London smart-tech startup Hero Labs secures £2.5 million in seed funding to tackle water leaks

Hero Labs, a London-based tech startup that helps prevent water leaks in UK properties, has raised £2.5 million in seed funding to accelerate product development for its flagship product, Sonic and disrupt the smart-tech industry. The round was led by Earthworm Group, an environmental fund manager, with further support from a £300,000 EU innovation grant and private investors. Alongside the funding, Hero Labs also announced that Will Brocklebank, the Head of Projects and Partnerships at Earthworm, will be joining its board.

Sonic is the UK’s first smart leak defense system. Leaks create more damage to properties in the UK than any other cause – costing UK insurers £1 billion a year1. Fitted easily, in most cases under the sink, it is the only product in the UK to use ultrasonic technology to monitor water use and then spot anything unusual using AI algorithms. It sends an alert in seconds via the Sonic app and it can automatically shut off the water supply to prevent a water leak damaging possessions and property.
Sonic will not only be able to prevent fresh water from being wasted through leaks, but the app will also help people conserve water by giving them helpful hints and tips about which appliances are using the most water, so they can make greener decisions.

Headquartered in London, Hero Labs was founded in September 2018 Krystian Zajac,  following launching the UK’s first smart home insurer, Neos, which Aviva took a majority share in at the end of 2018. Hero Labs has ambitious plans to install its cutting-edge tech into thousands of properties in the UK in next two years. Sonic is for anyone who wants to prevent water leaks in their property – including homeowners, landlords, facilities management, property developers and businesses.

“This funding marks a successful first chapter for Hero Labs. Having Earthworm Group as our leading investor is a great fit for us, as it only invests in businesses who are a force for social good or benefitting the environment. Our mission at Hero Labs is to solve real-life problems through tech, and combatting water leaks with Sonic is just the tip of the iceberg. This will allow us to bring even more solutions to consumers and businesses,” said Krystian Zajac, founder and CEO of Hero Labs.

Commenting on the funding, Will Brocklebank, Head of Projects and Partnerships at Earthworm said, “Earthworm invests in businesses that will bring a positive change for the environment. This is why we chose to support Hero Labs, as we believe it is one of the most exciting companies in this space that will have a real impact on reducing water waste in the UK. Hero Labs has a huge potential to grow to address a pressing environmental issue.”