Orbital Systems is a Swedish cleantech company that builds water‑recycling hardware and controls (most famously the Orbital Shower and Orbital Tap) designed to let users take warm, long showers while cutting water use by up to ~90% and energy by ~80% compared with conventional systems, targeting homes, hospitality, fitness and commercial facilities seeking dramatic water‑and‑energy savings[2][5].
High‑Level Overview
- Mission: Orbital Systems’ stated mission is to enable “smart use of our water on Earth” by reducing water and energy consumption while maintaining user comfort and hygiene[5][2].- Investment philosophy / position (as a company that takes outside capital): Orbital has raised venture funding (multiple rounds, including investment from Amazon’s Alexa Fund) to scale product development and global go‑to‑market activities, indicating a strategy of capital‑led product expansion and channel partnerships[4].- Key sectors: Residential cleantech (high‑end homes), hospitality & lodging, fitness and commercial buildings—any installation where long showers or high throughput makes water recycling valuable[2][3][5].- Impact on the startup ecosystem: Orbital is one of the more visible European water‑tech hardware success stories—winning awards (Edison, GreenTec, SKAPA) and mentoring ties to notable entrepreneurs (early mentorship from Skype founder Niklas Zennström)—helping draw attention and investment to circular‑water startups in Sweden and internationally[3][2].
For the product (portfolio company framing)
- What product it builds: The Orbital Shower (a circular shower system) and the Orbital Tap (a smart circular tap system) that reclaim, filter and reheat water in real time for immediate reuse[5][4].- Who it serves: Environmentally conscious consumers, hotels, gyms, and other commercial customers where high water use and guest experience are priorities[2][4].- What problem it solves: Reduces potable water consumption and associated heating energy while preserving the feel and hygiene of conventional showers, addressing water scarcity and building energy targets[5][2].- Growth momentum: Founded in 2012, Orbital has grown from an R&D startup into an international company with operations in the US and Germany, several awards and partnerships, and reported fundraising activity including a notable Alexa Fund investment—indicating product commercialization and scaling activity[3][4][2].
Origin Story
- Founding year and founders: Orbital Systems was founded in 2012; the company’s founder and CEO is Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, who has been publicly credited with the invention and with receiving multiple innovation awards for the technology[3][2].- Founder background & idea emergence: Mahdjoubi developed the circular shower concept inspired by resource management principles used in space missions—designing a system that filters, sterilizes and reheats shower water in‑line to permit reuse without loss of comfort[2][5].- Early traction / pivotal moments: Early recognition came through awards (Edison Award 2015, GreenTec Award 2015, SKAPA 2014) and mentorship from prominent entrepreneurs (Niklas Zennström) which helped validate the concept and attract investment and partners[3]. Later milestones include international expansion (operations in U.S. and Germany) and external investment rounds such as the Alexa Fund participation reported in 2022[3][4].
Core Differentiators
- Product differentiators: Patented “circular” water loop design that treats and reuses shower water instantly to cut both water and heating energy dramatically while aiming to retain normal shower experience[5][2].- Technology & engineering: Consumer‑grade hardware that integrates filtration, sterilization and reheating electronics into a compact system designed for reliability and low maintenance for both residential and commercial installs[1][5].- Awards & validation: Multiple innovation awards and recognition that support credibility for both product performance and market fit[3].- Commercialization & partnerships: Evidence of international operations and strategic investors (e.g., Alexa Fund) supporting platform interoperability and go‑to‑market scale[4].- Ease of adoption: Positioned as a drop‑in replacement/retrofit in certain installations (details vary by model and building plumbing), combining user comfort with measurable resource savings[5].
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
- Trend alignment: Orbital rides the convergence of water scarcity concerns, building decarbonization/energy efficiency mandates, and the move toward circular economy hardware solutions for buildings[5].- Why timing matters: Increasing regulatory pressure on water use in many regions, rising utility costs, and stronger sustainability procurement in hospitality and real estate create clearer ROI for high‑performance water savings technologies[5][4].- Market forces in their favor: Growing ESG commitments, green building certifications, and consumer demand for sustainable hospitality experiences all push commercial buyers toward solutions that demonstrably reduce water and energy consumption[4][5].- Influence on ecosystem: By commercializing a high‑profile hardware‑software water recycling product and securing notable investors and awards, Orbital raises visibility for water‑tech hardware, helping legitimize capital allocation into physical‑product climate tech in Europe and beyond[3][4].
Quick Take & Future Outlook
- What’s next: Continued product rollouts (expanding tap and shower product lines), scaling commercial deployments in hotels/gyms and selective residential channels, and further partnerships to lower installation friction and integrate with smart‑building systems—moves supported by past fundraising and investor interest[4][5].- Shaping trends: Adoption will be driven by real‑world cost/ROI cases, regulatory drivers on water use, and integration with building energy management and IoT platforms (the Alexa Fund investment signals interest in voice/connected features or smart integrations)[4].- How influence may evolve: If Orbital can demonstrate repeatable commercial economics at scale, it could become a benchmark for building‑level water circularity and inspire competitors and complementary technologies (e.g., decentralized water treatment, HVAC integrations), accelerating market creation for circular‑water hardware[5][4].
Quick take: Orbital Systems pairs a space‑inspired technical idea with consumer comfort and commercial use cases, and—backed by awards and venture funding—looks positioned to be a leading commercial example of circular‑water hardware. Its near‑term success will hinge on lowering install friction and proving repeatable economics in hospitality and multi‑unit residential deployments[5][4][3].
Sources: Company website and product pages for technical and mission claims[5]; profile and award / founding details from The Hub and company materials[3][2]; coverage of funding and investor participation from ZoomInfo and company announcements[4].
