Turning Thin Air into Hope
- Terri Nakamura
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
Kara Water is changing how the world thinks about clean water.
Every January, I walk into CES with a sense of anticipation that’s hard to describe. Each year, about 140,000 people from around the world arrive to glimpse the future—stepping into a vast, humming, blinking ecosystem of invention where human imagination feels limitless. Advance press releases hint at what’s coming, but I never know what surprises I’ll find. I always come home with stories that remind me why creativity, persistence, and technology are so important.
At CES, there’s a spark that connects everything—whether it’s an IT company like MIXI in Tokyo, manufacturing companion robots for the elderly, or a global brand like Delta Airlines that reminds us even huge innovators often start humbly. Innovation doesn’t wait—and it rarely comes from where you expect it.
Among the hundreds of innovations that caught my eye that week, one stopped me in my tracks: the Kara Pod.
When I met Cody Soodeen, the founder of Kara Water, and his investor, Kerry Dunne, earlier this year at CES in Las Vegas, they stood beside a sleek countertop machine that looked part high-tech gadget and part science-fiction prop. What it did seemed almost impossible: it made pure, mineral-rich water from air.
Turning Air into Water
“Water is the most important substance on Earth,” read the Kara Water sign—more truth than slogan. Their device, called the Kara Pod, uses what’s known as Air-to-Water technology. It can produce 3.2 liters of crisp drinking water a day—enough water to brew up to 18 cups of coffee, with no plumbing required.
Imagine a machine that doesn’t run out of water because it creates it.
As I spoke with Cody and Kerry, I couldn’t help but think about a science experiment my friend Linda Criddle does with her summer campers at Little Green Acres Farm in Redmond, WA. She offers STEM experiences, like showing kids how to collect water from the air using two metal bowls—one nested inside the other.
Linda explained, “The core principle is temperature differential. Hot air holds moisture. When the air cools, condensation forms—just like when a cold drink ‘sweats’ on the counter.”
It’s the same principle that Kara Water has harnessed—only their version uses advanced thermoelectric technology to cool air, extract moisture, purify it, and then infuse it with minerals that make it taste naturally fresh.
The Inspiration Behind Kara Water
When I asked Cody what inspired him to create his invention, he said it didn’t start with technology. It started with family.
“It’s a very personal story,” he said. “My parents are from Trinidad. We lived in Pennsylvania and got our water from a well. We thought it was fine—country water, right? But we kept getting sick.”
After endless medical appointments, a naturopathic doctor recommended testing their well water. The results showed extremely high levels of bacteria. “We ‘shocked’ the well, like you’re supposed to, but two months later the bacteria were back,” Cody said. “We were living downhill from everyone else’s runoff, and there wasn’t much we could do.”
The family switched to bottled water, but Cody couldn’t shake the question: Why should anyone have to rely on polluted or unreliable water sources?
Years later, while studying architecture, Cody stumbled upon something extraordinary—a small black beetle that survives in the desert by drinking water from the fog.
“It’s called the Namib Desert Beetle,” he said, eyes lighting up. “When fog rolls in, it climbs up a dune, sticks its legs in the sand, and tilts its body so the condensation runs down into its mouth.”
He smiled. “That beetle changed my life. It lives in one of the driest places on Earth with no energy, no infrastructure—and it still finds water. I thought, If nature can do that, why can’t we?”
Kara Water’s name, he explained, comes from the beetle’s scientific name—Stenocara gracilipes. “The beetle is literally built into our logo,” he said, pointing to the smooth, shell-like symbol etched into the Kara Pod’s design.
A Decade of Persistence
Cody spent nearly a decade turning the idea into reality. “People think of it as an overnight success,” he said, “but it took ten years of learning, experimenting, and failing.”
The company officially launched in 2021 with its first device, Kara Pure, a sleek air-to-water dispenser that makes up to 2.5 gallons per day. The world noticed. Kara Pure earned TIME’s “Best Inventions of 2022” award—the kind of recognition that doesn’t come easily.
Then, in late 2024, Kara Water unveiled the Kara Pod—its next-generation device that not only made water from air but could also brew a cup of coffee using that same freshly made water.
At CES 2025, that innovation earned them another accolade: the CES Innovation Award. And this October, TIME recognized the Kara Pod as one of its “Best Inventions of 2025.”
Kara Water joins an elite circle of fewer than twenty companies worldwide that have appeared multiple times on TIME’s “Best Inventions” list.
Kerry’s Perspective: A Believer and Investor
When I spoke with Kerry Dunne, one of Kara Water’s investors, he sounded like a proud parent.
“There are rivers of water in the air,” he said. “Cody figured out how to capture it—how to make it clean, pure, and drinkable anywhere.”
He described the process: the machine pulls in air, cools it until water condenses, distills it, removes impurities, and then adds in alkaline minerals.
“Alkaline water is the best kind you can have,” Kerry said. “It’s clean, healthy, and tastes fantastic.”
The result is water that feels crisp and refreshing, with no hint of processing or plastic—just pure hydration, straight from the atmosphere.
When I asked how many Kara Pods were out in the world, Kerry surprised me. “We made a thousand and sold out instantly—in 44 countries,” he said. “And there’s a waiting list of 25,000 people.”
That’s pretty impressive.
Simple Operation, Global Potential
One of the things that impressed me most was the simplicity. I asked Kerry if it was tricky to use—did it require a manual?
“You plug it in and forget about it,” Kerry said. “It takes about a day to start producing water, and by the next morning, you’ve got your first glass.”
A Kara Pod can generate 3.2 liters of water per day, depending on humidity and temperature. And because it doesn’t need plumbing, it works in cities, deserts, and even off-grid environments.
Kerry told me they’re working on a solar-powered model designed for regions without reliable electricity. “We’ve got them running in Saudi Arabia, Arizona, and all over Africa,” he said. “Everywhere, they make water every single day.”
Clean water shouldn’t be a privilege, and technologies like Kara Water make it easier to imagine a world where everyone, everywhere, can have access to safe drinking water.
From Concept to Connection
Back at the booth, I watched people’s reactions. Some approached with skepticism, others with wonder. A few even tasted the water—clean, mineral-rich, and surprisingly smooth.
“You’ll love it,” Kerry said. “It tastes remarkably like water.”
It was such a simple, funny line—and yet, true.
That’s the paradox of innovation: the best ideas often make us ask, Why didn’t we think of that sooner?
Kara Water’s journey began with a contaminated well in Pennsylvania and was inspired by curiosity about a desert beetle—a path that eventually led to CES—a stage where the world meets technology’s next big leap.
The Science Made Simple
Linda Criddle’s “air-to-water” lesson at Little Green Acres Farm kept echoing in my mind as I viewed the Kara Pod on the exhibit display. Stainless-steel bowls, sweating with dew overnight, are a child’s version of what this machine does with precision and purpose.
Temperature differential. Condensation. Collection. Purification.
The Kara Pod turns those age-old natural processes into something modern, compact, and accessible.
Recognition and Momentum
Since its founding, Kara Water has been gaining attention from major retailers and organizations worldwide. Costco, Walmart, and other large distributors have expressed interest in global partnerships.
But what struck me most wasn’t the corporate excitement—it was Cody’s calm conviction.
Clean water isn’t just a comfort—it’s survival. According to FEMA, having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority in an emergency. A normally active person needs at least two quarts (half a gallon) each day. People in hot environments, children, nursing mothers, and those who are ill need even more.
“We’re just getting started,” Cody said. “Our goal isn’t to sell a million machines. It’s to make clean water possible everywhere. Air is universal—and so should water be.”
Reflections on Discovery
Every year, CES reminds me why I love writing about technology. It’s not just the dazzling displays or the futuristic gadgets—it’s the human stories behind them.
A family’s struggle with unsafe well water. A young architect’s curiosity sparked by a small black beetle. An investor who believes in something that seemed impossible.
And somehow, all of it converges into a device that turns thin air into life.
That’s the kind of story that keeps me coming back to CES. It’s not just about technology—it’s about hope, resilience, and imagination.
Looking Ahead to CES 2026
If Kara Water is any indication, the next CES will be filled with even more world-changing ideas, shaping how we move, how we heal, how we communicate, how we power our world, and how we care for the planet.
Innovation doesn’t wait, and neither should curiosity.
CES 2026 happens January 6–9 in Las Vegas. CES is a trade-only event, not open to the general public.
Are you an industry analyst, work in media, or will you attend as exhibitor personnel? Learn more here: https://www.ces.tech/attendee-guides/registration-information/
If you qualify—and you’re curious about where the world is headed—it’s an unforgettable experience.
Through December 1, the Exhibits Plus Pass is $149. From December 2, 2025 through January 9, 2026 the price is $350.
There are also options for the Deluxe Conference Pass that include all conference programming and tracks.
Every year at CES, there’s something that reminds me: the future isn’t coming—it’s already here, dripping quietly from the air.
© 2025 Terri Nakamura (All photos © Terri Nakamura, CES 2025, Las Vegas)
Originally published on Stories, Social Media and Tech
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