Boulder Startup Lands $50M for AI Water Tech Amid CO Drought

BOULDER, Colo. (Day.News) — Aquify Technologies, a Boulder startup pioneering AI-powered water conservation, announced $50 million in Series B funding on April 30, 2026, led by Denver's Foundry Group and joined by Khosla Ventures. The round will fuel expansion into Colorado's Front Range and Western Slope, where ongoing drought has slashed reservoir levels by 25% since 2024, per U.S. Drought Monitor data initially reported by KOAA News5. Aquify's platform uses machine learning to optimize irrigation for farms and municipal systems, claiming up to 40% water savings based on pilot programs in Weld and Larimer counties. CEO Maria Gonzalez said the funding enables scaling to 500 customers by 2027, addressing Colorado River Basin shortages that have prompted mandatory cutbacks for agriculture under the 2023 drought emergency declaration by Gov. Jared Polis. The investment highlights Colorado's booming cleantech scene, with Boulder now hosting over 200 water-tech firms amid $1.2 billion in statewide climate investments since 2022, according to the Colorado Office of Economic Development. As snowpack remains 15% below average this spring, Aquify partners with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to deploy sensors in the Arkansas River Valley, aiming to avert projected $500 million annual losses for Front Range farmers. Local stakeholders praise the move. 'This is a game-changer for our parched state,' said Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, whose district faces acute shortages. With installation set to begin in Aurora and Grand Junction this summer, Aquify positions Colorado at the forefront of AI-driven sustainability.