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Boon’s WaterAI app wins iF Design Award 2026 for intuitive water insights
Award honours platform that turns complex water data into clear insights
MUMBAI: Water technology company Boon has scooped the prestigious iF Design Award 2026 for its WaterAI mobile application, a platform that transforms complex water quality data into an intuitive digital experience.
The award, given in the Mobile Application category, recognises the app’s ability to translate real time water information into a format that is easy to understand, visually engaging and meaningful for everyday users.
Founded in 1953, the iF Design Award is widely regarded as one of the world’s most respected design honours. The 2026 edition drew more than 10,000 entries from 68 countries. A jury of 129 international design and sustainability experts selected the winners after a detailed evaluation process, making the recognition particularly competitive.
For Boon, the award signals a shift in how water technology is presented to users. Instead of technical dashboards and complex monitoring systems, the WaterAI platform focuses on clarity, storytelling and everyday usability.
The app brings the hidden life of water to the surface by turning real time data on pH levels, total dissolved solids, pressure, temperature, flow and filter health into visual cues and interactive insights. The experience is designed to feel less like monitoring infrastructure and more like keeping an eye on daily wellbeing.
Built around Boon’s signature blue and orange design palette with green accents, the platform blends advanced monitoring technology with a clean, human centred interface. Users can track system performance, observe water quality trends and receive alerts when attention is required.
Boon founder and chief executive Advait Kumar, said the recognition validates the company’s belief that technology and design should work hand in hand.
“Winning the iF Design Award 2026 is a proud milestone for us. Water technology has traditionally been built around anxiety, contamination alerts and complex compliance dashboards. With WaterAI, we wanted to make the invisible visible and turn complex water data into something people can understand and engage with every day,” he said.
Launched in 2025, the WaterAI platform is already used by industry stakeholders across Africa, Asia and Europe. It forms part of Boon’s broader ecosystem that combines filtration technology, IoT monitoring and premium product design.
Today, the company’s technology is used by more than 400 corporates and hospitality properties across 11 countries, helping organisations track and maintain safer water systems in workplaces, hotels and public spaces.
The winners of the iF Design Award 2026 will be honoured at an official ceremony in Berlin on 27 April, where designers and innovators from around the world will gather to celebrate this year’s standout ideas.
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Hemlata Sharma joins ONEOTT Broadband as chief business officer
Former Zee Media distribution head to steer growth, partnerships and strategy
MUMBAI: Hemlata Sharma has joined ONEOTT Broadband as chief business officer, bringing with her more than three decades of experience across television, telecom and media distribution.
Sharma most recently served as head distribution, research & CRM at Zee Media Corporation Limited, where she worked closely with editorial and senior management while overseeing distribution, consumer research and customer relationships for 14 news channels including Zee News, WION, Zee Hindustan and Zee Business, along with ten regional state channels.
In that role, she led nationwide distribution across platforms such as DTH, Hits, IPTV, cable networks and DD Free Dish. She also drove consumer research and strategic insights on a pan India scale, analysing content performance, anchor impact, programme slots and audience behaviour to guide editorial decisions and programming strategy.
Her portfolio also included managing one of the largest alliances with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited and overseeing the global distribution monitoring of Wion across North America, Mena, Europe, Africa, APAC and Australia.
Earlier, Sharma briefly served as head sales and distribution at Triplecom Media Pvt Ltd, an engagement driven OTT platform bringing together content, gaming, music and advertising for the entertainment distribution ecosystem.
Her earlier career includes a senior vice president stint at Ten Sports Network, where she played a key role in relaunching the sports broadcaster as an independent bouquet comprising Ten Sports, Ten Cricket, Ten Action and Ten Golf following the Zee takeover. During this period, she moved from vp west to head strategy for cable and dth and later national head retail distribution, helping build the network’s retail distribution vertical across India and launching dedicated golf and football channels.
Before that, Sharma spent over six years at Bharti Airtel as general manager operations for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. She initially led marketing and corporate communications before moving into sales leadership, where voice sales grew by 86 per cent and revenues by 96 per cent. She later headed business operations, expanding annual business volumes to Rs 100 crore while significantly reducing operational costs.
Sharma began her long association with the media distribution ecosystem at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited as regional head sales and distribution for central India. During that period, she played a role in the early rollout of pay television channels including Zee Cinema, HBO, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, while also contributing to the launch of Siti Cable in key central Indian cities.
With her new role at ONEOTT Broadband, Sharma is expected to focus on strengthening business strategy, expanding partnerships and driving growth across the company’s broadband and digital distribution ecosystem.
