Chris Klein and Franz Garsombke
CO-FOUNDERS, RACHIO
Innovation:
Redefined the way homeowners water their lawns.
Vision:
Chris Klein and Franz Garsombke brought to market a sprinkler product that reduces water use, keeps lawns impeccable, and saves money. Rachio’s Smart Sprinkler Controller relies on data from local forecasts, soil and plant types, sun exposure, and a customized watering schedule. The Wi-Fi-enabled system can be mounted either indoors or outdoors and can be accessed on a laptop or smartphone to schedule watering times and adjust watering amounts.
Economics:
The EPA WaterSense-certified Smart Sprinkler Controller can save users up to 50% on their water bills and has saved more than 1.6 billion gallons of water so far.