• Water for PeopleminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWater for People implements WASH programs using the mWater platform for data-driven management and monitoring.
• charity: waterminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partnercharity: water implements WASH programs using the mWater platform for field data collection and monitoring.
• The Water ProjectminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe Water Project uses mWater for WASH program implementation in Uganda, with staff trained on mobile infrastructure surveys using the Surveyor app.
• Safe Water NetworkminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSafe Water Network implements WASH programs using the mWater platform for data collection and analysis.
• MedairminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMedair extensively uses customized mWater Surveyor app configurations for field operations in humanitarian settings.
• IRC WASHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIRC WASH partners through the RapidWASH initiative for WASH monitoring and data management.
• Dig Deep / Dig Deep AfricaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDig Deep implements WASH programs using mWater for data-driven management.
• BASEflow MalawiminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBASEflow Malawi used mWater's existing database of 120,000 water points to coordinate Cyclone Idai flood response, rehabilitating 364 boreholes. Awarded MINIMAX Award for this innovative use.
• CRS (Catholic Relief Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRS partners on the Azure digital water service provider platform, providing reliable data systems for small water service providers to attract finance and investment. Public-private partnership for water service provider support.
• Water4minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater4 is a public-private partnership partner for water service provider support. Uses custom mWater app configurations to focus field operations on critical attributes.
• Aqua Clara KenyaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAqua Clara Kenya leverages mWater's digital platform for WASH solutions in East Africa, centralizing over 9,104 clients' data to simplify data management, track customer trends, and improve service delivery.
• Project MajiminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject Maji, a safe water enterprise, uses mWater's data collection and analysis features for data-driven WASH service management.
• Save the Children International South SudanminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSave the Children South Sudan secured funding from LIFTLAB for innovation to pilot Real-time Monitoring System of WASH facilities using mWater platform.
• Government of AngolacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAngola deployed mWater for national cholera MIS (Management Information System), supporting government-led data collection and monitoring.
• Government of Papua New GuineacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPapua New Guinea deployed the first national WASH monitoring system using mWater, through a six-phase approach developed with mWater support.
• Government of UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUganda's Ministry of Water and Environment uses mWater for RUMIS (Rural and Urban Management Information System), providing real-time data and analytics for tracking water service levels across districts.
• Government of HaiticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaiti's DINEPA uses mWater for all urban water utilities, transforming from primarily NGO efforts to government-led activity and utility level management. mWater helped converge all NGO efforts under government-led activity.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SurveyCTO: SurveyCTO is a direct peer offering mobile data collection, server hosting, and survey management tools targeted at development research and M&E programs. Both serve academic researchers, NGOs, and program implementers with similar encrypted mobile-to-server workflows.
• Dimagi / CommCare: Dimagi's CommCare is a direct peer providing offline-capable mobile data collection and case management for frontline workers in development sectors including WASH, health, and humanitarian response. Both target governments and large NGOs with similar enterprise deployment and survey logic capabilities.
• Akvo Foundation: Akvo is a direct peer that provides digital data collection and monitoring tools for international development programs, including WASH. Both organizations offer mobile + web survey/data platforms to NGOs and governments, with a similar freemium/open-source ethos targeting low-resource contexts.
• Kobo Toolbox: Kobo Toolbox is a direct competitor providing free open-source mobile data collection (KoboCollect) widely used by humanitarian and development organizations including WASH programs. Both platforms compete for the same NGO, government, and research users with offline-capable mobile form building.
• Ona Data: Ona is a direct peer providing open-source data collection platforms (Ona Data, OpenSRP) for health, agriculture, and development programs in low-resource settings. Both compete for the same institutional customers (UNICEF, WHO, NGOs) with similar mobile + cloud architectures.

Broad incumbents

• Esri ArcGIS: Esri's ArcGIS platform is a broad incumbent in spatial analysis and asset mapping used by water utilities and governments globally. While ArcGIS offers deeper GIS functionality, mWater competes by providing a freemium, WASH-specific bundled alternative for asset mapping and infrastructure tracking.
• Salesforce / Tableau / Microsoft Power Platform: Major enterprise platforms (Salesforce, Tableau, Microsoft Power BI/Power Apps) compete at the upper end for utility data management and dashboards. mWater positions itself as the integrated, free alternative that combines survey, GIS, dashboard, CRM and billing functions in a single vertical stack.

Others

• WaterAid: WaterAid is both a major mWater partner and a sectoral anchor. While not a software competitor, WaterAid's scale and use of the mWater platform for national WASH monitoring makes it a key reference customer and ecosystem participant shaping the WASH data ecosystem.
• UNICEF (WASH Program): UNICEF is a key mWater partner and donor, but also runs competing internal data platforms (e.g., mTrac variants, RapidPro-based MIS deployments) for WASH monitoring in many of the same countries. Its procurement decisions directly determine mWater's national-level opportunity flow.

Emerging players

• SweetSense Inc. SweetSense is an emerging player providing remote sensor-based water infrastructure monitoring that integrates with utility data systems. Overlap with mWater in continuous water point monitoring, but SweetSense is hardware-driven whereas mWater is software/data-first.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mWaterCo
• GitHubgithub.com/mwater/minimongo
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcT8eNWh19_ST8CA-3x9iVw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/mWaterCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mwater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about mWater