Bariflo Cybernetics wants factories to get more use out of their wastewater treatment plants. The Odisha-based startup combines sensors, AI software and automation to adjust treatment processes, aiming to reduce the energy and chemicals needed to clean water for reuse. It has secured Rs 2 crore in milestone-linked funding from energy innovation platform MC² Plus, an initiative led by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, and is preparing for a pilot with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), according to founder and CEO Mrityunjay Sahu. The funding comes as Bariflo moves from developing and testing its technology towards commercial deployments. That means persuading industrial customers to invest in upgrades that promise lower operating costs.

Founded in 2018, Bariflo initially focused on monitoring and cleaning municipal waterbodies. It subsequently explored aquaculture, including shrimp and fish farming, before concentrating on industrial wastewater treatment and reuse. Sahu says difficulties in accessing freshwater and groundwater are pushing industries to use water more carefully and recycle more of it. Bariflo is targeting that need by upgrading existing effluent treatment plants, or ETPs, rather than asking customers to build new ones. “We are addressing this need by making existing treatment infrastructure smarter and more efficient,” he says.

3%. The estimate covers water treatment, wastewater treatment and zero- and minimal-liquid-discharge solutions across manufacturing, power generation and refineries, making it broader than Bariflo’s specific offering. Bariflo identifies Ion Exchange and VA Tech WABAG as indirect competitors. Ion Exchange’s IonSite Digital Twin uses AI and wastewater modelling to identify savings and guide plant operations, while VA Tech WABAG has demonstrated AI applications in water treatment.

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