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Built by scientists,
for scientists

exactH2O was founded at Michigan State University by a team with deep expertise spanning plant physiology, environmental sensing, and instrument engineering. Every design decision reflects years of firsthand frustration with imprecise irrigation in research settings — and the conviction that it could be done better.

Binod Basyal
01 —

Binod Basyal

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Binod is a plant biologist with over a decade of experience studying plant–water relationships under drought stress. He holds a PhD in Biology and is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Michigan State University, where his work focuses on soil moisture dynamics, plant physiology, and resilient lignocellulosic biofuel systems. Co-inventor of the exactH2O programmable drought and irrigation control system, he bridges science and practical application.

Berkley Walker
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Berkley Walker

Founder and Chief Technology Officer

Berkley leads technical strategy and product development at exactH2O. An Associate Professor at MSU, he teaches plant physiology and researches photosynthesis. His prior role as product manager at METER Group gave him hands-on expertise in sensor-based agricultural technologies. He translates biological insight and engineering rigor into scalable precision water management solutions.

Jacob Hicks
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Jacob Hicks

Founder and Chief Operating Officer

Jacob is a skilled instrument maker whose expertise lies in troubleshooting, repairing, and optimizing complex scientific instruments. He played an instrumental role in the design and physical development of the exactH2O system — translating conceptual ideas into a functional, robust setup from the ground up. His hands-on problem-solving and technical depth are critical to the system's reliability.

Science-first
irrigation

exactH2O exists because imprecise watering was undermining good science. We saw researchers spending hours hand-watering pots, then struggling to justify their stress treatments to reviewers.

Our mission is to make publication-quality soil moisture control accessible at every scale of plant research and production — from a single bench to a multi-acre greenhouse complex.

01
Precision by Design
Every hardware and software decision is made with measurement accuracy as the primary constraint — not cost or convenience.
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Open & Reproducible
Data is yours: open export formats, documented calibration, and no proprietary lock-in. Science requires transparency.
03
Built on Real Research
exactH2O was developed and validated in active MSU research greenhouses — not in a product lab disconnected from the scientific method.
04
Scalable & Supported
From first deployment to full greenhouse network, we provide technical support from people who understand both the biology and the engineering.

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