Shannon Lemnaski - Turning air into drinking water

Finalist, Saab Australia Rising Star Award and Veolia Sustainability Award 2025

Shannon Lemanski is on a mission to provide clean drinking water for anyone, anywhere. His ambition is clear: to generate 300 million litres of water per day by 2032 so that every Australian - regardless of postcode - can turn on the tap and trust what comes out.  

As Co-Founder and Managing Director of social enterprise Aqua Ubique, Shannon creates water from air using cutting edge technology called Atmospheric Water Generation. Similar to an air conditioner, this remarkable technology condenses humidity from the air, purifies and mineralizes it, then dispenses safe, clean drinking water.

An Army veteran, mechanical engineer, and social entrepreneur, Shannon was on deployment to Papua New Guinea when locals approached his unit and asked the troops if they could have the plastic water bottles they had collected to store rainwater, reducing their reliance on contaminated water from a nearby creek.

This set in motion a chain of events that led to Aqua Ubique. Launched in 2024, Aqua Ubique offers an alternative to conventional office coolers, with every five machines funding one for a remote community through its Drop4Drop program.  

Awarded the inaugural King's Trust (formerly Prince’s Trust) Enterprise Accelerate Award and named 2025 Sunshine Coast Biosphere Business of the Year, Shannon’s work is widely recognised across the clean tech and social enterprise sectors for its impact, innovation, and integrity.  

Aqua Ubique’s growing list of clients includes Sunshine Coast Council, Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council, and Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre - all of whom are setting a public example for sustainability, circularity, and community reinvestment.

Shannon attributes The King’s Trust Australia Enterpise programme to the business’ early success – helping them develop a customer-led strategy, connections to legal advisors, and introducing Aqua Ubique’s “first big break” client on Lady Elliot Island.

“The programme didn’t just sharpen our thinking - it backed us to take action. “

“More than anything, the programme reminded us we weren’t alone. It gave us capability, credibility, and connections at a stage where those three things were hard to come by - and it continues to shape how we grow.”