Every microchip, data centre and megawatt of AI capacity depends on water. Gradiant, which describes itself as the water layer of the AI economy, has announced a series of milestones reinforcing its ability to address this challenge across the US, including a new leadership appointment, three office openings, a new innovation centre and long-term services contracts, including one with a major chip manufacturer.
Gradiant has appointed Dr Nish Vora as managing director, Americas, to drive its growth in the region. Dr Vora brings extensive leadership experience from GE Water, Suez Water Technologies and, most recently, Veolia Water Technologies and Solutions. His technical and commercial expertise aligns with Gradiant’s focus on rapid innovation for customers.
Alongside the appointment, Gradiant has opened new offices in Phoenix, Syracuse and Philadelphia.
The company has also launched its Global Innovation Centre in Houston, dedicated to advancing next-generation water treatment technologies for North America, while increasing its US workforce by 55% year to date.
Further strengthening its US operations, Gradiant has secured new long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts, including an agreement to operate the ultrapure water (UPW) system for a major chip manufacturer. Gradiant will manage water quality, reliability and compliance, allowing the customer to focus on its core manufacturing operations.
The contract builds on Gradiant’s global UPW expertise, supported by established teams in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, alongside its growing US presence. The company said it was selected for its customer-focused approach, rapid deployment and O&M expertise.
“AI infrastructure doesn’t get built without solving for water first, whether that’s a fab, a data centre or a power plant,” said Prakash Govindan, chief executive officer of Gradiant. “Winning long-term O&M relationships like this one shows customers increasingly want a single accountable partner for water, not just equipment or one-off applications. That’s exactly the role Gradiant is built to play as we scale across the US.”
Gradiant designs, builds and operates water infrastructure supporting the AI economy across semiconductor manufacturing, data centres, energy and other industries. As global investment in AI infrastructure accelerates, water availability, reliability and reuse are becoming increasingly important factors in determining where and how quickly infrastructure can be developed.
“Our target is to reach $1bn in order book in the US alone next year,” said Dr Vora. “With the team I am inheriting and the opportunity set in the market right now — the most activity I have seen in my three decades in the water industry — I am confident we will beat that target.”
