Acres of Ice

What Acres of Ice does

Acres of Ice (legal entity Aquamassifs Private Limited) is a Leh, Ladakh-headquartered climate adaptation technology company founded in March 2023 by glaciologist Dr. Suryanarayanan B. and micro-irrigation specialist Basit Afzal. The company designs ice harvesting and precision irrigation solutions for high-altitude mountain catchments, addressing the seasonal mismatch between winter water surplus and spring/summer agricultural scarcity in regions facing accelerating glacial retreat. Its two core products are the Automated Ice Reservoir (AIR), which captures winter stream flow and stores it as monitored ice structures that melt gradually through the growing season, and the Automated Irrigation System (AIS), which delivers that meltwater via sensor-driven, solar-powered valve control with wireless connectivity over a 2km mesh network.

The technology stack combines IoT environmental and soil sensors, custom Valve Node PCBs, 3D-printed freeze-resistant fountain nozzles, a multi-variable automation algorithm, cloud-based monitoring dashboards, and optional camera/drone modules for volumetric analysis. The company claims 60-70% water savings and 70-80% labor reduction versus flood irrigation, with installed AIR sites storing between 1.8 and 4.6 million litres each and aggregate capacity reaching 25 million litres across 12 villages in the 2025-26 season. Complementary offerings include Smart Micro-Irrigation kits, Micro-Irrigation Automation Drip Kits, Desert Restoration land development services, installation services, subscription maintenance and monitoring, training programs, and academic research partnerships.

Revenue mechanics combine one-time hardware installation fees, recurring maintenance and monitoring subscriptions, training and capacity building workshops, and grant-funded research collaborations. Distribution is non-commercial: systems are deployed through partnerships with government bodies (UT Ladakh, LADHC, Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Department of Science & Technology Sikkim), financial sponsors (NABARD, Mercy Corps Ventures, Milkywire, Klarna, ADB, Alsisar Impact), academic institutions (University of Ladakh, King's College London, University of Fribourg), and direct village-level engagement with Water Management Committees. Customer mix spans small agricultural communities (5 to 360 households at 3,300-4,500m altitude), one institutional research buyer, and government departments, with 1,000+ direct beneficiaries across seven communities in 2024-25.

Name

Acres of Ice

Legal name

Aquamassifs Private Limited

Website

https://acresofice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Acres of Ice builds automated ice reservoir and precision irrigation systems that convert winter water surplus into summer meltwater for high-altitude agricultural communities in the Himalayas, serving villages, government departments, and research institutions through grant-funded deployments and service subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Management Infrastructure

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Scheduling & Water Optimization Analytics (AFABAMAG), Sprinkler & Center-Pivot/Lateral-Move Systems (AFAAACAB)

Keywords

• Ice reservoir systems
• Precision irrigation technology
• Seasonal water storage
• Mountain water management
• Climate adaptation infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Leh

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. System Installation and Hardware Sales: One-time installation of Automated Ice Reservoirs (AIR) and Smart Micro-Irrigation systems including structural hardware kits, sensors, valves, fountain systems, control modules, and dashboard access. Pricing varies by system complexity and site requirements.
2. Maintenance and Monitoring Subscriptions: Subscription-based support services including performance tracking, periodic inspections, and ongoing technical support. Ensures long-term system operability and performance optimization.
3. Training and Capacity Building: Workshops for community members, technicians, and institutional partners covering installation, operation, maintenance, and water management committee development.
4. Research Partnerships: Joint studies, pilot programs, and co-authored research with academic institutions and research bodies. May include funding support from partner organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Acres of Ice designs, manufactures, installs, and services automated ice reservoir and precision irrigation systems for high-altitude agricultural communities. The Automated Ice Reservoir (AIR) captures winter water via solar-powered 3D-printed fountains, freezes it into monitored ice structures, and releases meltwater during spring and summer; the Automated Irrigation System (AIS) delivers that water to crops via sensor-driven valve control. Deployments are bundled with installation, training, and recurring maintenance subscriptions.

Product overview

Acres of Ice operates as a climate adaptation technology company offering two integrated core products: the Automated Ice Reservoir (AIR) system for seasonal water storage and the Automated Irrigation System (AIS) for precision water delivery. The AIR captures winter runoff and stores it as ice for gradual spring release, while AIS optimizes field-level irrigation through sensor-driven automation. These systems are complemented by Smart Micro-Irrigation modules, Micro-Irrigation Automation Kits (Drip Kits), and service offerings including installation, maintenance, training, and research partnerships. The portfolio is designed as deployable kits that can operate independently or with full installation and monitoring support, enabling scalable water management solutions for high-altitude communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automated Ice Reservoir (AIR) An automated ice-storage system for high-altitude regions that captures winter water flow via gravity-fed hanging fountain pipelines, regulates freezing behavior through intelligent valve control and 3D-printed freeze-resistant fountains, and releases meltwater gradually during spring and early summer for agricultural use. Includes wireless valve control with 2km range, solar-powered operation, and a real-time monitoring dashboard. Targeted at mountain agricultural communities, government programs, and development partners in cold-arid regions.
• Automated Irrigation System (AIS) A sensor-driven precision irrigation system combining a weather station, soil moisture sensors, FlowNet pump and valve controllers, and a mobile dashboard for remote monitoring. Makes irrigation decisions every minute using sensor intelligence, with optional manual override via the mobile app. For mountain agricultural communities, research institutions, and desert land development projects.
• Smart Micro-Irrigation Drip irrigation combined with low-tech automation designed for frozen pipelines, rugged terrain, and sparse water sources. Supports high-value, water-efficient crops while increasing yields and reducing labor through intelligent automation. Targeted at smallholder farmers in cold-arid mountain regions.
• Micro-Irrigation Automation Kit (Drip Kit) Retrofit kit that transforms conventional drip systems into intelligent, self-managing irrigation networks using automated valve controllers, soil moisture sensors, and solar-powered operation with wireless connectivity and automated scheduling. Includes installation and training support. For individual farmers and smallholder communities.
• Installation Services End-to-end site assessment, logistics, installation, and handover services for AIR and AIS systems, delivered through structured processes prioritizing long-term operability and local ownership. For villages, research institutions, and institutional buyers.
• Maintenance & Monitoring Subscription Annual subscription-based support with performance tracking and periodic inspections to ensure system reliability and optimal performance across seasons. Includes remote monitoring via the dashboard and on-site operator support. For village Water Management Committees and institutional buyers.
• Training & Capacity Building Workshops for community members, technicians, and institutional partners covering AIR and AIS operation, maintenance protocols, and data monitoring for sustainable local capacity building. Pricing varies by program scope; delivered on a multi-year contract basis.
• Agricultural Land Development Land transformation services including soil rehabilitation, strategic land grading, drainage systems, precision irrigation infrastructure installation, and water source development. Combines soil analysis, erosion control, field layout optimization, and AMIS technology integration, scaled from 10-hectare pilots to 200+ hectare commercial operations. For private landowners and government bodies.
• Research Partnerships Joint studies, pilot programs, and co-authored research initiatives with academic institutions and research bodies (e.g., University of Ladakh, King's College London, University of Fribourg) to advance climate adaptation and water security knowledge, including funding support from partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18.4 million litres of ice stored across 7 villages in 2024-25 season
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Irrigation & Flood Control Department, LehcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGovernment department providing technical collaboration and support for water management projects in Ladakh. Involved in site selection, technical feasibility, and integration with regional water infrastructure planning.
• GIZsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman International Cooperation agency supporting drone survey and monitoring capabilities. Provides technical guidance on monitoring methodologies and international development best practices.
• University of LadakhcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration and field testing partnership. University hosts institutional AIS deployment achieving significant water savings. Long-standing backbone of agricultural research in Ladakh and cold arid Himalayan regions.
• King's College LondonsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership exploring Elemental Adaptation project on water and energy security from artificial ice reservoirs. Joint research on drone-based volumetric surveys and climate adaptation methodologies.
• University of FribourgsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical guidance and knowledge exchange through Dr. Suryanarayanan's PhD research. Contributed to weather-based physical models for predicting ice reservoir volumes.
• Glaciers AlivesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss organization providing technical support and networking at European Geosciences Union assemblies. Facilitated EGU General Assembly attendance and glaciology research connections.
• ALSiSAR IMPACTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMumbai-based impact organization supporting climate adaptation initiatives in mountain regions.
• Live to LoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York-based organization working on sustainable development in mountain communities.
• Yolk StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerBangalore-based design studio supporting website redesign and brand development.
• Cover ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss organization contributing to research and technical guidance on ice reservoir systems.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Tule Technologies: California-based precision irrigation company combining field sensing and analytics to reduce water use. Closely comparable to Acres of Ice's AIS analytics architecture and farm-level sensor deployment model.
• SupPlant: Israeli AI-driven precision irrigation company using soil-sensor data and weather models to optimize water delivery. Comparable in technology stack to Acres of Ice's AIS, especially for water-stressed smallholder contexts.
• Saturas: Israeli sensor-based precision irrigation company using stem-water-potential sensors. Comparable to Acres of Ice's precision sensing layer, focused on advanced irrigation decision-making for high-value crops.
• SOURCE Global: Climate-adaptation company producing drinking water from atmospheric humidity using solar hydropanels. Comparable as a climate-adaptation / decentralized water-supply technology player with similar impact-investor and climate-finance backing.
• CropX: Israeli ag-tech company offering soil-sensor-driven precision irrigation analytics. Directly comparable to Acres of Ice's AIS sensor network and optimization layer, though CropX focuses on mainstream farmland rather than high-altitude water harvesting.

Direct peers

• N-Drip: Israeli precision micro-irrigation company offering gravity-powered drip systems for smallholder and off-grid farmers. Comparable to Acres of Ice's Smart Micro-Irrigation and Drip Kit offerings targeting low-infrastructure, water-scarce environments.
• Ice Stupa Project (Sonam Wangchuk / Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh): Founded by Sonam Wangchuk, the Ice Stupa Project pioneered artificial glaciers / ice reservoirs in Ladakh. Acres of Ice's CTO apprenticed on this project, making it the direct lineage peer and the most comparable prior-art approach — though Acres of Ice differentiates through full automation versus manual ice stupas.

Broad incumbents

• Rivulis (formerly NaanDanJain / Jain Irrigation International): Global micro-irrigation and drip solutions provider serving smallholders and large-scale agriculture. Comparable broad incumbent in the underlying irrigation hardware category that Acres of Ice's AIS is built upon.
• Jain Irrigation Systems: Large Indian irrigation and agriculture technology company with a broad micro-irrigation, drip, and piping portfolio. A potential local incumbent partner or competitor for the AIS/drip component, though it does not address ice-based seasonal storage.
• Valmont Industries: US-based global manufacturer of mechanized irrigation (center pivots) and infrastructure for water-scarce agriculture. Comparable as a large-scale irrigation equipment incumbent, though focused on different geographies and farm scales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AcresofIce
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@acresofice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acres-of-ice
• Instagraminstagram.com/acresofice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Acres of Ice