This audio is generated by AI, so pronunciation and expressions may not be fully accurate. The narration is only in English.
ENELL's three core technologies are: water production technology, water purification and disinfectant technology, and long-term sterilized storage technology. The mugen-sui dispenser is equipped with a function that can generate water from water vapor in the air depending on humidity and temperature without requiring a conventional water source or plumbing. In addition, it incorporates proprietary technologies that can purify and disinfect river water and rainwater to safe drinking water standards without using chlorine or other chemicals, and allow the water to be stored in a sterilized state for over six months even when exposed to air. Akashi says a single mugen-sui unit can generate up to 33 liters of drinking water from the air and purify 600 liters of river water per day.
"Conventional water supply infrastructure depends on three factors: rain, chlorine disinfection, and plumbing to deliver water," Akashi explains. "But that makes it difficult to address real-world issues like disaster management and aging infrastructure, and prevents the steady and sustainable delivery of safe water. So I wanted to come up with a system that did not rely on those factors."
The central idea was to create a system that allows anyone to secure safe drinking water anywhere on their own. To put the technology into practical use, Akashi and his team took extensive measures to ensure water quality and safety.
He says, "An institute certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government conducted a test by pouring water from a river running under Miyashita Park in Shibuya into mugen-sui every day for a month to purify. A month later, they tested the water and found that it met drinking water standards without the use of chlorine. The remarkable results showed that the water held no trace of general bacteria or E. coli either."
Furthermore, the generated water remains sterile despite being exposed to air in the tank. Even after six months of storage, the water is free of bacterial contamination.
In Japan, the true potential of ENELL's technologies will be demonstrated in disaster-stricken areas or regions with decreased populations, where existing infrastructure may be struggling to function. The mugen-sui dispenser requires around 350 watts of electricity to produce water from the air, but only 30 watts when purifying and disinfecting river water or rainwater and storing it in a sterilized state. It means the unit can be run on about the same amount of power as charging two smartphones. With a combination of solar panels or rechargeable batteries, it can be operated steadily for an extended period of time, even during blackouts.
"In Hokkaido, we have an off-grid water supply unit that uses air, snow meltwater, rainwater, and river water in a region where the aged water plumbing is estimated to cost around 500 million yen to renew," Akashi says.
The company's products are also starting to be used on Tokyo's remote islands, where they can be installed in new facilities like trailer hotels.
"Overtourism is one of the causes of recent water shortages on remote islands," Akashi says. "Particularly on Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture, a sudden increase in tourists is raising demand for water, and the existing infrastructure is unable to keep up. We believe ENELL's off-grid dispensers will serve as a 'last line of defense' to provide water."
ENELL's technology, which utilizes water vapor in the air, is being recognized as a way to not only secure water resources, but also counter climate change. According to the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan, water vapor contributes significantly to the greenhouse gas effect—more than twice as much as CO2. Reducing water vapor by removing moisture from the air may help mitigate global warming.
"If we can reduce water vapor as well as CO2, the world may be able to move on to the next phase of climate action," Akashi says. "Producing water is one way of protecting the future of Earth's environment."
Collaborating with major companies, mugen-sui is starting to be used in smart cities, utilized as a secondary source of water for medical equipment, and installed in facilities like camping cars. ENELL offers the product at a low monthly subscription rate, which includes filter replacement and maintenance, making it easy to adopt.
ENELL is receiving many inquiries from around the world regarding its technologies. Rather than simply exporting units to regions with underdeveloped water infrastructure, such as the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, the company wishes to work alongside them to create water production systems tailored to the needs of each country.
This stems from Akashi's personal belief. As a child with poor health, he wanted to grow up to become a doctor and was influenced by the words of Nakamura Tetsu, a physician who worked in Afghanistan and dug thousands of wells.
"Nakamura said, 'Prioritizing clean water over medicine can save many lives,'" Akashi recalls. "Those words inspired me, and made me want to be involved in water-related work one day. Saving lives with technology lies at the core of ENELL's philosophy."
In 2024, ENELL won an award of excellence from one of Japan's largest public-private co-creation acceleration programs supported by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and is striving to grow even further by collaborating with and receiving hands-on support from local governments. ENELL also exhibited at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025, one of Asia's largest startup conferences, drawing interest from various countries worldwide.
Akashi shared his thoughts on spreading ENELL's technologies from Tokyo to the world: "Although Tokyo is a huge city, if you move a little further out, there are sparsely populated areas facing various issues like declining demographics and aging infrastructure. I feel like these are miniature samples of what rapidly growing cities overseas will face in the future. What's more, Japan has four distinct seasons, so climate and other aspects of the natural environment change drastically depending on the season. I believe addressing the issues we face in Tokyo will enable us to resolve various water issues occurring worldwide."
Very soon, the technologies of this Tokyo-based water infrastructure startup may revolutionize the world's water issues.
Movie: Tokyo Metropolitan Government
SusHi Tech Tokyo, short for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo, is a Tokyo-based concept that aims to create sustainable new value by overcoming global urban challenges through cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas, and digital expertise.SusHi Tech Tokyo | Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo
