Featured: From our Founders: H2Ok Innovations to Laminar

How We Got Here

When we started this company as H2Ok Innovations, our mission was clear: help food and beverage manufacturers become better stewards of one of their most precious resources—water. 

H2Ok Innovations was born from that purpose, and we’re proud of the impact we’ve had. Our technology has helped global leaders reduce water usage by as much as 20%, a meaningful contribution in an industry where every liter matters.

But as we’ve grown, so has our technology. The same spectral sensing and AI that helped save water also revealed new possibilities. Today, we don’t just conserve resources—we give factories back their most valuable commodity: time. 

Our sensors and agentic AI now help manufacturers shorten Clean-in-Place cycles, run faster product changeovers, prevent product loss, and reduce downtime. That means savings not just in water and chemicals, but in cutting product loss, preventing downtime, and recovering lost production capacity. 

We’re not just tackling one challenge—we’re transforming the future of process manufacturing by helping each factory operate at its best.

This evolution to a broader mission called for a new name.

Why Laminar

We chose Laminar because it reflects both who we are and what we’re building. 

Laminar flow represents a more predictable, more energy-efficient, and more desired state, especially in processes where “exactness” is desired. Although difficult to achieve in fast-moving systems, it is the ideal, just as we bring science-backed order to the turbulent (or chaotic, irregular) environment in manufacturing.

Laminar flows are smooth and streamlined, whereas turbulent flows are irregular and chaotic.

Operationally, Laminar conveys clarity and smoothness. Predictability, efficiency, and clear flow mean transparency across a factory. Smooth flow means operations that are easier, more predictable, and proactive — running in real time, not on lagging signals.

The name resonated with our team as a symbol of striving for the best version of ourselves. Just as our people strive to improve our company and technology with each innovation, we want factories to unlock their best version — one that is more efficient, agile, and sustainable.

At its core, Laminar embodies our mission: bringing clarity, precision, and smoothness to every factory, enabling them to operate at their very best.

Looking Ahead

This rebrand is more than a new name. It’s the beginning of our next chapter — expanding into new customers, new markets, and new use cases. We will continue to pioneer science-led, closed-loop automation for the world’s leading manufacturers, with a growing list of applications that help factories run faster and more sustainably.

We’re excited to share this journey with our customers, partners, and team. Together, we’re building not just the factory of the future — but the best version of it.

Annie Lu, CEO & Co-Founder

David Lu, CTO & Co-Founder

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