Meet the 3.0 Finalists: Homeport (UAE)

In agriculture, nearly every input has been engineered for efficiency, except water. Our work focuses on enhancing water so crops grow stronger, yields increase, and reliance on chemicals is reduced. 

At Homeport, our aim is clear and focused: to reduce the farming sector’s dependency on chemicals while increasing yields. This is where we believe our technology can have the greatest impact, and it is exactly what we have demonstrated through our trials and projects to date. 

We utilize oxygen nanobubble technology to enhance plant resilience and improve nutrient absorption efficiency. By introducing oxygen nanobubbles directly into the irrigation water line, we significantly increase the amount of dissolved oxygen at the root level. The result is stronger plants, higher yields, and a reduced need for chemical fertilisers and additives. This is not theoretical. It is what we have consistently shown across our projects. 

The problem we are addressing is the heavy reliance of modern farming on chemicals and fertilizers. We believe this dependency can be significantly reduced, and in some cases, almost eliminated, while still increasing yields and improving returns for farmers. Better production benefits the farmer, the community, and the country, ultimately delivering a more sustainable crop. 

We manufacture nanobubble generator machines that utilize highly enriched oxygen concentrators to deliver extremely high dissolved oxygen levels at the root zone. After testing multiple nanobubble generation methods, we adopted dynamic shear as it is the most robust, reliable, and scalable approach. This choice allows our machines to remain reliable, easy to maintain, and suitable for harsh climates and remote locations. 

Our journey into nanobubble technology did not begin in agriculture. In 2016, while working on a marina project in Dubai, we were faced with algae blooms, dead fish and degraded water quality caused by low oxygen levels. As engineers, we set out to solve that problem. That process led us to nanobubbles as the most efficient way to deliver oxygen into water. When global equipment failed to perform in our climate, we designed and manufactured our own systems for Middle East conditions. 

Through further research, we discovered the potential impact of nanobubbles on farming, particularly for salt-sensitive crops and areas affected by salinity and brackish water. Trials with Dubai Municipality Nursery demonstrated yield and germination increases of over 40 percent in gaff trees, with similarly strong results across other crops. 

Water in the UAE is a valuable resource, produced through desalination and wastewater treatment, before being used for irrigation. Our objective has been to make that water work harder. By enhancing water with nanobubbles, we increase yields while reducing chemical, energy, and water consumption, aligning with national food security and carbon reduction goals. 

Looking ahead, our five-year ambition is to increase awareness of this technology and its potential. Every aspect of farming has been engineered, from seeds to machinery, but water has remained unchanged. By enhancing water itself, we believe agriculture can increase yields, reduce chemical reliance, and lower its carbon footprint at the same time.