Finapp and cosmic ray neutron sensing on World Water Day

On World Water Day 2025, whose theme emphasised glacier preservation, Finapp used the occasion to highlight a niche measurement technology aimed at better managing water in soil and snow. The company describes its approach as particle physics applied to environmental monitoring. The Italian start up was founded as a spin off from the University of Padua in 2018 and has developed and patented a next generation Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensing or CRNS probe. Finapp is listed as a beneficiary of the European Innovation Council Accelerator Blended Finance programme which the company says supported scaling of its technology.

Origins, funding and scaling

Finapp began as an academic spin off in 2018. The company says it patented its CRNS probe design and is pursuing wide deployment to make the measurement technique simpler and more affordable. The European Innovation Council has supported the firm under an Accelerator Blended Finance award. Blended finance in the EIC context typically combines grant funding with investment to help deep tech companies scale beyond laboratory prototypes. Exact finance amounts for Finapp were not disclosed in the sources.

Applications and claimed benefits

Finapp positions the CRNS probe as a versatile data source for multiple water dependent sectors. Key use cases the company highlights are precision agriculture, hydropower resource planning, pre localisation of leaks in municipal networks, monitoring hydrogeological risk and wildfire potential, and scientific research. The company also emphasises combining CRNS outputs with artificial intelligence to integrate multiple data streams and produce high resolution soil moisture maps and short term forecasts for irrigation management and early warning.

Recognition and market traction

Finapp has used international events to raise its profile. The company received recognition at COP28 in Dubai in December 2023 under a challenge organised by several international agencies to reward AI based solutions addressing climate impacts on water and food systems. In November 2024 Finapp won My Start BCN, an Italian startup competition in Barcelona, which included benefits such as coworking space and mentoring according to the company announcement. These prizes support visibility and market introductions but are not substitutes for independent technical validation or procurement contracts.

Verification, technical limits and open questions

Finapp reports substantial environmental benefits but the information available does not specify how those savings were calculated. When firms state that a sensor network has conserved a quantity of water or avoided greenhouse gas emissions the underlying methodology matters. Important questions include the baseline scenario used to estimate avoided water use, the timeframe and spatial scale, how irrigation or leak detection savings were attributed to the sensor data, and whether independent audits or peer reviewed studies corroborate the claims.

On the regulatory side CRNS uses naturally occurring radiation from cosmic rays rather than an artificial radioactive source which reduces licensing complexity in many jurisdictions. Nevertheless instrument deployment still raises safety, data governance, and public procurement considerations. For adoption by utilities and large scale agricultural users the technology must demonstrate repeatable accuracy, clear return on investment and integration with existing operational systems.

Context in the EU innovation ecosystem

Finapp exemplifies a common pathway in the European deep tech ecosystem where university research spawns startups that seek EIC funding to scale. The EIC Accelerator Blended Finance instrument aims to bridge the funding gap for companies that require hardware manufacturing, field trials and regulatory navigation. Market uptake for environmental sensors often depends on public sector procurement by water utilities, national meteorological or hydrological agencies and agricultural advisory services. Robust, standardised performance metrics and independent validation can accelerate procurement decisions.

Where Finapp can add value and what remains to be done

CRNS offers a useful complement to point sensors, remote sensing and hydrological models because it samples an intermediate spatial scale often missing from other tools. For regional water management and irrigation planning the technique can fill a measurement gap. To move from pilot success to broad impact Finapp and similar providers need transparent validation studies that describe accuracy across soil types, vegetation and altitude. They also need to be clear on unit costs, lifetime maintenance needs and data sharing arrangements for public interest use cases such as drought early warning.

Finapp directs readers to its CORDIS project page for more details about the EIC funded project. The EIC materials and company statements include a disclaimer that the information is provided for knowledge sharing and does not represent the official view of the European Commission or other organisations. Independent evaluation by academic groups or public agencies would strengthen the evidence base for the impact claims.

Bottom line

Finapp has developed a CRNS probe and secured recognition and some EIC backing as it scales. The underlying science is established and the use of naturally occurring neutrons has operational advantages. At the same time the headline impact figures need methodical disclosure and third party validation to be fully persuasive for public sector buyers and the research community. For EU climate adaptation and water resilience strategies a transparent, verifiable measurement technology that can be integrated with models and procurement pipelines would offer real value.