As cities look to balance growth with sustainability, platforms such as SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 are increasingly highlighting solutions that move beyond incremental change.
Among the participating startups is Aquivio, which is rethinking one of the most resource-intensive aspects of urban life, the beverage ecosystem.
“We are decentralising the wasteful and inefficient beverage ecosystem,” said Daniel Hill, Founder of Aquivio, in an exclusive conversation with CarbonWire.
Sustainability through system redesign
Aquivio’s solution reflects a broader shift in sustainability thinking, from optimisation to redesign.
Its IoT-enabled dispensing systems act as decentralised “micro beverage factories”, producing drinks on demand using municipal water.
“It makes absolutely no sense… to transport water across long distances when you can produce it at the point of use,” Hill said.
This approach eliminates the need for pre-packaged beverages, reducing both plastic waste and logistics-related emissions.
Reducing waste and emissions in cities
Urban centres generate significant volumes of plastic waste from bottled beverages. Aquivio’s systems aim to reduce packaging waste by up to 30 times, while also cutting emissions from transportation and storage.
“A single machine can save up to 30,000 plastic bottles,” Hill noted, highlighting the scale of impact possible in high-density environments.
Such solutions are particularly relevant for cities like Tokyo, where sustainability and resource efficiency are central to long-term planning.
Data-driven sustainability at scale
A key theme at SusHi Tech Tokyo is the role of digital infrastructure in enabling sustainable cities. Aquivio integrates real-time data monitoring into its systems, tracking every dispense and generating insights into consumer behaviour.
“When you analyse what consumers really want, you prevent unnecessary production and waste,” Hill explained. This data-driven approach enables demand-led production, reducing inefficiencies across the value chain.
Technology alone is not enough to drive sustainability. “The biggest challenge is behavioural change,” Hill said.
Aquivio addresses this by combining sustainability with personalisation. Users can customise beverages with functional ingredients, creating a more engaging experience. “If sustainability is simple, better, and cheaper than the existing option, it becomes a no-brainer,” he added.
This approach is particularly relevant for younger, digitally engaged consumers who value both convenience and sustainability.
Aquivio positions itself as part of the infrastructure layer for smart cities. “We are not a beverage brand. We are a platform and infrastructure solution for smart venues and smart cities,” Hill said.
Its systems can be deployed across networks of offices, campuses, and public spaces, supporting both sustainability goals and operational efficiencies.
Entering Japan through SusHi Tech Tokyo
Participation at SusHi Tech Tokyo marks a key milestone for Aquivio as it expands into Japan. “It’s our first time at SusHi Tech, and we are very excited to engage with the Japanese tech community,” Hill said, adding that the company has already secured certifications for the Japanese market and is preparing for commercial rollout.
Japan’s leadership in smart city development makes it a strategic market for the company’s decentralised infrastructure model.
For Aquivio, sustainability is not a localised issue but a global one. “Sustainability is not a national issue. It has to be addressed globally,” Hill said. Events like SusHi Tech Tokyo provide a platform for cross-border collaboration, bringing together startups, policymakers, and industry leaders to accelerate solutions.
As cities worldwide seek scalable approaches to reduce waste and emissions, models that combine decentralisation, data, and behavioural insights are likely to play a critical role.