Rainmaker

Company profile

Founded in the Netherlands in 2015, Rainmaker is dedicated to solving one of the world’s most urgent issues: water scarcity. With 2.2 billion people lacking access to clean water, Rainmaker provides a sustainable, decentralized solution through its patented Air-to-Water and Water-to-Water systems. These systems transform air and non-potable water into safe drinking water, offering an economical, scalable, and eco-friendly resource where it’s most needed.

Rainmaker’s product portfolio includes high-capacity Air-to-Water systems that generate up to 5,000 liters of water per day from atmospheric humidity and Water-to-Water systems that desalinate or purify local water sources. Additionally, Rainmaker supports water distribution with water kiosks and semi-automatic bottling solutions, powered sustainably through solar and wind energy options. This makes Rainmaker’s technology ideal for remote, off-grid regions that face the highest levels of water scarcity.

Rainmaker operates primarily in regions around the equator, where water infrastructure is often limited. Backed by a team with deep expertise in renewable technology, the company has achieved rapid growth and is poised to reach €10 million in annual revenue by 2026. With an expanding portfolio and an established reputation, Rainmaker is a frontrunner in sustainable water technology, bringing clean water to those who need it most.

Company Info 

Products and services

Rainmaker offers a portfolio of innovative water production and distribution solutions designed for regions experiencing water scarcity. The company’s core offerings include:

1. Air-to-Water (AW) systems: These units extract humidity from the air and condense it into potable water. The AW-5000 model produces up to 5,000 liters daily, utilizing solar or wind energy. Ideal for humid climates, AW:s provide a reliable water source without infrastructure requirements, making them an effective, standalone solution for remote areas​
2. Water-to-Water (WW) systems: Rainmaker’s WW technology converts saline or non-potable water into drinking water, producing up to 30,000 liters per day. With a highly efficient thermal process, the WW systems are environmentally sustainable, producing minimal brine waste and using renewable energy to operate, making them perfect for small to medium-scale applications​.
3. Bottled Water: Rainmaker’s approach makes water ready accessible to residents through bottled water or dispensers. They have integrated a bottling system and plant into their technology modules, ensuring convenient access to high-quality drinking water (filling between 1,000 – 4,000 blow molded bottles per hour).
4. Water Kiosks/ATMs: Rainmaker’s water kiosk solution integrates technology modules to transform local tap water provision into a profitable business.
5. Water Recycling: Rainmaker efficiently uses heat to recycle wastewater into drinking water. This groundbreaking approach minimizes water consumption and reduces environmental impact.
6. Innovative Cooling: Rainmaker helps data centers achieve cooling using sustainable water resources. It enables customers to make their processes water-neutral or even produce drinking water.
7. Emergency Relief Solution: The flexibility and robustness of the Rainmaker unit make it excel in humanitarian aid and emergency relief, providing fresh water.
8. Removing PFAS and other contaminants from water: Using the Rainmaker Water-to-Water installation allows for the purification of the most polluted form of water to potable water. This enables freshwater production inlets, without traces of chemicals including PFAS, thus producing a higher standard of drinking water.

Business model

Rainmaker’s business model combines direct equipment sales, project development, and recurring revenue through innovative financing options. The company generates revenue by selling Air-to-Water and Water-to-Water systems to communities, institutions, and regions facing water scarcity. Additionally, Rainmaker offers operational leases and Water Purchase Agreements, allowing clients to pay based on water production rather than making upfront investments. This model caters to clients in both mature and emerging markets who prefer operational expenditure over capital investments.

The primary customer segments include local water distributors, NGOs, municipalities, and industries such as data centers and tourism in water-stressed regions. Rainmaker operates primarily in areas around the equator, including Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia, where access to clean water is limited. Key partnerships with local distributors and financing entities enhance Rainmaker’s market reach. Rainmaker systems are operated and serviced by local staff, providing not just clean water but also economic development for the local community.

Significant barriers to entry, such as proprietary technology, patents, and expertise in sustainable water production, give Rainmaker a strong competitive edge. Unlike traditional water solutions, Rainmaker’s decentralized, energy-efficient systems provide flexibility and cost advantages, allowing it to stand out in the clean water technology sector. This strategic positioning enables Rainmaker to grow its footprint in underserved, high-demand regions while ensuring recurring revenue through project financing and water-as-a-service models.

Market

Rainmaker operates in the sustainable water technology market, focusing on areas where water scarcity and limited or no infrastructure present significant challenges. With rising global demand for safe and affordable water, particularly in underserved regions, the market for innovative solutions like Rainmaker’s Air-to-Water and Water-to-Water systems is expanding rapidly. This growth is driven by increasing awareness of environmental issues, health concerns, and climate-related disruptions affecting traditional water sources.

Competitors in this market offer a range of water production solutions, including alternative atmospheric water generators and desalination technologies. However, these systems often rely on higher energy inputs or centralized infrastructure, limiting their feasibility for remote or off-grid areas. Unlike these alternatives,  Rainmaker can operate in areas with no or limited infrastructure. Rainmaker’s solutions are powered by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, providing clean water directly at the source with minimal environmental impact.

As global demand for clean water continues to grow, Rainmaker is positioned to capture a significant share of this high-demand market by offering a sustainable and accessible solution for communities facing severe water challenges.

Management

Distribution of company shares

Rainmaker’s main shareholders hold equal voting rights. Following the recent conversion of shareholder loans, the ownership structure is as follows:

Company structure

Rainmaker Holding B.V. is the parent entity, owning all subsidiaries and overseeing financial management. The structure includes:

• Rainmaker Holland B.V.: Manages product development, R&D, quality control, and certification.
• Rainmaker International B.V.: The EPC provider for international project development, delivering turnkey water solutions worldwide.
• Rainmaker Stichting (Foundation): An independent, non-profit entity enabling tax-free funding from NGOs to support non-commercial water projects, which include Rainmaker equipment and expertise.

Use of funds

Rainmaker seeks €2,000,000 in funding to scale its operations, enter new markets, and advance its technology. The funds will be allocated strategically as follows:

• Product Development (€100,000): To enhance Rainmaker’s technology, specifically in membrane filtration and creating smaller units for domestic use, which expands the product range and market reach.
• Marketing & Sales Expansion (€175,000): To drive brand visibility, grow customer engagement, and establish footholds in targeted new markets, accelerating revenue growth.
• Hiring & Talent Acquisition (€100,000): To strengthen Rainmaker’s team with specialized talent essential for scaling and supporting the company’s growth.
• Working Capital & Inventory (€1,125,000): Providing collateral for operational stability and inventory growth, ensuring production can meet demand across expanded markets.
• Manufacturing – Tooling / Scale Up (€500,000): Also used as collateral, this will increase production efficiency, allowing Rainmaker to meet larger-scale orders cost-effectively.

This allocation will facilitate Rainmaker’s growth, create value for investors by boosting market expansion, and improve production scalability, positioning Rainmaker as a leader in sustainable water technology.

Actual and planned figures

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Investment related documents

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Note:

In this update section you will find new, project-relevant information that we receive.

Invesdor does not conduct a separate review of information received after the start of the financing phase.

UPDATE on 19.12.2024: Webinar recording from 17.12.2024

Discover how Rainmaker Holland is revolutionizing water access through innovative and sustainable solutions. In this webinar, Rainmaker share their vision, mission, and opportunities behind the funding round—enabling individuals and organizations to create a global impact. 

UPDATE on 12.12.2024: Investor Q&A

1. Pricing policy and sustainability: In the past, there have been repeated examples of companies such as Nestlé providing water in poor regions, but at very high prices that have made it virtually impossible for the people living there to afford this water in the long term. How does Rainmaker ensure that the prices for the drinking water provided are actually affordable for the local population and do not become a further burden for these people. 

Rainmaker: Nestle is one of the larges providers of bottled water in the world, Nestle water branch focuses on premium brands for bottled water.  One of their big costs is marketing. Rainmaker focuses on local water production, with less need for expensive marketing campaigns which lead to moderate priced bottled water. Our water kiosks provide an affordable and sustainable solution for communities without existing water distribution systems. Importantly, no one is obligated to use our services, but we aim to be the most cost-effective and accessible option available.

For projects which lack a proper business case Rainmaker supplies the water kiosks, through Stichting Sweet Water Foundation which can help to provide project financing.

2. Long-term impact on the local economy: Could the introduction of water kiosks potentially negatively impact local water sources or traditional water distribution systems? To what extent does Rainmaker consider the impact on the local economy and existing water supply infrastructure?

Rainmaker: Rainmaker’s solutions are designed to complement and protect local resources, not to disrupt them. Utilizing the Rainmaker Solutions in fact helps to protect natural water sources, it provides an alternative for traditional local water sources. The Rainmaker projects with local water distribution create a social hub in the local communities. The projects are operated and managed locally which stimulates local economic development.  

3. Profitability and the common good: The project talks about turning the local water supply into a profitable business. How does Rainmaker ensure that the focus is on the common good and not just profit? How are the profits from the sale of the water reinvested in the local community to promote sustainable solutions for the region?

Rainmaker: For projects which lack a proper business case Rainmaker supplies the water kiosks, through Stichting Sweet Water Foundation which can help to provide project financing. Rainmaker donates 10% of its profit to the foundation to help fund these projects. The Sweet Water Foundation supports existing local communities to help them to become water independent.

4. These figures are presumably based on the assumption that analogues will be sold. Are there product descriptions? What are the costs for an installation? Are there ROIs for the plants, e.g. b. if it is assumed that the water produced will be used either as drinking water or for irrigation? Will the calculated target figures for 2024 be achieved? Is it already possible to make a well-founded statement today that the target figures for 2025 will be achieved and why?

Rainmaker: Yes; product descriptions are available, as well ROI and sales prices.  The main goal of the Rainmaker equipment is drinking water, using smart water saving technology also the water can be used for irrigation. Based on the current order intake the expected turnover will be larger as budgeted. 

5. Why the drop in turnover from 2023 to 2024? Can Rainmaker Holland give more info on the order book (LOIs twv 10 million)?

Rainmaker: Sales in 2023 were slightly higher than the conservative forecast for 2024. The current expectation is that it will not differ much. 

6. I am reading through the documentation on the Rainmaker investment and have a question about the business model. The owners talk about technology to make clean drinking water accessible to all. At the same time, they talk about a strong competitive position because they have protected the technology with several patent families. It would help me if the owners explain how this (in my view) contradiction is put into practice. For example, is there a different revenue model if the Rainmaker technology is to be deployed by NGO:s or for acute emergency relief?

Rainmaker: Rainmaker Uses Stichting Sweet Water Foundation to bring water where it is not economically viable, but for on humanitarian ground needed. Having the patented technology in place means the Rainmaker's IP is protected and cant be copied, which allows it supply better performing machines compared to its competitors.