Belfast Tech Firm StormHarvester Wins Major Contract with Northumbrian Water
Belfast-based environmental technology company StormHarvester has secured a landmark long-term service contract with Northumbrian Water Group, one of the UK's major utility providers — a deal that cements the firm's position at the forefront of AI-driven wastewater management and marks another significant milestone for Northern Ireland's rapidly growing technology sector.
Background
StormHarvester was founded by civil engineer Brian Moloney, who conceived the idea in 2012 after identifying an opportunity to bring data-driven intelligence to the challenge of urban flooding and sewage pollution. Following four years of research and development, supported by Queen's University Belfast and seed fund TechStart Ventures, the company officially launched its automated water management platform in 2016. It is headquartered in Belfast, where it opened a new, larger office in February 2026 to accommodate its international expansion.
The company's core technology is an advanced anomaly detection system that uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to provide real-time insights into wastewater network performance. The platform analyses vast amounts of data from sensors deployed throughout water networks, integrating that information with hyperlocal rainfall forecasts to predict sewer levels, detect blockages before they cause failures, identify sources of inflow and infiltration, and forecast potential spills — enabling early intervention before problems escalate.
StormHarvester's growth has been nothing short of remarkable. The company was ranked number one in the 2025 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 awards for Ireland, having achieved a reported revenue growth of 2,910% over a four-year period. In early 2025, it secured £8.4 million in Series A funding, which has been instrumental in its expansion plans, including doubling its workforce.
Key Developments
The new long-term contract with Northumbrian Water Group, announced in March 2026, formalises a partnership that began in 2019. Under the agreement, StormHarvester will provide real-time surveillance across NWG's extensive 30,180km wastewater network, covering pump station alerting, inflow and infiltration detection, and spill prediction. Prior to this formal agreement, StormHarvester's platform was already managing data from over 5,000 sensors across 2,900 sites within the Northumbrian Water network — a proven track record that was central to securing the new deal.
Tony Baines, Wastewater Treatment Manager at Northumbrian Water, said the contract would enable continuous improvement of its wastewater service through innovation and collaboration. StormHarvester CEO Brian Moloney said the agreement reflects the trust NWG places in the platform's ability to deliver tangible results at scale. The contract will embed StormHarvester's platform into NWG's business-as-usual procedures, transitioning the utility from a model of reactive repairs to one based on proactive, data-led interventions.
Why It Matters
This contract is significant not just for StormHarvester, but for the broader narrative of Northern Ireland's technology sector. The UK water industry is under intense regulatory and public pressure to reduce sewage spills and improve environmental performance — a challenge that has attracted considerable political and media scrutiny in recent years. StormHarvester's technology offers a credible, scalable solution to a problem that affects communities and ecosystems across the country.
The company's platform is now utilised by 11 UK wastewater utilities, covering approximately 75% of the sector, and has deployed over 270,000 sensors globally. It has also expanded into Australia and New Zealand, with active plans to enter the US market. That a Belfast firm is leading the way in this critical infrastructure technology — competing against and beating established industry providers — is a powerful statement about the quality of innovation emerging from Northern Ireland.
Local Impact
For Belfast and Northern Ireland, StormHarvester's success is a source of genuine pride and a concrete demonstration of what the region's technology ecosystem can produce. The company's growth has created skilled jobs in Belfast, and its new headquarters expansion signals further hiring to come. It is precisely the kind of high-value, export-oriented business that Invest Northern Ireland and the wider Belfast Region City Deal — which is channelling £1 billion into innovation — are designed to nurture and support.
Queen's University Belfast, which played a foundational role in StormHarvester's early development, continues to be a key pillar of the region's tech success. Belfast has established itself as the UK's second fastest-growing knowledge economy, and stories like StormHarvester's are central to that reputation. The contract with Northumbrian Water is a reminder that world-class technology companies can and do emerge from these shores.
What's Next
With its Series A funding secured, its workforce expanding, and a growing portfolio of long-term utility contracts, StormHarvester is well-positioned for its next phase of growth. The company's planned entry into the US market — the world's largest water infrastructure market — will be the defining test of whether it can translate its UK and Australasian success onto a truly global stage. If the trajectory of the past four years is any guide, Belfast's water tech champion has every reason to be confident.
Sources: The Irish News | ThinkBusiness.ie | StormHarvester
