SoilDrops

What SoilDrops does

SoilDrops (legal entity: Waterworks Inc., a Delaware corporation) is a US-based direct-to-consumer smart irrigation company founded in 2023 and headquartered in the greater Los Angeles area (Temple City, California). The company develops an AI-powered ecosystem built around an 8-zone Wi-Fi sprinkler controller paired with wireless soil moisture sensors that measure volumetric water content at 6-inch root depth with ±3% accuracy. The controller's AI scheduling engine waters based on real-time ground-truth sensor readings and local weather data rather than zip-code forecasts, and the system includes smart leak detection, a Plant Database for species-specific care, and a generative-AI conversational agent called CultivAI.

The product portfolio is organized into two lines: (1) a Controller/Starter Kit line for in-ground irrigation systems — the $99.99 8-zone Controller and $129.99–$299 Starter Kit bundles with 1–8 wireless sensors; and (2) a Hose Timer line of programmable and Wi-Fi-connected timers ($26.99–$66.99) for hose-end and garden applications. Accessories include the $29.99 FLM-001 Water Flow Meter and $5 replacement batteries. Core software features (manual control, basic AI scheduling, live moisture readings, CultivAI) are free for life; an optional Autopilot subscription provides fully automated hands-off watering. The company is privately held, founder-led, appears bootstrapped with only a single small ($540K, Jan 2026) funding event on record, and serves customers exclusively through its Shopify-powered DTC storefront and iOS/Android apps.

The target customer is the residential homeowner with an existing standard 24VAC irrigation system; secondary segments include small farm operators in water-scarce regions (Arizona, California, Texas) and hobbyist gardeners. The company reports 10,000+ homeowners served, 5,373 reviews averaging 4.6–4.8 stars, active installations across 12 major US metros plus Alaska and Hawaii, and cumulative water savings of 7.4M+ gallons. Distribution is entirely domestic via DTC e-commerce, and the company maintains a 1%-of-profits social-impact partnership with water.org.

Name

SoilDrops

Legal name

Waterworks Inc.

Website

https://soildrops.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SoilDrops (Waterworks Inc.) is a US direct-to-consumer smart irrigation company founded in 2023 that sells AI-powered 8-zone Wi-Fi sprinkler controllers and wireless soil moisture sensors to residential homeowners, small farmers, and gardeners for precision watering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smart Irrigation Systems

NAICS

Lawn and Garden Tractor and Home Lawn and Garden Equipment Manufacturing (333112)

SIC

Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822), Lawn & Garden Tractors & Home Lawn & Gardens Equip (3524)

akta.pro primary industry

Controller/Timer & Smart Irrigation Setup (Wi‑Fi, Sensors) (HSAIAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Control & Automation (Controllers, Valves, Sensors, IoT) (AFAAACAF), Smart Irrigation & Outdoor Automation Integration (HSAHADAH), Irrigation Monitoring & Sensors (Flow/Pressure Meters, Soil Moisture, Water Quality Sensors) (AFABAHAJ)

Keywords

• Smart irrigation systems
• Soil moisture sensors
• Wi-Fi sprinkler controllers
• Programmable hose timers
• Residential water management

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales: One-time hardware sales of smart irrigation controllers, wireless soil moisture sensors, hose timers, and accessories. Products include 8-zone Wi-Fi controllers ($99.99), Starter Kits with sensors ($129.99-$299), standalone sensors ($35), hose timers ($26.99-$66.99), and replacement batteries ($5).
2. Premium Software Features: Optional subscription features including Autopilot hands-off automation mode managed through App Store or Google Play. Core features (manual control, schedules, live soil data, CultivAI) are free for life.
3. Water Conservation Savings: Company benefits from water savings achieved by customers (up to 30% reduction in water bills), with claimed savings of $88K+ on customer water bills and 7.4M+ gallons saved collectively.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SoilDrops sells AI-powered smart irrigation hardware — an 8-zone Wi-Fi sprinkler controller, wireless soil moisture sensors, and a family of programmable hose timers — paired with a mobile app and CultivAI assistant. The system automates watering based on real-time volumetric soil moisture data and local weather rather than zip-code forecasts. Hardware is sold direct-to-consumer, with optional premium Autopilot automation delivered as a subscription.

Product overview

SoilDrops offers a modular smart irrigation ecosystem organized around an 8-zone WiFi Smart Sprinkler Controller as the central platform. The portfolio splits into two product lines: (1) the Controller/ Starter Kit line — the 8-zone Controller and Starter Kit (Controller + sensors bundle) for in-ground irrigation systems, paired with wireless Smart Soil Moisture Sensors; and (2) the Hose Timer line — a family of programmable timers including the Single Outlet (MHT-001), Dual Outlet, 2-Zone WiFi, and 3-Zone WiFi models for garden/hose-end setups. Accessories include the FLM-001 Water Flow Meter and Panasonic CR2477 replacement batteries. The system is augmented by a Plant Database, CultivAI conversational AI agent, and optional premium Autopilot Mode for fully automated hands-off watering. Core software features (app control, basic AI scheduling, CultivAI, leak detection) are free; advanced Autopilot automation is a paid subscription.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wireless Soil Moisture Sensor A wireless soil moisture sensor that measures real-time volumetric water content (±3% VWC accuracy) at 6-inch root depth and transmits data to the SoilDrops Controller for AI-driven irrigation decisions. Features 1–2 year battery life (CR2477 coin cell), IPX waterproof rating, and mower-safe above-ground profile. Sold as an add-on or bundled with the Starter Kit.
• 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller (Wi-Fi, AI Scheduling) An 8-zone Wi-Fi irrigation controller that replaces existing 24V AC solenoid valve timers. Features AI-powered scheduling with optional Autopilot Mode, app control (iOS/Android), live weather integration, wireless soil moisture sensor pairing, smart leak detection, and one-zone-per-day watering design. Compatible with standard residential irrigation systems.
• Smart Irrigation Starter Kit (Controller + Sensors Bundle) A bundled offering combining the 8-zone Wi-Fi Smart Sprinkler Controller with 1–8 wireless soil moisture sensors, providing real-time root-zone moisture monitoring and AI-driven precision watering from day one. Supports up to 8 zones. Marketed as the fastest path to AI watering with up to 30% water bill savings guaranteed.
• Single Outlet Hose Timer (MHT-001) A programmable single-outlet hose timer with LCD display, three intelligent watering modes (AUTO, MANUAL, RAIN DELAY), flexible scheduling, patented self-cleaning pulse solenoid valve, IPX5 waterproof rating, and child lock — powered by 2× AAA batteries.
• Dual Outlet Hose Timer A dual-outlet (2-zone) programmable sprinkler timer with LCD display and rain delay, allowing two independent watering schedules from a single faucet — runs on 2× AAA batteries.
• 2-Zone Smart Wi-Fi Hose Timer with Hub (MHT-002) A Wi-Fi-connected sprinkler timer with 2 independent zones, Sub-GHz RF technology delivering up to 984 ft (300m) wireless range, app control via iOS/Android, weather delay, flexible scheduling modes, AES-128 encrypted OTA updates, and up to 8-month battery life.
• 3-Zone Smart Wi-Fi Hose Timer with Hub A Wi-Fi-connected sprinkler timer with 3 independent zones, Sub-GHz RF technology delivering up to 984 ft wireless range, app control via iOS/Android, weather delay, flexible scheduling modes, and AES-128 encrypted OTA updates.
• FLM-001 Water Flow Meter A water flow meter accessory that measures water usage with ±5% accuracy, enabling accurate tracking of water consumption across irrigation zones.
• Autopilot Premium Automation (Subscription) Optional subscription add-on that enables hands-off Autopilot Mode, generating and executing AI-driven watering schedules automatically from sensor data, weather forecasts, and zone configurations. Core features (manual control, schedules, live soil data, CultivAI) remain free for life; Autopilot is managed via the App Store or Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% water bill reduction (guaranteed)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• water.orgminorOthersSoilDrops donates 1% of profits to water.org to help deliver safe water worldwide. Every install adds to the impact pool — gallons saved domestically help fund water access in areas of true need.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationShopify powers the SoilDrops e-commerce store and platform services, enabling the direct-to-consumer sales model. Shopify processes payments, manages the storefront, and provides cloud infrastructure for the online shopping experience.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• Rachio: Rachio is the leading US smart sprinkler controller brand, offering Wi-Fi controllers with weather-based (ET) scheduling. SoilDrops explicitly positions against Rachio as the primary competitive frame, distinguishing its wireless soil-sensor ground-truth approach from Rachio's zip-code weather method.
• Yardian: Yardian is a smart irrigation controller with optional soil moisture sensor integration and AI-driven scheduling, sold direct to consumers in North America. Comparable as a smaller, sensor-aware smart-controller brand competing for the same prosummer homeowner segment.
• Netro: Netro makes the Sprite and Whirl smart controllers, which pair Wi-Fi scheduling with optional soil moisture sensors and weather-based AI in a similar price and use-case band as SoilDrops.
• RainMachine: RainMachine is an independent smart sprinkler controller brand (Touch HD, Mini) using weather-data scheduling with optional add-on soil sensors. Operates as a direct direct-to-consumer competitor to SoilDrops with similar price-band hardware.

Emerging players

• Wyze Labs: Wyze is a broad smart-home platform with a low-cost irrigation controller product line and a large direct-to-consumer audience. Adjacent/emerging competitor in the connected-yard category where SoilDrops plays.
• Aiper: Aiper is named alongside SoilDrops and Rain Bird in smart-irrigation market coverage; broader smart-yard brand. Comparable as a peer in cross-vendor smart-outdoor market analysis.
• Lono: Lono is a smart sprinkler controller brand targeting residential users with weather-based scheduling. Comparable as a smaller emerging competitor in the same Wi-Fi irrigation controller category, though without SoilDrops' proprietary wireless soil-sensor architecture.

Broad incumbents

• Rain Bird Corporation: Rain Bird is one of the largest irrigation equipment manufacturers globally, spanning residential, commercial, and agricultural sprinklers, controllers, valves, and sensors. It is cited by SoilDrops directly as a weather-based competitor and as one of three benchmarks in smart-irrigation market coverage.
• Hunter Industries: Hunter Industries is a global irrigation manufacturer (Hydrawise smart controllers, MP rotator nozzles, professional installer channel). Comparable as a smart irrigation controller competitor with strong pro-installer and commercial reach that SoilDrops lacks.
• Orbit Irrigation (B-hyve): Orbit / B-hyve is a broad irrigation incumbent selling hose timers, controllers, and the B-hyve smart Wi-Fi controller line that competes head-on with SoilDrops' core product. Same residential DIY channel and weather-based scheduling paradigm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61555388582519
• Instagraminstagram.com/soildrops
• TikToktiktok.com/@soildrops
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soildrops

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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 SoilDrops