Ovation Science Inc. is out of business. The Chanhassen-based start-up, which received funding from the TCAngels and Rain Source Capital Inc., developed technology that aided plant growth by increasing the amount of dissolved oxygen in water.

From the Star Tribune profile on Ovation Science last year:

For growers, the new Enki watering system, named for the Sumerian goddess of water, promises better blossoms and greater harvests. Along the lines of an oxygen bar for plants, the system substantially raises the level of dissolved oxygen in water that gardeners pour from the special Enki pitcher onto their flowers and vegetables.

The extra oxygen enhances root growth and improves a plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients, according to horticulturists who have used the system.

Sales of the product, which was introduced last month, have blossomed. The Enki pitcher sold out quickly during its retail debut June 23-24 at Bachman’s. The price - $79.95 - did not deter buyers.

Paul Sjogren, president and CEO, said the company took less than 12 months and “definitely less” than $1 million from angel investors to get the product into stores.

“Within a year, we were on the market with a product, generating revenue,” Sjogren said. “I can’t believe we did that. Typically, something like this would be a million and a half and two years.”

From there, he hopes to get it into other independent garden centers before Minnesota’s fleeting gardening season wilts. He has deals to work with specialty catalogs and TV shopping channels. The company also might produce infomercials.

Next year, Sjogren wants to expand, first to Chicago and then nationwide and eventually overseas.

The Enki system is based on technology patented in 2004, Sjogren said. Ovation Science has an exclusive worldwide license to use the technology in horticultural applications. The license is from Aqua Innovations of Minnetonka, which Sjogren said owns the patent.

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