Davis-based water use efficiency company FloraPulse received the award as the best innovation in the sustainability category, one of six categories at this year’s ceremony on November 1. FloraPulse has developed a compact technology to measure water stress in orchard crops and vineyards continuously to determine the optimal amount of irrigation required, reducing waste as a result. The alternative technology is slow, clumsy and hard to use, so FloraPulse has the potential to make a serious improvement in how growers apply water to their crops. CEO Dr. Michael Santiago (shown in the picture) brought this technology from his graduate lab at Cornell and founded the company here in 2014. It now has 8 employees and made its first sales in 2018. It has been a long journey, but with many awards along the way. FloraPulse is now gaining traction as farmers deal with the reality of chronic water shortages. Congratulations to the team for its achievements.