A company formed by two graduates of the Beedie School of Business Management of Technology MBA program has been awarded a contract to deliver a pilot water recovery unit to NASA.

Saltworks Technologies will develop the unit to test the water recovery systems and processes at NASA Ames Research Center, with the intent for future use on board the International Space Station. Saltworks won the contract after a recent public tender for solutions held by NASA and will now deliver the unit, which is a proof of concept pilot unit.

Founded by MOT MBA graduates Ben Sparrow and Joshua Zoshi, Saltworks develops and delivers solutions for solving complex water treatment challenges. The company’s product portfolio includes several platforms, including reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and evaporation technologies.

“The NASA project is an example of how Saltworks’ innovative technology could be used in diverse applications, both on – and off – the planet,” said Zoshi, Saltworks’ President.

Saltworks’ technology, described by the Economist Magazine as “ingenious”, utilizes an innovative solar process for desalinating seawater. The process can reduce electricity requirements by up to 80% and has the potential to cut the cost of desalinated water in half. The company’s solution is expected to allow the desalination sector to build projects that provide sustainable water for agriculture, industry and municipal use worldwide, and is scalable to large applications.

For more information, visit www.saltworkstech.com/press_20120316.php

Tags: Beedie School of Business, Ben Sparrow, Joshua Zoshi, Management of Technology MBA, MBA, NASA, Saltworks