Meet Charles Fayal

After graduating from University of Connecticut in 2016 with dual degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Electrical Engineering Charles began working for a warehouse robotics company called Symbotic. He started as an onsite engineer, helping to bring up systems, and spent much of his downtime working on software as he traveled. Within a year, he transitioned to the software team at headquarters, where he focused on building core algorithms for fleet routing and planning. Within a couple of years, he was leading a team of engineers in that department.

During COVID, he returned to his hometown and began working with his father, Jim Fayal, on deploying a wireless IoT network called Helium. They needed places to install gateways and partnered with their friend Tim, who owned apartment buildings. He mentioned the frequent water leaks in his buildings—toilets leaking, flooded basements, and unexpected water bills. They realized the network they were deploying could support inexpensive sensors to solve that problem, and that’s when NOWi Sensors was born in 2021.

Jim and him bring complementary skills to the table. Jim holds undergrad and graduate degrees in mechanical engineering, followed by an MBA from Harvard Business School, and much of his career was spent in Mergers and Acquisitions.

At NOWi Sensors, they’ve developed a suite of battery-powered, easy-to-install water monitoring devices that last up to 7 years without WiFi. Their Building Monitor straps onto utility water meters—no plumbing required—and monitors water usage across an entire building. Their Toilet Monitor sits in toilet tanks to detect leaks, which are responsible for a majority of water waste in multifamily buildings. They also offer a Flood Sensor that detects standing water to help prevent costly water damage.

NOWi Sensors has proven to reduce water consumption by 13%-28% and mitigate water-related damage, which remains the #1 cause of non-weather-related building damage.

In their early days, they spent countless hours iterating on their solutions and testing deployments—crawling through cobweb-filled basements to perfect their devices. They built their foundation by working with smaller landlords and testing in local markets, then expanded through valuable connections, such as Veritas Investments, who introduced them to the larger multifamily investment fund market.

Over the past few years, they’ve attended industry conferences and engaged in countless face-to-face conversations, learning the nuances of the market and building relationships. Today, NOWi serves small landlords, institutional property funds, and partners with complementary businesses to integrate their solutions into their offerings.

Their mission is simple: to help property owners save water, reduce costs, and protect their buildings from unnecessary damage.