DrinkPrime
Manas Ranjan Hota, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-founder of DrinkPrime, shares insights on the journey of building a subscription-based water purification model, the challenges of urban water quality, and why technology and innovation are key to making clean water accessible for all.
Question: What personal experience or market gap led to the founding of DrinkPrime? How did the initial idea take shape?
Manas Ranjan Hota: DrinkPrime was founded to address a widespread but often overlooked issue, access to reliable, safe drinking water in urban India. Early in my career, while living in Bengaluru with flatmates, we relied on 20-litre water cans, which are still the norm for many young professionals. One day, we found algae inside a can, which led us to test water samples from several vendors. The results showed that most were not fit for consumption.
That experience highlighted two gaps: a lack of quality assurance and the absence of accountability in the bottled water ecosystem. We started by exploring delivery-based solutions but soon realised the need was more fundamental. People didn't just need convenience, they needed consistently safe water backed by technology and service reliability. That became the foundation for DrinkPrime.
Question: How did the business model evolve from water can delivery to a subscription-based purifier system? What were the key inflection points in this journey?
Manas Ranjan Hota: Our initial solution was a basic app that helped users order water cans from vetted sources. But the economics of that model didn't hold. Water is a heavy product and each can weighs around 22 kilograms. The cost of delivery often exceeded the cost of purification. More importantly, we weren't solving for water quality, which was the core problem.
We then shifted focus to building a system that combined the flexibility of bottled water with the reliability of a water purifier. That's how our subscription model emerged. We install purifiers free of cost, manage service and maintenance, and let users pay only for what they consume. This shift addressed both cost and trust, and has remained central to our growth.
Question: What core problem is DrinkPrime addressing in the drinking water segment? Why is this issue especially relevant in today's urban context?
Manas Ranjan Hota: We are addressing the lack of reliable, affordable, and safe drinking water access in Indian cities. In urban areas, water quality varies significantly, even within the same locality due to inconsistent sources like borewells, piped water, and private tankers. This inconsistency introduces health risks and uncertainty.
At the same time, traditional RO systems require upfront investment and ongoing maintenance. Bottled water may be more accessible, but it often lacks quality control. Our solution removes those trade-offs by offering an RO purifier as a service, affordable, monitored, and responsive to changes in water quality. It's particularly relevant today as more people migrate to cities and demand more flexible, technology-backed utilities.
Question: RO technology often faces criticism around water wastage and affordability. How is DrinkPrime addressing these challenges through innovation?
Manas Ranjan Hota: These concerns are valid, and we've made it a priority to address them. Traditional RO systems can waste up to 60-70 percent of input water. Through our in-house innovations and product design, we've reduced that wastage by nearly half.
Affordability is addressed through our subscription model. Instead of requiring customers to purchase a purifier outright, we offer access at â¹300 to â¹500 per month, inclusive of installation, maintenance, and filter replacement. In select markets, we're piloting â¹199 plans to further improve accessibility. The aim is to deliver water that is safe, sustainable, and economically viable at scale.
Question: You've mapped water quality extensively across Bengaluru and other cities. What are some key insights you've gathered about urban water quality?
Manas Ranjan Hota: The most consistent insight is the inconsistency of water quality across cities. In Bengaluru, for instance, TDS levels range from as low as 200 in some areas to over 1500 in others. Different zones rely on different water sources, municipal supply, borewells, or tanker water which introduces variations not just in TDS but also in contaminants like chlorine, nitrates, and microbial load.
We've built a water quality mapping system that allows us to calibrate purifiers based on local water profiles. That means a device installed in Malleswaram operates differently than one in Whitefield, even if they appear identical externally. This localised, data-driven approach ensures better health outcomes and a better user experience.
Question: Subscription-based models for water purification are relatively new in India. What makes this model effective, and how have users responded so far?
Manas Ranjan Hota: The model works because it reflects how consumers today prefer to access services. People are increasingly mobile, and they prioritise flexibility and ease of use. Rather than invest in ownership, they want outcomes clean, safe water without long-term commitments or the burden of servicing.
Our retention rate exceeds 98 percent month-on-month, which indicates strong product-market fit. In fact, over 40 percent of our new users come through referrals. This signals that the model is not only functional but also trusted and valued.
Question: How did the name 'DrinkPrime' come about? What does the brand identity represent to you as a founder?
Manas Ranjan Hota: The name reflects our goal of providing a clean, high-quality drinking water experience. It was also inspired by the character Optimus Prime, who represents quiet strength, reliability, and purpose. That's how we see DrinkPrime, not as a product that seeks attention, but as a service that is dependable and quietly integrated into everyday life.
We've always viewed DrinkPrime as more than a utility. It's a brand that should stand for trust and consistency. Whether someone is moving to a new home or facing changes in water supply, we aim to be the one part of their daily routine they never have to worry about.
Question: What are DrinkPrime's growth plans over the next 5 to 10 years? Which markets or segments are you looking to expand into?
Manas Ranjan Hota: We currently serve over 1.7 lakh households across nine cities, and our goal is to reach 2.5 lakh active users by FY27. Beyond the metros, we see significant potential in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. These markets face similar water quality challenges but often lack affordable solutions.
Question: How does DrinkPrime use IoT technology to monitor water quality in real time? What specific parameters are tracked, and how does this data influence product performance and service delivery?
Manas Ranjan Hota: Our purifiers are IoT-enabled and track parameters such as TDS levels, filter usage, and water output volumes. This data is transmitted in real time to our backend systems, enabling us to monitor device performance and water quality at scale.
If water output drops below a set threshold, our system can proactively trigger a service request or shut down the device until maintenance is completed. We also use this data to manage filter life cycles, ensuring timely replacements and uninterrupted service. This approach allows us to deliver preventive maintenance and ensure every customer is consistently drinking safe water.
Question: Could you explain how DrinkPrime maps water quality across different city zones? How is this information used to customise water purification systems for individual households?
Manas Ranjan Hota: Every DrinkPrime device functions as a node in our real-time water quality monitoring network. Based on the aggregated data, we map each city into zones defined by specific water quality metrics: TDS, pH, chlorine levels, and seasonal changes.
This zonal information helps us calibrate each purifier according to the local water profile. For example, areas with high hardness or TDS receive purifiers with additional filtration stages, while others with municipal supply require lighter configurations. Though the purifiers may look the same externally, they are internally customised for each installation, ensuring optimal performance and customer satisfaction.
