June 28, 2017, by The Ingenuity Lab

Quensus: Tackling smart water meters

British Summer Time?!

What would British Summer Time be without a month’s worth of rainfall in 12 hours?

Last week’s heatwave now seems like a distant memory, and now we are greeted by the ever familiar prospect of water leakages and burst water mains.

However, these issues aren’t just confined to the Great British Armageddon-style Summer Showers. On average, 50,000 claims on commercial insurance are made each year due to escape of water – that’s one every 10 minutes. Not only does this hike up the cost of water bills for unsuspecting property owners and tenants, but also contributes to the growing water scarcity that we are experiencing globally.

Quensus is working to reverse this trend.

Smart water meters: Empowering customers, conserving water

Through smart water meters, Quensus monitors, diagnoses, and controls water supply effortlessly using the power of the internet.

The team are able to give valuable insight into your water usage to reduce bills, increase efficiency, and prevent costly damages due to leaks, without needing anybody onsite.

They empower customers to self-manage their water consumption behaviour through real-time dashboards, budgeting, and leak notifications. Their smart meters decrease waste, enable more efficient consumption, and help to conserve our most precious resource – water.

Founded by Dan Simmons, University of Nottingham Alumnus and the winner of the Ingenuity17 UNIP Prize, Quensus was first borne out of a desire to change his routine and a passion for developing ideas into tangible products.

“I was sick of the nine to five routine, and how most pay is based on time rather than deliverables. Now, as a full-time entrepreneur I work eight to seven and receive lower wages!” – Dan Simmons

Dan set up Quensus while he was still studying for his Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng and PhD (2016). Being part of The Ingenuity Lab gave him access to a support network that could guide him through the unfamiliar territory of finance, marketing, IP, sales, pitching and admin. Having won the Ingenuity17 UNIP Prize, Dan now has a free office in The Ingenuity Centre worth £5,000, and a professional team that can look after various aspects of the business while he focuses on lead generation.

“The Ingenuity Lab gave me a fresh space where I could register my company, work on the business and hold meetings. Without this essential commodity, I would have been holding appointments with potential investors, clients, and suppliers at my house…which would have looked extremely unprofessional!” – Dan Simmons

With the product just coming off an initial batch production line, Quensus are currently trialing in various properties across the Midlands. Their investors require a healthy return on their investment, and so the pressure is now on to deliver and continue to generate new leads.

Giving back

Now on the journey to becoming an established leader in smart water meters, Dan is giving back to The Ingenuity Lab community through his help with The Ingenuity Lab Roundtable Series. On Wednesday 12 June, he will be talking members through how to approach investors, and what to do when you have approached them.

For many, this is one of the most daunting stages of setting up a business, and it’s great to see Dan’s support for Ingenuity Lab members facing the same unfamiliar territory he experienced a few years ago.

While, in classic British Summer Time style, the sun may not be shining, the fantastic work Quensus are doing to conserve water and empower customers certainly has brightened our day.

If you would like to find out more about Quensus and the work they are doing, make sure you visit their website.

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