(don’t) Waste Water! | Water Tech to Solve the World

Gary White, co-founder of Water.org, has been at the forefront of innovative solutions for water access. Alongside Matt Damon, White has provided water and sanitation to over 66 million people through the WaterCredit program. Unlike traditional charity models, WaterCredit offers loans to individuals for water and sanitation projects, which are repaid at a remarkable 98% rate. This approach not only empowers individuals but also creates a sustainable financial model by recycling philanthropic funds.

White highlights the significant role of women in this model, as 90% of the borrowers are women. These loans, averaging $377, enable access to essential water and sanitation services, improving health, education, and economic outcomes. The impact is profound: with every loan repaid, the funds can be reused to help more people, creating a multiplier effect.

One of the key challenges addressed by Water.org is the need for infrastructure in rural areas. While WaterCredit addresses immediate needs through microloans, Water Equity, another initiative by White, focuses on investing in water infrastructure projects. This dual approach ensures that both individual and community needs are met, providing a comprehensive solution to water access.

Water.org’s innovative financial models also emphasize climate resilience. Their projects incorporate environmental impact studies, ensuring that water solutions are sustainable and adaptable to climate change. This forward-thinking approach is crucial for long-term water security.

Collaboration is at the heart of Water.org’s strategy. With a network of 140 financial institutions worldwide, they tailor solutions to local needs, ensuring effectiveness and sustainability. This extensive partnership network is vital for scaling their impact and reaching more communities.

While private sector innovation drives much of Water.org’s success, White acknowledges the critical role of governments and international institutions. Collaborative efforts are necessary to bridge the financing gap and ensure universal access to safe water and sanitation. Institutions like the World Bank are increasingly recognizing the value of Water.org’s models and incorporating them into their platforms.

Public perception and education are also crucial. Changing narratives around water access from a charity issue to a viable market opportunity is essential for attracting investment and support. Water.org’s data-driven approach and success stories play a significant role in this.

Looking ahead, Water.org aims to reach 100 million people with an additional $1 billion in investment capital. Their vision includes integrating individual and infrastructure needs, ensuring comprehensive and sustainable water access solutions. By continuing to innovate and collaborate, Water.org is set to make significant strides toward global water security.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-adionics-took-a-bold-stand-in-the-competitive-dle-landscape/

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Imagine transforming the way we extract one of the most critical elements for our green future—lithium. Adionics may be that game-changer in the Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) market, with their solvent extraction process!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

🔗 Have a look at Adionics' website https://www.adionics.com/

🔗 Come say hi to Gabriel on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriel-toffani/

🔗 Check out my Lithium deep dive https://youtu.be/JeZJpBySIQo

🔗 Get a glimpse into the various DLE generations https://youtu.be/CxZk9MuWgkY

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⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

01:49 Gabriel's Journey from Suez to Adionics

03:23 The Promise of Adionics' Technology

09:12 Challenges and Opportunities in the Lithium Market

14:38 Adionics' Industrialization and Future Plans

22:53 Adionics' Global Reach and Partnerships

26:19 SQM's Investment and Future Plans

28:26 Expanding into Hard Rock and Battery Recycling

30:30 Geographical Focus and Market Strategy

32:46 Opening New Offices in South America

33:40 Impact of Lithium Price Fluctuations

35:37 Future of DLE Technologies

38:02 Personal Insights and Career Decisions

41:22 Rapid Fire Questions

#DirectLithiumExtraction #Lithium #DLE

About this Episode:

Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Adionics, a French company specializing in advanced ionic solutions, has developed a breakthrough technology for lithium extraction known as Flionex. This solvent extraction process is distinguished by its high selectivity, extracting lithium without removing other elements such as boron, potassium, or magnesium. This results in extremely pure lithium chloride, making the process both efficient and environmentally friendly due to its low water consumption. Adionics has demonstrated the industrial readiness of their technology through successful pilot projects in the lithium triangle, particularly at high altitudes, showcasing its scalability and robustness in real-world conditions.

Originally focused on desalination, Adionics strategically pivoted to lithium extraction in 2017, anticipating the rising demand for lithium driven by the green energy sector. This shift has allowed the company to position itself as a leader in the lithium extraction market. Adionics targets brines with lithium concentrations ranging from 200 to 50,000 ppm and continually refines its process to address lower concentrations more efficiently.

The company offers two primary business models: providing technology and process support to mining companies or forming joint ventures to finance and manage lithium extraction projects. This flexibility allows Adionics to adapt to various market needs and ensure the successful implementation of their technology.

Looking ahead, Adionics plans to expand its commercial presence and invest in research to develop more efficient Flyonics molecules for different concentration ranges. They are also exploring applications in lithium battery recycling and hard rock lithium extraction, aiming to extend their innovative approach to new markets. With a strong focus on industrial readiness and environmental sustainability, Adionics is well-positioned to meet the growing global demand for lithium and contribute to the advancement of green mobility .

Key Points

1. Adionics specializes in advanced ionic solutions.

2. Flionex technology selectively extracts lithium.

3. High purity and low water consumption.

4. Industrial pilots in the lithium triangle.

5. Pivoted to lithium extraction in 2017.

6. Targeting brines with 200-50,000 ppm lithium.

7. Offers technology support or joint ventures.

8. Plans to expand commercial presence.

9. Investing in research for more efficient Flyonics.

10. Exploring lithium battery recycling applications.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-adionics-took-a-bold-stand-in-the-competitive-dle-landscape/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What's Aquaporin's Path to Profitability? Let's explore the Nobel-Prize-Rooted water tech company's path with CEO Matt Boczkowski!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Aquaporin's website: https://aquaporin.com/

Philips Water Solutions: https://www.philips.co.uk/c-e/ho/watercare.html

Gallo: https://www.gallo.com/

Singapore's PUB: https://www.pub.gov.sg/

Aquaporin's Annual Report 2023: https://s28.q4cdn.com/433354207/files/doc_financials/2023/ar/240405-Annual-Report-Presentation.pdf

Come say Hi to Matt on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-boczkowski-2733271/

Full Blog Entry: https://dww.show/how-aquaporin-channels-reverse-and-forward-osmosis-together-for-growth/

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⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

01:49 Editorial

05:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Forward Osmosis

07:32 Aquaporin's Unique Branding and Marketing Approach

10:40 Aquaporin's Journey and IPO Experience

19:27 Forward Osmosis: Challenges and Niche Applications

24:20 Aquaporin's Strategic Focus and Partnerships

35:34 PUB Collaboration and Energy Efficiency

38:09 Forward Osmosis vs. Reverse Osmosis

40:26 Product Portfolio and Strategy

46:36 Revenue Diversification and Market Strategy

49:21 Financial Challenges and Shareholder Support

53:24 Future Vision and Technological Aspirations

56:06 Space Mission and Branding

59:44 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterTech #IPO #ForwardOsmisis

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Aquaporin, led by CEO Matt Boczkowski, is at the forefront of integrating biotechnology with water treatment. The company's journey began with the Nobel Prize-winning research of Peter Agre on aquaporins, which inspired Aquaporin to develop membranes that mimic these natural water channels. Initially focusing on forward osmosis due to its natural alignment with aquaporin proteins, the company has since expanded into reverse osmosis to tap into established markets and ensure revenue growth.

Aquaporin's strategic shift from a primarily residential revenue base to a balanced residential and industrial mix reflects its adaptive market approach. High-profile partnerships with companies like Gallo and Philips underscore Aquaporin's innovative edge and market credibility. The collaboration with PUB in Singapore to create energy-efficient reverse osmosis membranes exemplifies the company's commitment to addressing global water challenges through cutting-edge technology.

The company's branding, inspired by the fashion industry, sets it apart in the traditionally conservative water sector. This unique approach not only enhances Aquaporin's market presence but also resonates with consumers and industrial clients alike. Despite the challenges of being a publicly listed company, including the need for financial transparency and rigorous compliance, Aquaporin leverages its public status to secure significant partnerships and investments.

Aquaporin's focus on niche applications for forward osmosis, such as wine concentration and lithium extraction, demonstrates a strategic approach to market penetration. By concentrating on specific, high-potential sectors, Aquaporin aims to create impactful solutions that can scale effectively. The company's commitment to innovation and strategic growth is evident in its diverse product portfolio and ongoing efforts to develop new applications for its technology.

Looking ahead, Aquaporin aims to achieve profitability within the next few years, balancing growth with financial sustainability. The company's vision includes expanding its technological capabilities, particularly in making its aquaporin protein structures more universally applicable across different membrane technologies. This forward-thinking approach positions Aquaporin to continue leading in the water treatment industry, driving both technological advancements and market success.

Key Points:

1. Aquaporin uses biomimetic technology for water purification.

2. Initial focus was on forward osmosis due to natural alignment with aquaporins.

3. Expanded into reverse osmosis to access established markets.

4. Revenue shift from residential to balanced residential and industrial.

5. High-profile partnerships with Gallo and Philips.

6. Collaboration with PUB for energy-efficient reverse osmosis membranes.

7. Branding strategy inspired by the fashion industry.

8. Publicly listed on NASDAQ Copenhagen.

9. Focus on niche applications like wine concentration and lithium extraction.

10. Goal to achieve profitability within the next few years.

11. Diverse product portfolio including residential and industrial applications.

12. Innovative marketing approach differentiates Aquaporin in the market.

13. Strategic growth through targeted niche applications.

14. Commitment to technological advancements in water treatment.

15. Vision to make aquaporin proteins universally applicable across membrane technologies.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-aquaporin-channels-reverse-and-forward-osmosis-together-for-growth/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Desalination often means high energy consumption and OPEX. Is there a way to make it more efficient and sustainable? Ionic Solutions thinks so - let's explore this intriguing water tech company.

Desalination technology can revolutionize water treatment by significantly reducing energy consumption and allowing controlled mineral content in the water. This approach is crucial for addressing water scarcity and improving sustainability in both industrial and municipal applications.

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

🔗 Ionic Solutions' Website

🔗 Come say Hi to Jordan on LinkedIn

🔗 Read my full blog entry here!

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Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

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⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

04:44 Challenges and Benefits of Ionic Solutions' Technology

10:10 Commercialization and Market Adoption

11:00 Founding Story of Ionic Solutions

14:51 Early Adopters and Market Penetration

17:08 Case Study: Utility in New York City

19:02 Overcoming Market Barriers

27:26 Innovative Water Desalination Solutions

28:23 Lithium Extraction and Brine Concentration

30:40 Global Expansion and Market Adoption

32:47 Demonstration Projects and Market Strategy

36:24 Future Vision and Company Growth

44:56 Rapid Fire Questions

#Desalination #WaterTech #IonExchange

About this Episode:

Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Ionic Solutions is transforming the desalination landscape with its innovative ion exchange membrane technology, which offers significant advantages over traditional reverse osmosis (RO) systems. The company's technology stands out due to its exceptionally low power consumption, with some applications achieving up to 97% less energy use compared to RO. This efficiency is particularly evident in low salinity brackish water desalination, though the technology performs well across various applications, typically saving 60-90% in energy costs.

One of the key features of Ionic Solutions' technology is its ability to control the mineral content of treated water, allowing for tailored solutions that reduce the need for post-treatment mineral addition. This flexibility is especially valuable in drinking water applications and other industrial processes where specific mineral balances are required.

The company targets both industrial and municipal sectors, offering solutions that can augment or replace existing RO systems. A notable success story includes a partnership with a utility in New York City, where Ionic Solutions' technology significantly reduced water and energy costs, contributing to the city's sustainability goals.

Strategic partnerships, such as with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), have been crucial in validating and promoting the technology. These collaborations have helped Ionic Solutions gain credibility and demonstrate the practical benefits of their solutions.

Despite the clear advantages, market adoption remains a challenge. The water industry is heavily invested in traditional RO systems, and there is a learning curve associated with adopting new technologies. However, Ionic Solutions is addressing this through demonstration projects and participation in technical conferences to educate engineers and potential clients.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its technology's applications, including potential use in lithium brine concentration and consumer-level water treatment systems. To support this growth, Ionic Solutions plans to scale up manufacturing and potentially establish production centers in different regions to meet global demand.

Fundraising will be a critical component of this expansion, as the company seeks investors interested in making a significant impact on water sustainability. With a mission to increase water security and efficiency, Ionic Solutions is poised to make a substantial contribution to addressing global water challenges.

Key Points

1. Ionic Solutions redefines desalination as removing salt ions from any water source.

2. The technology achieves up to 97% less power consumption compared to traditional RO systems.

3. It allows for controlled mineral content in treated water.

4. The company targets both industrial and municipal sectors.

5. Successful case study: Utility in New York City saved water and energy costs.

6. Strategic partnership with EPRI validated the technology.

7. Market adoption remains a challenge due to entrenched RO systems.

8. Future applications include lithium brine concentration.

9. Plans to scale up manufacturing and establish global production centers.

10. Fundraising is critical for expansion and impact on water sustainability.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-ionic-solutions-trades-high-pressure-for-high-efficiency-in-desalination/

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Water Stewardship and Water Risk Mitigation will be key topics of the upcoming decade. But how can you measure your impact and performance on these if there's no scale? That's where SCS 116 enters the picture: let's explore!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

SCS Global Services - https://fr.scsglobalservices.com/services/water-stewardship-and-resiliency-certification

CDP Water - https://www.cdp.net/en/water

Axiom Climate - https://www.axiomclimate.com/

Microsoft / Fido AI - https://fido.tech/news/fido-and-microsoft-collaboration-continues-expansion-to-mexico/

Global Water Intelligence / XPV - https://my.globalwaterintel-insights.com/l/2DC/watersecurityinvestment

Protect Our Winters - https://protectourwinters.org/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

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🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

04:22 Understanding Water Stewardship and Its Importance

05:00 The Need for Water Stewardship Standards

06:48 The Role of SCS in Water Stewardship

08:29 Challenges and Opportunities in Water Stewardship

20:27 The SCS 116 Water Standard

26:45 Future of Water Stewardship and Standards

34:13 Facing Criticism

37:04 Feedback and Gaps in Standards

41:12 Global Water Index Debate

46:00 Axiom Climate Updates

49:10 Impact of Educational Initiatives

53:58 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterStewardship #WaterImpact #WaterStandard

About this Episode:

Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Water stewardship is about managing water resources sustainably and equitably for all stakeholders. This involves setting standards, measuring impact, and encouraging companies to adopt best practices for water use, aiming to create a positive impact on local communities and the environment.

Water stewardship is the management of water resources in a sustainable and equitable manner, considering the needs of all stakeholders involved. Lauren Enright from SCS Global Services explains that this concept has evolved over the past decade, expanding from traditional water management to include broader social and environmental impacts. To promote effective water stewardship, standards like SCS 116 have been developed, aiming to provide a structured approach for companies to measure, report, and improve their water use practices.

The conversation highlights the importance of setting quantifiable standards for water stewardship, similar to ESG standards, to ensure that companies can objectively measure their impact and make informed decisions. The challenge lies in determining whether these standards should be voluntary or mandatory, and how they can be effectively implemented and scrutinized.

Lauren emphasizes the role of accurate reporting and measurement in water stewardship, noting that companies must integrate water biodiversity into their corporate cultures to achieve meaningful progress. The development of tools and technologies, such as those by Microsoft and Fido AI for leak detection, plays a crucial role in improving water efficiency and reducing non-revenue water losses.

The discussion also touches on the growing investment in water-related initiatives, driven by regulatory requirements and the recognition of financial opportunities. Projections suggest a significant increase in investment in water stewardship, highlighting the need for companies to adopt best practices and make tangible impacts on local communities and ecosystems.

In addition to corporate efforts, educational outreach and public engagement are essential for fostering a broader understanding of water stewardship. Initiatives like Axiom Climate aim to educate and involve the public in addressing water and climate issues, emphasizing the importance of community involvement.

Overall, the conversation underscores the importance of developing and adopting water stewardship standards, leveraging technology and reporting tools, and engaging both corporate and public sectors to achieve sustainable water management practices.

Key Points

1. Water stewardship involves managing water sustainably and equitably.

2. Standards like SCS 116 help quantify and improve water use practices.

3. The challenge is balancing voluntary versus mandatory standards.

4. Accurate reporting and measurement are crucial for progress.

5. Companies must integrate water biodiversity into their cultures.

6. Innovative technologies aid in improving water efficiency.

7. Investment in water stewardship is projected to increase significantly.

8. Effective water stewardship requires both global and local actions.

9. Corporate leaders like Microsoft are setting examples in water management.

10. Educational outreach is vital for public understanding and involvement.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-to-end-bullshit-and-measure-your-water-stewardship-commitments-right/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Megan Glover co-founded 120Water in 2016, driven by a personal mission sparked by the Flint water crisis. Fast forward to 2024, and 120Water has transformed from a consumer-focused startup to a robust B2B company, scaling its customer base by 50 times in just four years! Wanna know her secrets? Listen to this episode!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

🔗 120Water's website - https://120water.com/

🔗 Come say Hi to Megan Glover on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/megancglover/

🔗 Tom Ferguson's hint: Emulate Megan's approach - https://dww.show/the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-venture-capital/

🔗 Johnny Pujol explains how SimpleLab and 120Water work together - https://dww.show/how-simplelab-turned-an-arsenic-removal-failure-into-a-lab-logistics-success/

🔗 120Water teams up with BlueConduit https://120water.com/120water-and-blueconduit-announce-strategic-partnership-to-bring-machine-learning-to-utilities-focused-on-finding-and-replacing-lead-service-lines/

🔗 This week's episode on the blog - https://dww.show/how-120water-profitably-multiplied-its-customer-base-by-50-in-4-years/

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Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

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Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

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🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

01:52 Editorial

04:13 Welcoming Megan Glover Back

09:32 Regulatory Drivers and Data Management

19:10 Growth and Strategic Partnerships

27:52 Upcoming Regulatory Deadlines

29:52 Revenue Streams and Business Model

31:00 The $43 Million Capital Raise

32:42 Exploring New Opportunities

34:43 International Expansion Considerations

36:46 Company Restructuring and Future Plans

38:19 Work Culture and Hiring at 120Water

39:21 Future Vision and Impact

42:58 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterTech #Digitization #Entrepreneurship

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

From Compliance to Growth: Megan Glover on Scaling 120Water

In this episode of 'Don't Waste Water,' host Antoine Walter welcomes back Megan Glover, CEO and founder of 120Water. The discussion covers the significant growth and milestones of 120Water since Glover's last appearance, including a major capital raise of $43 million from Edison Partners. They detail how 120Water transformed from an early-stage company to a leading player in the water quality management space, boasting 10,000 customers and expanded software capabilities. Glover explains the challenges of scaling, the importance of compliance with lead and copper rules, and the strategic decisions to broaden their platform to include various water quality and compliance programs. The episode also touches on the crucial role of strategic partnerships and managed services in reaching smaller rural utilities, and future growth opportunities, including tackling PFAS management. Glover shares insights on navigating the fragmented US water market, leveraging data management for better resource allocation, and the evolving business model of 120Water.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-120water-profitably-multiplied-its-customer-base-by-50-in-4-years/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

I reviewed 1188 investment deals in Water Technologies since 2018 to find out - amongst others - who the 5 largest by number of deals and by capital deployed are. How attractive is the Water Sector? Let's find out.

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Episode #️⃣

Aclarity - https://dww.show/how-aclarity-bootstrapped-its-journey-from-b2c-to-pfas-destruction/

Gradiant - https://dww.show/how-gradiant-became-the-first-and-only-water-tech-unicorn/

Burnt Island Ventures - https://dww.show/the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-venture-capital/

ZwitterCo - https://dww.show/zwitterions-super-powers-could-solve-wastewater-membranes-number-one-problem/

Membrion - https://dww.show/membrion-ceo-that-raised-22m-reveals-his-one-trick-you-must-copy-today/

Puraffinity - https://dww.show/should-we-really-destroy-pfas-no-your-fridge-knows-a-better-way/

Source - https://dww.show/expensive-heavy-but-desperately-needed-is-source-the-future-of-drinking-water/

Klir - https://dww.show/how-to-establish-compliance-confidence-for-every-water-utility/

120Water - https://dww.show/whats-hidden-in-your-tap-water-dont-worry-your-utility-doesnt-really-know-better/

Transcend - https://dww.show/save-time-boost-value-and-wow-customers-in-a-snap-with-these-5-simple-ai-steps/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalter

DWW Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

00:35 1 - The Water Tech Investment Landscape

02:34 2 - Top 5 by Number of Investments

06:45 3 - Top 5 by Capital Deployed

09:34 4 - Fun Water Tech Investment Facts

11:32 5 - Trends & Outlook

#WaterTech #WaterTechnology #WaterInvestment

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

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Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This water tech start-up turns reverse osmosis into a batch process, which divides the reject by more than two and at half the energy cost. How? Let's find out!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Salinity Solutions' website: https://salinitysolutions.co.uk/

The crowdfunding platform they leveraged: https://www.crowdcube.com/

Innovate UK: https://www.ukri.org/councils/innovate-uk/

Cornish Lithium: https://cornishlithium.com/

SQM Lithium Ventures: https://sqmlitio.cl/acercando-el-capital-de-riesgo-a-los-negocios-tecnologicos-del-futuro-litio-agua-y-electromovilidad/

SUEZ signing with Salinity Solutions: https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/university-birmingham/suez-pilot-salinity-solutions-low-energy-reuse-technology-france

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: http://youtube.com@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: http://youtube.com@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

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🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction to Don't Waste Water Podcast

03:26 Innovations in Reverse Osmosis

06:14 Entrepreneurial Journey and Market Needs

13:40 Crowdfunding Success and Prototyping

16:36 Real-World Applications and Partnerships

21:54 Future Prospects and Market Expansion

24:02 The Long Road to Partnership with Suez

25:51 Challenges and Advice for Early-Stage Water Companies

29:43 Scaling Up and Commercializing Technology

32:22 Partnerships and Global Expansion

39:52 The Vision for Humanitarian Impact

41:48 Rapid Fire Questions and Final Thoughts

#ReverseOsmosis #ZLD #Lithium

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this water tech podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Salinity Solutions: An innovative water technology company specializing in batch reverse osmosis. The company focuses on improving the efficiency of conventional reverse osmosis systems, achieving higher water recovery rates while reducing energy consumption and chemical usage. Their technology is particularly applicable in industries facing water scarcity and pollution issues, such as mining, zero liquid discharge (ZLD), and vertical farming.

Reverse osmosis (RO) is a widely used technology for water treatment, but it has significant drawbacks, including high energy consumption and waste production. Salinity Solutions, led by Tim Naughton, has developed a batch reverse osmosis process that addresses these issues by improving efficiency, reducing waste, and lowering chemical use. This innovative approach offers a more sustainable solution for water treatment needs.

Unique Insights:

1. Batch Process Innovation: Unlike traditional RO, batch reverse osmosis operates in a non-steady state with varying pressures, making it more efficient and easier to manage waste.

2. Market Adaptation: The primary challenge for batch RO is market adoption due to its process innovation rather than new technology. However, it offers significant improvements, making it a viable solution for many applications.

3. Humanitarian Roots: The technology was initially developed for humanitarian aid, utilizing solar energy for remote communities, and has evolved into a commercially viable solution addressing various industrial needs.

Key Ideas:

1. Reverse Osmosis Drawbacks: Traditional RO systems are energy-intensive, produce a lot of waste, and use significant amounts of chemicals, which limits their efficiency and sustainability.

2. Batch Reverse Osmosis: Salinity Solutions’ innovation involves a batch process that significantly improves efficiency, achieving up to 98% water recovery with half the energy consumption and reduced chemical usage.

3. Market Penetration Challenges: Although batch RO is not a new technology but a process innovation, its market adoption is hindered by the need for industries to adjust to its non-equilibrium operation.

4. Initial Development and Funding: The technology's development began as a volunteer project, leading to a government-funded program that helped commercialize the technology through substantial grants and investments.

5. Crowdfunding Success: Salinity Solutions successfully raised funds through Crowdcube, attracting over 2,000 shareholders and significantly exceeding their initial funding goals.

6. Strategic Partnerships: The company has formed key partnerships, including a joint venture in India for ZLD applications and collaborations with large companies like Suez, enhancing their market presence and credibility.

7. Technology Applications: The batch RO system is versatile, with applications ranging from lithium extraction in mining to phosphate removal in wastewater treatment and water reuse in agriculture.

8. Future Outlook: Salinity Solutions aims to become a leading technology in the desalination sector, with ambitions to use their technology for humanitarian aid projects, particularly in remote and water-stressed regions.

Counter-Intuitive Facts:

1. Efficiency Paradox: Achieving 98% water recovery in batch RO is not just 3% better than 95%, but twice as efficient in terms of outcomes.

2. Market Adoption: Despite being a superior process, batch RO faces market adoption challenges because it’s a process innovation, not a new technology.

3. Humanitarian Origin: The commercial technology originated from a humanitarian project aimed at providing solar-powered water solutions for remote communities.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-oxyle-destroys-pfas-with-the-energy-youd-actually-waste/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Elon Musk believes that solving the Global Water Crisis is a matter of Better Desalination. Could it start with this revolutionary tech developed by Salinity Solutions?

Let's find out!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

The full interview with Tim Naughton from Salinity Solutions will come out on Wednesday. Don't miss out!

Video version: https://youtu.be/InWaoDkVLNc

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Salinity Solutions' website: https://salinitysolutions.co.uk/

My conversation with Prakash Govindan (Co-Founder of Gradiant): https://dww.show/how-gradiant-became-the-first-and-only-water-tech-unicorn/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Elon Musk's Bold Claim on Solving the Global Water Crisis

01:42 Introducing Tom Pankratz and Tech Idol

02:46 Highlighting Salinity Solutions and Their Innovations

04:41 The Mechanics of Batch Reverse Osmosis

09:51 Salinity Solutions' Real-World Applications and Partnerships

12:14 Scaling Up and Future Prospects

13:37 The Impact and Future of Salinity Solutions

#ReverseOsmosis #ZLD #Lithium

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Water is underfunded yet crucial to keeping the economy afloat: that's what we knew... but it turns out worse. We're failing faster than expected, and we don't even manage to spend the money we have. Yet there's hope: let's dig in.

More #water insights?

Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

The World Bank's Funding a Water Secure Future report: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/publication/funding-a-water-secure-future?trk=feed-detail_main-feed-card_feed-article-content

CDP's Water report: https://www.cdp.net/en/articles/media/new-data-reveals-us23-trillion-investment-opportunity-from-valuing-water

The Latest US EPA assessment: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/new-epa-survey-highlights-wastewater-infrastructure-needs-protect-waterbodies

The GWI/XPV White Paper on the 12.6 Trillion dollar opportunity: https://my.globalwaterintel-insights.com/l/2DC/watersecurityinvestment

My exploration of the 2.3 Trillion dollar opportunity identified by CDP in 2023: https://youtu.be/VFEtYFC0dUo

My full blog entry: https://dww.show/the-economic-fiasco-behind-the-global-water-crisis/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: http://youtube.com@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: http://youtube.com@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Why is the World Struggling to Solve the Water Crisis?

01:00 Is $153.2 Billion enough?

03:17 The Hidden Inefficiencies in Water Utilities

05:30 Water Crisis: a Global Economic Threat?

07:49 From Crisis to $12.6 Trillion Opportunity

#SDG6 #WaterFinance #WaterInvestment

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this water tech podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What can you apply from everything Fajer just shared? What can you steal and take home? Well, quite a lot if you ask me, starting with these seven insights I wrote down and number one:

1. Customer-Driven Development:

2. Pilot Strategically, and Prove Quickly 

3. Build and Leverage Credibility:

4. Position your technology as Future-Proofing for your Customers

5. Prove your overall Sustainability in concrete terms

6. Build as much as possible on existing infrastructure

7. Data-Driven Customer Assurance:

And there you have it, my 7 insights from Fajer Mushtaq in under 7 minutes, if you disagree with my selection, tell me, and if you'd like to dive deeper, well listen to the full interview!

Remember, that episode came to you free of charge, but I would believe not free of value. It takes me quite some time to put all of those together every week, so all I'm asking is for you to help me distribute them! So take this episode, share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, and I'll be back with another one next week! 

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-oxyle-destroys-pfas-with-the-energy-youd-actually-waste/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We know PFAS removal displaces the problem while PFAS destruction breaks the bank. Or so we thought: Oxyle thinks otherwise, and to understand why, listen to this!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Oxyle's Website: https://oxyle.ch/

Come say Hi to Fajer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fajer-mushtaq-0908/

Fajer's first appearance 4 years ago: https://dww.show/how-to-solve-a-global-challenge-in-an-easy-affordable-innovative-and-efficient-way/

My conversation on PFAS destruction with Julie Bliss Mullen from Aclarity: https://dww.show/how-aclarity-bootstrapped-its-journey-from-b2c-to-pfas-destruction/

My conversation on PFAS recycling with Henrik Hagemann from Purafinnity: https://dww.show/should-we-really-destroy-pfas-no-your-fridge-knows-a-better-way/

The only water tech unicorn (so far): https://dww.show/how-gradiant-became-the-first-and-only-water-tech-unicorn/

My blog entry on today's episode: https://dww.show/how-oxyle-destroys-pfas-with-the-energy-youd-actually-waste/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: http://youtube.com@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: http://youtube.com@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

01:57 The Evolution of Oxyle: From Basement to Breakthrough

03:47 The Pivot: from Micropollutants to PFAS

13:23 The Science Behind Oxyle's PFAS Destruction Technology

27:40 The Future of PFAS Removal

38:45 Challenging the Status Quo: Oxyle's Mission and Vision

43:35 Navigating Water Treatment and Real-Time Monitoring

44:58 Is it possible to benchmark PFAS removal technologies?

48:08 The EPA's Conservative Approach to PFAS Treatment Recommendations

51:39 The European Market Opportunity for PFAS Treatment Technologies

55:18 Strategic Growth and Fundraising: Building a Sustainable Water Tech Company

59:06 Oxyle's Business Model

01:10:55 Rapid Fire Questions

01:15:56 7 Insights to Take Home

#PFAS #PFASDestruction #PFASRemoval

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this water tech podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Oxyle is a company intensely focused on the treatment and monitoring of micropollutants, specifically PFAS. Over the last two and a half years, they have honed their technology to address the increasing market need for effective PFAS removal solutions. Oxyle’s approach leverages existing water treatment technologies but with a sharpened focus on PFAS, positioning themselves as a benchmark in the industry.

In this full podcast episode, Antoine Walter discusses with Fajer Mushtaq from Oxyle about the company's strategic refocus on PFAS pollutants. Over recent years, Oxyle has tailored its technology to specifically tackle the complexities of PFAS treatment, driven by market needs and the volume of customer inquiries. This adaptation has not altered their core technology but has sharpened its application, making Oxyle a leader in this niche market. The discussion delves into the technical aspects of their treatment processes, emphasizing the use of mechanical energy to enhance chemical reactions efficiently. Additionally, Fajer highlights the company's commitment to meeting rising regulatory standards while ensuring their treatments remain cost-effective and scalable, a significant concern for many of their clients. Oxyle's approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also aligns with the economic realities of the industries they serve, positioning them as a pivotal player in the water treatment industry.

Unique Insights:

• Oxyle has recognized the shift in market demands towards PFAS treatment, adapting their technology to meet these new challenges without fundamental changes to their system.

• The company emphasizes the importance of not just meeting regulatory standards but ensuring the treatment process is cost-effective and scalable, which has become a significant concern for their clients.

• They highlight an innovative use of mechanical energy sources in their treatment processes, enhancing the efficiency of their catalytic reactions.

Key Ideas:

• PFAS Focus: Oxyle has shifted its focus to PFAS due to high demand and regulatory pressure, aiming to establish industry benchmarks in this area.

• Technology Adaptation: Their technology uses mechanical energy from water flow, making it energy-efficient and effective at breaking down pollutants.

• Market Response: The shift was a direct response to customer needs, with Oxyle prioritizing PFAS treatment due to the volume of inquiries related to these compounds.

• Regulatory Compliance and Cost: Oxyle balances compliance with regulatory standards with the economic concerns of their clients, ensuring their solutions are accessible.

Counter-Intuitive Facts:

• Use of Mechanical Energy: Oxyle uses the mechanical energy from water flow as a primary energy source for their catalytic process, which is a novel approach in the treatment of PFAS.

• Regulatory Ahead of Technology: While regulations are becoming stricter, Oxyle’s technology was already designed to meet future standards, which is uncommon as many companies often scramble to meet new regulations.

• Cost-Effectiveness Over Direct Profit: Oxyle’s business model focuses on long-term cost-effectiveness and scalability rather than immediate profit margins from their hardware, choosing to earn through operational excellence and service.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-oxyle-destroys-pfas-with-the-energy-youd-actually-waste/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

New Segment! The 7 insights to take home and act upon from my podcast guest this week: Johnny Pujol.

For the ones that don't have a paper and a pen with them during the interview, that's my way to share you my notes.

What can we learn from Peter Christou's rollercoaster of a ride as the President and Founder of Swirltex? Well, quite a lot if you ask me, starting with these seven insights I wrote down and number one:

1. Navigating Market Entry

2. Collaboration and Partnerships

3. Embrace Serendipity in R&D

4. Perseverance Through Hardship

5. Take Bold Risks with Applications

6. Leadership and Team Dynamics

7. Impact Over Profit

I'd say that each of these insights from Swirltex's journey offers valuable lessons on navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship in the water sector. They highlight the blend of passion, innovation, and strategic thinking necessary to not only survive but thrive in this, as you know it, demanding field.

Anyways, there you have it, my 7 insights from Peter Christou in under 7 minutes, if you disagree with my selection, tell me, and if you'd like to dive deeper, well listen to the full interview!

Remember, that episode came to you free of charge, but I would believe not free of value. It takes me quite some time to put all of those together every week, so all I'm asking is for you to help me distribute them! So take this episode, share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, and I'll be back with another one next week! 

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-swirltex-nearly-crushed-its-founder-before-taking-off/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Peter Christou had a water membrane epiphany in his garage in Edmonton. But a terrible timing and some financial difficulties of one of his investors basically turned him... homeless, and in the need to steal food to survive. As Swirltex has since soared and proved its worth, let's explore the full story!

More #water insights?

Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

🔗 Swirltex's Website: https://swirltex.com/

🔗 Come say Hi to Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-christou-4b758043/

🔗 My article on this week's conversation: https://dww.show/how-swirltex-nearly-crushed-its-founder-before-taking-off/

🔗 My conversation with one of Peter's Investor, John Robinson: https://dww.show/how-to-mitigate-4-shades-of-water-risk-through-impact-investing/

🔗 Mazarine Ventures' website: https://www.mazarineventures.com/

🔗 Alberta Innovates' website: https://albertainnovates.ca/news/swirltex-puts-a-spin-on-innovation/

🔗 The Creative Destruction Labs: https://creativedestructionlab.com/

🔗 E3 Lithium: https://e3lithium.ca/

🔗 LithiumBank: https://www.lithiumbank.ca/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

#WaterMembranes #WaterTech #WasteWater #Lithium

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Swirltex, the company represented by Peter Christou, develops unique membrane technologies that optimize filtration processes. The company distinguishes itself by manipulating the buoyancy of liquids to enhance filtration efficiency, which is particularly effective in industries where traditional membranes fail. This technology not only reduces energy consumption by up to 70% but also improves flux rates, offering a sustainable solution particularly useful in sectors like oil and gas, mining, and municipal water treatment.

In the podcast, Peter Christou elaborates on Swirltex's innovative approach to membrane technology, which is designed to improve filtration efficiency by manipulating the buoyancy of liquids and integrating air flow. This method reduces the energy consumption of membrane systems by up to 70% and enhances flux rates, making it a game-changer in industries where conventional membranes fail, such as oil and gas and mining. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of this technology for environmental sustainability and how it can reshape industry standards for water treatment and reuse.

Unique Insights:

1. Swirltex's approach to increasing filtration efficiency by manipulating liquid buoyancy and using air flows represents a significant innovation in membrane technology.

2. The company's focus on industrial applications where conventional membranes are less effective showcases a strategic move to tap unexplored markets.

3. Their technology not only addresses the efficiency but also significantly cuts down on energy use, marking a step forward in eco-friendly industrial processes.

Key Ideas:

• Innovative Membrane Use: Swirltex's technology uses a combination of air and water flow to prevent fouling and improve the efficiency of membrane filtration.

• Energy Efficiency: The technology significantly reduces the energy required for operating membranes, which is crucial for sustainability in resource-intensive industries.

• Market Adaptation: Swirltex has successfully adapted its technology for challenging applications like oil and grease-heavy industries, where traditional membranes struggle.

• Environmental Impact: By improving the efficiency and reducing the energy consumption of membrane systems, Swirltex contributes to environmental sustainability.

• Cultural and Operational Shift: The technology developed by Swirltex necessitates a shift in how industries think about and implement filtration systems, moving towards more sustainable and efficient practices.

Counter-Intuitive Facts:

1. Energy Reduction in Filtration: Swirltex's technology uses air to manipulate buoyancy, which counter-intuitively reduces energy consumption by 70% compared to traditional methods .

2. Application in Difficult Industries: Unlike typical membrane applications, Swirltex successfully operates in sectors with high fouling risks like oil and grease industries, traditionally challenging for membrane tech .

3. Adaptability to Market Needs: Swirltex's strategic focus on non-traditional markets for membranes allows it to tap into new areas, proving that membranes can be highly effective outside conventional settings like municipal water treatment .

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-swirltex-nearly-crushed-its-founder-before-taking-off/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Reinhard Hübner (CEO of SKion Water) was my guest on the first episode of the Season 5 of the podcast, a bit more than 2 years ago.

To this date, it's still one of the most successful episodes of all time (check it out here: https://dww.show/the-7-secrets-of-the-water-company-of-the-year-you-shall-absolutely-steal/)

Since then, SKion has led... 13 M&A moves! So, since that first appearance on the podcast, every time I meet Reinhard or his Managing Director, Dirk Brusis, I make it a rule to always question them about their next M&A.

This time, it was on record during the recent Global Water Summit (https://www.watermeetsmoney.com/), and I thought you might want to hear about it, as it's a packed 15-minute conversation, with lots (like... LOTS!) of insights inside.

About SKion Water:

SKion Water is an influential player in both the municipal and industrial water treatment sectors across Europe and North America. The company is pioneering the construction of wastewater recycling plants and deploying advanced technologies for groundwater infiltration of river water. With a budgeted turnover of 1.4 billion for the current year, SKion Water is also involved in global markets, emphasizing sustainability and technical innovation to ensure water security amidst climate change.

Episode Summary:

In this discussion, Reinhard Hübner of SKion Water outlines the company's strategic responses to the challenges posed by climate change on water resources. He discusses the construction of advanced wastewater recycling plants in Germany, a pioneering effort reflecting a shift from traditional practices due to increasing water scarcity influenced by climate change. Hübner emphasizes the necessity of integrating municipal and industrial water management solutions, highlighting projects in both Europe and North America. The conversation also touches on the company’s growth and innovation strategies, noting a slowdown in acquisitions but continued investment in essential technologies and market expansions. Regulatory challenges like the new PFAS guidelines are addressed with proactive technological solutions, showcasing SKion Water's commitment to sustainable and compliant operations. Throughout the interview, the importance of decentralized operations and the integration of new technologies for efficient water management are discussed as critical elements of SKion Water's approach to addressing the global water crisis.

Key Ideas

1. Climate Change and Water Security: Climate change is creating severe impacts on water availability, affecting both natural ecosystems and human needs. SKion Water is working on solutions like the reuse of municipal wastewater to combat these challenges.

2. Municipal Wastewater Reuse in Germany: The company is constructing Germany’s first municipal wastewater reuse plant, which reflects a significant shift in traditional water management practices in the country.

3. Innovation and Growth: Despite a recent slowdown in acquisitions, SKion Water continues to expand strategically, integrating new technologies and markets into its portfolio.

4. Regulatory Challenges and Solutions: Facing new environmental regulations, SKion Water is investing in technologies such as those for on-site PFAS destruction, highlighting the company’s proactive approach to compliance and sustainability.

5. Cultural and Operational Adaptations: The company’s adaptation to various global markets showcases its flexible approach to business, emphasizing understanding and integration before expansion.

Stay tuned for more: I recorded 8 pieces at the Summit, so I won't put you ALL in this feed like this one, but I'll share you the key insights in the coming weeks!

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this special episode of our podcast, Reinhard Hübner from SKion Water joins host Antoine Walter to dive deep into the transformative strategies needed to combat water scarcity brought on by climate change. As the world faces increasingly severe ecological disruptions, SKion Water is leading the charge with innovative water management solutions, including the construction of Germany's first municipal wastewater recycling plant and the adoption of advanced groundwater infiltration technologies. This conversation is not just about the technicalities of water treatment but a forward-looking discussion on the sustainability and adaptation required to secure water resources for future generations. Tune in to understand why water reuse is no longer optional but necessary, and how decentralized operations enhance adaptability across the globe.

Links & Resources:

• European Water Reuse Association

• Thames Water

• Ecopreneur

• OVIVO

• Fido (Leak Detection Technology)

• E2metrix (PFAS Treatment)

• Global Water Summit (Podcast Venue)

Quotes:

• "If you talk security and changing a planet, the security piece is where's the water going to come from for people?" – Reinhard Hübner

• "We need to come up with technical solutions to make water security happen." – Reinhard Hübner

Closing Remarks: Thank you for tuning into this enlightening discussion with Reinhard Hübner. If this conversation about the innovative strategies SKion Water is implementing to ensure water security resonates with you, please remember to rate, follow, and share our podcast. Your engagement helps us bring more insightful discussions like this to you. Don’t forget to leave a review if you enjoyed the episode!

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

New Segment! The 7 insights to take home and act upon from my podcast guest this week: Johnny Pujol.

For the ones that don't have a paper and a pen with them during the interview, that's my way to share you my notes.

What can we learn from Johnny's path from selling vacuum cleaners on QVC to rolling out a network of water quality testing across North America and Europe, and in a close future maybe leading SimpleLab to IPO? Well, quite a lot, starting with this seven insight I wrote down:

Customer-Driven Innovation:

Flexibility in Business Strategy:

Maintaining Customer Trust:

Leveraging Digital Tools for Marketing and Efficiency:

Scaling Through User-Friendly Services:

Strategic Phased International Expansion:

Building Strong Partnerships:

And there you have it, my 7 insights from Johnny Pujol in under 7 minutes, if you disagree with my selection, come tell me on LinkedIn or by mail ([email protected]), and if you'd like to dive deeper, well listen to the full interview - you can also jump straight into the chapter you'd like, I'm paving the road, now it's on you to take action!

Remember, that episode came to you free of charge, but I would believe not free of value. It takes me quite some time to put all of those together every week, so all I'm asking is for you to help me distribute them! So take this episode, share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, and I'll be back with another one next week!

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What once was a struggling Arsenic Removal company pivoted to a soaring Lab Logistics powerhouse, just about to expand from its US base to Europe! All on the back of... one simple advice you can apply today. Shall we explore this further? (of course, yes!)

More #water insights?

Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

🔗 SimpleLab's Website: https://gosimplelab.com/

🔗 TapScore's Website https://mytapscore.com/

🔗 Come say Hi to Johnny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnypujol/

🔗 My conversation with one of Johnny's Investor, John Robinson: https://dww.show/how-to-mitigate-4-shades-of-water-risk-through-impact-investing/

🔗 The Rethinking Water Conference in New York (and my coverage of the Water Crisis in America): https://dww.show/water-crisis-in-america/

🔗 My conversation with Megan Glover from 120Water: https://dww.show/whats-hidden-in-your-tap-water-dont-worry-your-utility-doesnt-really-know-better/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

01:19 How to Test your Water

03:57 Who was first, SimpleLab or TapScore?

08:32 SimpleLab's Elevator Pitch

10:39 Pivoting from Arsenic Removal to Lab Logistics

15:24 Who gave SimpleLab a Winning Hint?

16:30 SimpleLab's ugly 2017 & 2018

18:14 What was SimpleLab's first product?

20:01 What did it change to Venture into B2B?

23:13 What is SimpleLab disrupting and how?

24:43 How much do Labs "love" SimpleLab?

26:29 SimpleLab's Business Model

28:07 SimpleLab vs 120Water

29:50 Who's competition to SimpleLab?

32:13 What's TapScore's Bestseller?

34:00 How should a Water Quality Test result look like?

36:49 Will TapScore roll out in Europe?

38:32 What's next for SimpleLab?

40:20 Could SimpleLab sell your Data?

44:02 What is SimpleLab's exit route?

46:15 Rapid Fire Questions

52:56 7 Insights from SimpleLab's CEO & Co-Founder

59:04 Conclusion

#WaterTest #LabTest #SimpleLab #WaterTech

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Johnny Pujol's company, SimpleLab started with a focus on arsenic removal technology but pivoted to consumer-focused water quality testing. Their approach utilizes direct-to-consumer engagement, providing testing kits through their platform, mytapscore.com, which allows customers to understand what's in their drinking water. This model turned out to be commercially successful and scalable compared to the original technology-focused venture.Innovations in water technology can drive faster economic growth than traditional industrial investments.

The central theme of the conversation is about pivoting a business model from developing arsenic removal technology to providing direct consumer water testing services. This shift occurred when the founders realized that direct engagement with customers about water quality issues through testing was more scalable and sustainable as a business model than their initial focus.

Unique Insights:

• The company capitalized on the specific needs for community engagement and education about water quality, which were not adequately addressed by existing solutions.

• They utilized direct consumer feedback to pivot their business towards a more sustainable model focused on water testing rather than just technology deployment.

• The realization that transparency and direct consumer interaction could be a profitable business model in the water quality industry.

Key Ideas:

1. Business Pivot: The initial business model focused on a technology for arsenic removal, which was pivoted to consumer water testing due to scalability challenges and market needs.

2. Consumer Engagement: The new business model thrives on high engagement levels with consumers, providing them with detailed information about their water quality, which has shown high demand and customer satisfaction.

3. Market Expansion: The company is exploring further expansion into B2B sectors and international markets, adapting their successful consumer model to new demographics and regulatory environments.

Quotes:

1. "We were going to these towns in central Valley, and the best part about it is that when we tell them what's in their drinking water, everyone is listening."

2. "You've made a company; you've filed the paperwork; you have some money in the bank. You've learned a lot."

3. "It's like, suddenly the quiet classroom has come alive."

4. "You should just sell water tests."

5. "And then it just started working right? Like the magical thing happened."

Counter-Intuitive Facts:

1. Direct Consumer Testing as a Business Model: Initially, the concept of selling water tests directly to consumers was not seen as a viable business model, but it proved to be highly successful due to unmet market needs.

2. Pivoting from Technology to Service: Pivoting from a complex arsenic removal technology to a simpler consumer service was counterintuitive but resulted in better scalability and market penetration.

3. Community Engagement Over Pure Technology: Focusing on community engagement and education about water quality rather than just the technological solution to contamination proved more effective in building a sustainable business.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-simplelab-turned-an-arsenic-removal-failure-into-a-lab-logistics-success/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

New Segment! The 7 insights to take home and act upon from my podcast guest this week: Craig Beckman.

For the ones that don't have a paper and a pen with them during the interview, that's my way to share you my notes.

Craig has been active in the water sector for over three decades. And even though he has the humility to highlight how "even veterans need to learn" I would trust him to have a bunch of insights to share!

So here's my selection of the 7 things to take home from my conversation, and my hours of preparation and post-production, with the CEO of Aqua Membranes.

Innovation Needs Grit and Laser Focus

Sustainability: The New Business Currency

Tech Innovations: Paving the Future of Water

Strategic Investment: Crafting the Perfect Blend

Market Adoption: Bold Moves Make the Difference

Water's Economic Impact: Undervalued but Vital

Vision for Change: More Than Just a Drop in the Ocean

I could have taken more, but I think seven is a good chunk to go out and apply, so here you have it.

If you think I've missed one that's even more important than those seven, come tell me on LinkedIn or by mail ([email protected]). 

Remember, that episode came to you free of charge, but I would believe not free of value. It takes me quite some time to put all of those together every week, so all I'm asking is for you to help me distribute them! So take this episode, share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, and I'll be back with another one next week!

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Do you want more Flux, better energy efficiency, or lower maintenance from your Reverse Osmosis membrane? Here's where to start!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Aqua Membranes' YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AquaMembranes 

Aqua Membranes' website: https://aquamembranes.com/

Craig's email: [email protected]

My "Ultimate" membrane guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUpiL_x7680

John Robinson discusses Impact Investing: https://dww.show/how-to-mitigate-4-shades-of-water-risk-through-impact-investing/

Chris Wyres presents Evove: https://dww.show/how-to-eradicate-dead-zones-cut-energy-needs-by-80-and-double-lithium-selectivity/

The Leading WaterTech Accelerator, Imagine H2O: https://dww.show/how-to-build-the-world-leading-water-innovation-accelerator-imagine-h2o/

Tom Ferguson's take on Venture Capital in #WaterTech https://dww.show/the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-venture-capital/

Zwitterions as a new material for Membranes? https://dww.show/zwitterions-super-powers-could-solve-wastewater-membranes-number-one-problem/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

01:20 Why Membrane Companies attracted $300 Million of Growth Capital

04:40 What is a Membrane Spacer?

06:37 What's wrong with Membrane Spacers?

08:01 Why do Membrane Majors skip the Spacers?

10:47 Does the PERFECT Membrane Spacer exist?

13:06 How far can you customize a Membrane Spacer?

14:49 How did Craig Beckman join Aqua Membranes?

18:09 Aqua Membranes' first product (and what they learned from it)

20:46 Did Failure nudge them to Give Up?

22:00 Aqua Membranes' product compatibility

23:53 Spacer, 3D-Printing or Membrane Company?

25:15 How to fit within the Membrane Vertical

29:09 How to guarantee performances as a Start-Up

33:03 Establishing Go-To Market Routes

34:59 How to License your Technology

35:57 Ramping up production capacity

36:38 Raising Money

39:25 Working with majors (Pentair & Kurita)

42:17 The pitfalls of branding as a Start-Up

45:09 The perks of start-up accelerators (Imagine H2O, BREW)

48:02 Speeding up market adoption as a Water Tech

54:13 Path to Impact (and Exit)

55:51 Building a Membrane Giant

57:46 Rapid Fire Questions

01:05:10 7 Insights to Take Home

01:10:35 Conclusion

#WaterEntrepreneurs #Membranes

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

AquaMembranes is a company that develops novel water treatment technologies, specifically focusing on enhancing the efficiency of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. Their technology is designed to use less energy and improve the lifespan of membranes, thereby providing both environmental and economic benefits to communities and industries in need.

The podcast features a deep dive into how water technology, particularly the innovations by AquaMembranes, plays a pivotal role in both safeguarding environmental sustainability and bolstering economic performance. Craig Beckman discusses the company’s approach to improving reverse osmosis membranes which significantly reduces energy consumption and extends membrane life—key factors in reducing operational costs and enhancing water availability. The conversation also covers the broader economic impacts of water management, investment trends in green technologies, and the challenges in scaling and adopting new technologies. Insights into the dynamics between financial goals and sustainability objectives offer a nuanced view of the water tech industry’s future.

I hope this teaser makes you crave for more!

If you dive into this week's full release of the podcast, you'll learn how:

🚀 AquaMembranes' technology uniquely prints spacers directly onto membranes, increasing efficiency and decreasing energy use.

📈 The discussion touches on the broader implications of water management on global economies, hinting at water's role as a more critical economic driver than oil.

💪 Insights into the challenges and opportunities in scaling water tech innovations, particularly through partnerships and investment in sustainability-focused ventures.

We also address and discuss:

• Water as an Economic Enabler: Water management not only supports sustainability goals but also boosts economic activity by enabling more efficient industrial and municipal water use.

• Innovative Water Technologies: AquaMembranes’ approach to improving RO membrane systems can dramatically reduce energy requirements and operational costs.

• Investment and Market Adoption: There's a significant discussion about the need for more robust investment in water technologies and the market challenges related to adopting new systems.

• Sustainability and Business Growth: The intersection of sustainability goals with business operations is a recurring theme, emphasizing that environmental strategies can also drive business success.

Some quotes:

• "Water enables economies more than oil does." - Craig Beckman

• "Risk is worth it, fortune favors the brave." - Craig Beckman

• "Our sole thesis is greenhouse gas reduction." - Investor comment on shifting focus to water technologies

• "We're doubling down on existing markets." - Craig Beckman

• "You have to start somewhere." - Craig Beckman on business strategy

Some more facts we discuss:

• Despite its critical importance, water is often undervalued economically compared to other resources like oil.

• Water management technology can lead to significant reductions in energy usage, contrary to the assumption that environmental sustainability always comes at a higher cost.

• Innovations in water technology can drive faster economic growth than traditional industrial investments.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-aqua-membranes-prints-three-dimensional-benefits-for-mesh-addicts/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

New Segment! The 7 insights to take home and act upon from my podcast guest this week: Julie Bliss Mullen.

For the ones that don't have a paper and a pen with them during the interview, that's my way to share you my notes.

Narrowing the insights shared by Julie to just seven was a challenge, but hey, it's the rule I set, so this week I've got:

1. Focus on Market Needs and Testing Hypotheses

2. Innovate Within Niche Markets Before Expanding

3. Customer-Driven Development

4. Leverage Strategic Partnerships and Investments

5. Preparation for Regulatory Compliance

6. Strategic Hiring and Team Building

7. Bootstrapping and Careful Financial Management

As I said, I could have taken more, but I think seven is a good chunk to go out and apply, so here you have it.

If you think I've missed one that's even more important than those seven, come tell me on LinkedIn or by mail ([email protected]). 

Remember, that episode came to you free of charge, but I would believe not free of value. It takes me quite some time to put all of those together every week, so all I'm asking is for you to help me distribute them! So take this episode, share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, and I'll be back with another one next week!

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How do you survive six years on "just" grants while hiring a team, running 15 pilots, pivoting from B2C, and succeeding in PFAS Destruction at scale where many failed? Aclarity did it! Wanna find out how and how spectacular acceleration was around the corner? Listen to this episode!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Episode #️⃣

Aclarity's website https://www.aclaritywater.com/

Julie Bliss Mullen's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieblissmullen/

Julie's Email [email protected]

My conversation with Sivan Zamir (Xylem Innovation Labs) https://dww.show/passing-the-baton-how-to-bring-innovation-to-market-faster-more-reliably/

My conversation with Max Storto (Xylem Innovation Labs) https://dww.show/growing-10-wonder-kids-from-5-to-50-clients-with-0-equity-xylems-weirdest-move/

Tom Ferguson on my mic (aka Julie's VC) https://dww.show/the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-venture-capital/

Another take on PFAS Removal with SuperCritical Water Oxidation (374Water) https://dww.show/is-supercritical-water-oxidation-a-solution-for-pfas-energy-more/

Electrochemical removal of PFAS and more with Axine Water https://dww.show/the-best-industrial-wastewater-treatment-system-is-the-one-you-forget/

An early take on this mic' on Micropollutant removal with Oxyle https://dww.show/how-to-solve-a-global-challenge-in-an-easy-affordable-innovative-and-efficient-way/

Julie's independent Board Member, Wayne Byrne (on my mic', of course!) https://dww.show/four-successful-exits-and-counting-whats-next-disrupting-uv-disinfection/

Full blog article: https://dww.show/how-aclarity-bootstrapped-its-journey-from-b2c-to-pfas-destruction/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

02:18 Why is Aclarity a Water Tech "Cool Kid"?

04:22 Are we doomed with PFAS?

05:35 If PFAS is in 98% of people's blood, is it really dangerous?

06:43 Aclarity's elevator pitch

08:06 is Aclarity competing with Ion Exchange and Activated Carbon?

09:55 is Aclarity 10-50x better than competition?

11:40 Aclarity's founder story

14:09 The hints that nudged Julie to create Aclarity

15:30 Turning academic research into a business

16:48 Delegating your "baby" as a water tech founder

18:53 Key Learnings from the first 3 Years in Business

19:45 Aclarity's first prototype

23:33 How to pick your niche

26:27 How to partner with Big Groups

27:46 How did big water companies find Aclarity?

29:29 Working with Xylem vs Working with De Nora

31:15 Bootstrapped by design?

32:57 How to survive 6 years with $2 Million

34:45 Handling a first VC as a Water Tech Start Up

38:28 How a Seed Investor accepts next funding rounds

41:15 Does company valuation matter for a water tech founder?

44:15 What's next in the PFAS Removal landscape?

46:30 How much does it cost to remove PFAS?

47:55 Aclarity's Business Model

48:57 Does Aclarity solve all kinds of PFAS?

53:42 What will the EPA regulation on PFAS change?

58:35 Could Aclarity be acquired? By whom?

01:01:38 Rapid Fire Questions

01:05:31 7 Insights to Act On (right now!)

#WaterTech #WaterUnicorn #WaterEntrepreneurship

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Aclarity is pioneering in the field of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) destruction, developing proprietary systems - aka cool water tech - that not only treat but also destroy PFAS in liquid waste. The technology presents a significant advancement over traditional treatment methods, offering an economical and efficient solution to a pressing environmental issue.

I hope this teaser makes you crave for more!

If you dive into this week's full release of the podcast, you'll learn how:

🚀 Aclarity’s technology signifies a radical departure from conventional PFAS treatment methods, focusing on destruction rather than containment, which could set new industry standards.

📈 The market for PFAS management is dynamic, with significant growth potential, indicating room for multiple successful technologies and companies.

💪 Aclarity's journey underscores the importance of agility and focus in developing and deploying breakthrough environmental technologies, especially in fields dominated by larger, less nimble entities.

We also address and discuss:

• PFAS Challenge: PFAS compounds, due to their widespread use and persistence, pose a significant environmental and health risk, necessitating advanced solutions for their management and eradication.

• Technological Innovation: Aclarity's electrochemical technology represents a novel approach to PFAS destruction, with the potential to transform the industry's approach to dealing with these contaminants.

• Market Dynamics: The PFAS management market is evolving rapidly, driven by regulatory changes and increasing awareness of the dangers posed by these substances. Eclarity's success could help catalyze broader market growth and innovation.

• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with larger entities like Xylem or De Nora and participation in accelerator programs have helped Aclarity gain credibility, refine its technology, and access essential resources for growth.

Some quotes:

• "PFAS destruction is hard... but we figured it out." - Julie Bliss Mullen

• "There's a place for all of us in the PFAS management market." - Julie Bliss Mullen

• "Every time we've leveled up... it's because of a fundraiser or... enjoying the team." - Julie Bliss Mullen

• "Full-scale economic PFAS destruction is here. Give us a chance." - Julie Bliss Mullen

• "If any of us are super successful, we're all gonna be super successful." - Julie Bliss Mullen

Some more facts we discuss:

• Despite the strength of the carbon-fluorine bond in PFAS, making it seemingly indestructible, Aclarity's technology is capable of breaking it down efficiently.

• Even as a startup, Aclarity can compete with and potentially surpass larger companies in the PFAS management sector due to its specialized focus and innovative approach.

• The PFAS problem is often considered too massive and costly to tackle effectively, yet Aclarity's solution offers an economical and scalable approach to not just manage but destroy these contaminants.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-aclarity-bootstrapped-its-journey-from-b2c-to-pfas-destruction/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How do you go in just a decade from an MIT lab to a billion-dollar valuation in Water Tech? Everybody thought it was impossible until... Gradiant did it! Wanna find out how and what's next? Listen to this episode!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Will Gradiant succeed with H+E where SUEZ, Stulz, and Rena failed? https://youtu.be/GMk99gRjRSc?si=zAWY2rfg3GXFSWt2E

Gradiant's website: https://www.gradiant.com/

The Global Water Awards 2024: https://globalwaterawards.com/

Prakash Govindan's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-govindan-87168310/

The 3 VCs that made money in Water Tech (the greatest success being... Gradiant): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLn4j3w0P0

Full blog article: https://dww.show/how-gradiant-became-the-first-and-only-water-tech-unicorn/

Prakash Govindan on My Climate Journey: https://www.mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/gradiant

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

02:29 Will Gradiant be named Water Company of the Year?

04:20 Gradiant's "Special Sauce" by Prakash Govindan

05:46 How big is Gradiant today?

07:06 Where does Gradiant's journey start?

14:33 How did Gradiant strive where Incumbents gave up?

16:38 Why did Gradiant focus on the industrial market?

18:35 What is Turing, Gradiant's new AI spin out?

20:25 When did Gradiant start expanding its water tech portfolio?

23:02 How does Gradiant open a new region?

26:10 The secret to Gradiant's "Proprietary Deals"

30:50 How does Gradiant engineer its "unfair advantage"

31:23 Gradiant's unbelievable employee participation scheme

33:41 What's next after their record-breaking Series D?

36:53 Will Gradiant ever enter the municipal market?

38:04 Are Gradiant's founders ready to pass the baton?

39:53 Gradiant's new verticals: PFAS & DLE

42:20 Gradiant's two aces up their PFAS Removal sleeve

45:33 Gradiant's M&A tricks

48:18 Succeeding with H+E Mission Impossible?

50:07 Gradiant's plans for Europe

50:46 Gradiant's next M&A moves

51:50 What makes Gradiant the 2024 Water Company of the Year?

54:38 Rapid Fire Questions

57:53 7 Insights from the First Ever Water Tech Unicorn

#WaterTech #WaterUnicorn #WaterEntrepreneurship

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What will you learn about Gradiant, the first-ever Water Tech Unicorn, if you listen to this week's release of the Podcast? Well, I have seven insights for you, starting with number one:

1. Innovative Business Model and Focus on Proprietary Solutions: A significant portion of Gradiant's projects (60%) are sole-sourced, meaning they face no competition for these projects because they develop the solution from scratch for their client. This approach underscores the importance of offering bespoke, innovative solutions to clients' unique problems, a strategy that can be crucial for startups, sure, but also for anyone aiming to differentiate themselves in the competitive and sometimes commoditized water market!

2. Emphasis Rapid Technology Development: Gradiant's success is partly attributed to their philosophy of pushing technology to market quickly, embracing the concept of Minimum Viable Product (MVP). They focus on developing technologies that are good enough to solve the problem at hand and getting them into the field for testing, rather than waiting for a perfect solution. This approach accelerates adoption and allows for real-world feedback to refine that said technology.

3. Attracting and Retaining Talent through Generous Incentives: If Prakash is so certain that Gradiant's special sauce lies in its people, it's no wonder that Gradiant has set a high industry standard by allocating 7% of the company for employee participation, excluding the founders. This generous approach to employee equity is indicative of the value they place on their team's contribution to the company's success and can serve as a model for how startups might consider structuring their own incentive programs.

4. Building a Strong Company Culture and Team: I just touched on how Gradiant attributes a large part of their success to the quality of their team and the company culture they have cultivated. Well, this emphasis on assembling a talented and culturally cohesive team highlights the importance of not just technical skills, but also the alignment of values and vision within the company.

5. Leveraging Acquisitions for Strategic Growth: Gradiant's strategic acquisitions, particularly in markets where organic growth would be too slow or challenging, demonstrate the value of targeted M&A activities to rapidly expand capabilities and market presence. There's again a talent aspect to this, as their approach to keeping and incentivizing the talent within acquired companies further emphasizes the importance of people in Gradiant's growth strategy.

6. Adapting Business Models to Market Needs: Gradiant's ability to adapt their business model, such as the Build-Own-Operate (BOO) approach that got them started in Oil & Gas and still gets applied today on certain projects, showcases their flexibility in meeting client needs and market demands. This adaptability is a critical strategy for navigating the complex and varied global water market. Note as well that they don't claim they've been super clever in using this approach; they actually "stole" it from their customers! Listen and adapt; there's win-win potential in that.

7. Emphasis on R&D and Innovation Centers: The establishment of innovation centers in strategic locations underscores Gradiant's commitment to continuous innovation and development of bespoke solutions. This approach not only fuels their pipeline of proprietary technologies but also positions them as a globally local leader in water tech and in the water industry. 

I could have taken more, but I think seven is a good chunk to go out and apply, so here you have it. If you think I've missed one that's even more important than those seven, come tell me on LinkedIn or by mail (my mail is in the description). 

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-gradiant-became-the-first-and-only-water-tech-unicorn/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Video Version: https://youtu.be/8hjsmIyC9gg

Did $330 Million Go To Waste in 2023 in Water Tech? 72 Venture Capital deals were closed last year (out of 106 deals overall), which, according to later-stage investors like Brian Iversen, is, at best, a gamble. So is it? Let's find out!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Brian Iversen's article - Why Venture Capital is Failing in Water

Brian Iversen on the DWW Podcast

Tom Ferguson on the DWW Podcast

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Growth Capital investment in Water Tech in 2023

01:04 The investor that didn't believe in VC for Water Tech

02:56 The Rules

03:23 VC 1 that may have earned money in Water Tech

04:25 How much?

06:53 VC 2 that made a big buck in Water Tech

08:28 How much?

10:19 VC 3 who won a jackpot in Water Tech

12:08 How much?

13:47 VC 3 reacts (unexpectedly!)

14:20 Summary & Next Steps

🎵 MUSIC 🎵

Don't Start Now (Instrumental) by Dua Lipa, https://t.lickd.co/enLNMWkMoB2 License ID: 28j6xQa8yA9

Rise (Instrumental) by Jonas Blue, https://t.lickd.co/7bPkg1VX2Py License ID: DlJlvwog6OY

Sorry (Instrumental) by Justin Bieber, https://t.lickd.co/eg8RdoR5vOP License ID: qbMDEn2dvy0

Viva La Vida (Instrumental) by Coldplay, https://t.lickd.co/RlK5P5A4nW8 License ID: eJmJAw6RLWo

#WaterInvestment #WaterTech #WaterFinance

About this Channel: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water channel! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, water tech, water finance & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Did $330 Million Go To Waste in 2023 in Water Tech? 72 Venture Capital deals were closed last year, which, according to Brian Iversen, is, at best, a gamble. Wanna get his rationale? Then listen to this episode!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Cimbria Capital https://cimbriacapital.com/

Cimbria Consulting https://cimbria-consulting.com/

Cimbria Nord https://www.linkedin.com/company/cimbria-nord/

Why Venture Capital is Failing in Water https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-venture-capital-failing-water-brian-v-iversen/

Brian Iversen's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianviversen/

Tom Ferguson on the DWW Podcast https://dww.show/the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-venture-capital/

Reinhard Hübner on the DWW Podcast https://dww.show/the-7-secrets-of-the-water-company-of-the-year-you-shall-absolutely-steal/

Paul O'Callaghan on the DWW Podcast https://dww.show/how-long-will-it-take-to-grow-the-4-stages-of-water-innovation/

John Robinson on the DWW Podcast https://dww.show/how-to-mitigate-4-shades-of-water-risk-through-impact-investing/

My full blog entry: https://dww.show/an-unpopular-challenging-yet-true-take-on-venture-capital-in-water/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

02:18 Did someone ever succeed with Venture Capital in Water?

05:06 Introducing Brian Iversen (Cimbria Capital)

06:07 Is Brian's 2019 Article on Venture Capital still valid in 2024?

11:32 The Problem with Venture Capital in Water Tech

13:44 What are Cimbria Capital, Consulting and Nord?

17:29 What is Cimbria investing in?

19:19 What's Cimbria's Typical Participation in their investments?

21:06 Does Cimbria target specific verticals?

22:52 Could Venture Capital succeed in subsections of the Water Market?

25:46 Is Investing in Water Tech REALLY risky?

30:11 Are Membrane Companies VC's Darling?

35:52 What's the story of Cimbria's First Exit?

37:43 How does Growth Equity rebuild a Midsized Companies Layer?

38:49 Is a struggling company the perfect investment?

39:56 How does Cimbria source its investment deals?

41:08 Could Cimbria become an acquisition target?

42:37 What is Cimbria building over the long run?

44:16 Is ESG Investment any serious?

46:01 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterInvestment #WaterTech #WaterFinance

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Water resilience, especially in the face of climate change, demands innovative and strategic solutions. Mekorot, Israel's national water company, exemplifies this by advancing water management and infrastructure to ensure sustainable water supply amidst growing challenges.

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Yossi Yaacoby's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yossi-yaacoby-9b05bb34/

Global Water Summit (including the Water Resilience workshop): https://www.watermeetsmoney.com/

Mekorot's Website: https://www.mekorot.co.il/

OECD's report on Climate Resilient Infrastructure: https://www.oecd.org/environment/cc/policy-perspectives-climate-resilient-infrastructure.pdf

What does resilience mean for urban water services: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26270048

Global Water Resilience Analysis of Water Distribution Systems: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135416307473

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

02:50 Introducing Water Resilience

04:40 Work with me!

05:14 Introducing Yossi Yaacoby

07:04 Mekorot's Elevator Pitch

09:05 Mekorot's Role in the Water Start-Up Nation

10:40 Water Resilience as a key Pillar of Mekorot's approach

13:57 Climate Change's influence on Infrastructure Planning

16:41 Concrete Examples of Climate Adaptation by Mekorot

21:41 Mekorot's role in the World's Water Resilience

24:01 Mekorot's International Activities

26:19 Nature Based Solutions by Mekorot

28:29 Who will emulate Israel's National Water Law?

30:48 Mekorot's Water Resilience Workshop at the Global Water Summit 2024

32:55 A water resilience workshop: for whom?

34:42 Mekorot's role in the 10 Years to come

36:21 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterResilience #Mekorot #GWS24

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We've got 6 water crises to solve: Water for the wealthy, the many, the unconnected, for good health, for food, and for ecosystems. How do we do that? Let's ask David Sedlak, the author of "Water for All"

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

David Sedlak's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-sedlak-723b6937/

David Sedlak's "Water for All" https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300256932/water-for-all/

David Sedlak's "Water 4.0" https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vksm5

David Lloyd Owen's "Global Water Funding" https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-49454-4

Matt Damon & Gary White's "Worth of Water" https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/635415/the-worth-of-water-by-gary-white-and-matt-damon/

Peter Gleick's "Three Ages of Water" https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62873953

My full Blog Entry about today's topic https://dww.show/how-to-overcome-the-6-water-crises-ahead-the-rise-of-small-scale-solutions/

My conversation with David Lloyd Owen https://dww.show/3-paths-to-reach-sdg-6-by-2050-all-our-hopes-are-on-3/

My interview with Upmanu Lall https://dww.show/are-amazon-water-filters-the-best-way-to-quench-our-thirst/

My conversation with Piers Clark: https://dww.show/how-will-the-trial-reservoir-change-piloting-forever-and-for-good/

My full coverage of the UN Water Conference: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrmORG1scuqLQKWDuQWTKx9P8jPKvAZ9o&si=es59aiiyynlPJx72

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

01:49 David Sedlak's "Water for All"

03:59 Introducing David Sedlak

05:50 What did "Water 4.0" accomplish over the past 10 years?

08:20 What led to the Writing of "Water for All"?

11:17 What prevents us from solving the 6 Water Crises?

13:01 How do we zoom out to find the right holistic solution?

14:40 At what level shall we reach this holistic view of the challenge?

15:56 What's the public's understanding of the water crises ahead?

18:25 Do we educate the public enough on the water crises ahead?

23:00 Where on earth can we already see the Future in action?

24:39 How could we better support water tech early adopters?

27:31 Are we using our limited financial means efficiently?

31:54 What's the space for innovative solution-driven approaches?

34:45 What's to save from the 2023 UN Water Conference

38:17 Can we achieve SDG6? By when?

40:32 Should we support access to water to avoid massive water migration?

42:14 What's the role of water in geopolitical conflicts?

43:56 What's the role of technology in solving the water crises?

49:51 Who needs to read the book?

52:16 What's one story that stands out in the book?

53:59 Are you a change maker?

56:14 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterCrises #WaterBook #WaterPolicy

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you're wondering how to do water development even better (having seen MrBeast's 100 Wells for Africa masterpiece), listen to this!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Wanna work with me? Let's chat: [email protected]

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Kerstin's website: https://ask-for-water.ch/

Skat foundation's website: https://skat-foundation.ch/

Rural Water Supply Network's website: https://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/

RWSN's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@rural-water-supply-network

My full blog article: https://dww.show/the-dos-and-donts-of-rural-water-supply-100-days-after-mrbeasts-big-splash/

My comments on MrBeast's Video: https://youtu.be/Gyd1RaIF4tU?si=C5Ma3VCcpf53PS4E

My two cents on Water Charities: https://youtu.be/MI2J2oRszCA?si=SuEBr7Kecw88Hf6w

David Danberger's TED Talk: https://youtu.be/HGiHU-agsGY?si=Va9joHecXvmSmBis

🔗 Global Water's Real Water

🔗 Uptime Water

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste...

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

01:48 2400 Stadiums Full for a Water Story!

05:41 Introducing Kirsten Danert & Sean Furey

10:14 549 Million People in Rural Areas don't have access to Water

13:59 Is it Safe to drink Groundwater without Treatment?

15:50 What are the steps that Precede and Follow the Drilling of a Well?

19:47 Do Local Communities still trust Governments for their Access to Water?

21:54 What is the Lifetime of an NGO-installed Handpump in Sub-Saharan Africa?

27:17 Is Finance the main Road Block in terms of access to Safe Water?

28:49 Why can't we solve the apparently "simple" economic equation of access to Safe Water?

35:05 Should we defocus from water in order to better solve... water?

39:27 Would Generalizing micro-credit approaches be a viable solution?

41:59 Is "Money" clever enough to understand the full cycle of a Water Development Project?

48:58 What are 3 "DOs" and 3 "DON'Ts" of Water Development Projects?

51:25 What does it change that MrBeast focuses 155 Million people's attention on water development?

54:49 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterDevelopment #sdg6

About the Podcast:

Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this podcast is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Video Version: https://youtu.be/8hjsmIyC9gg

Diving into the world of water stocks is like riding a roller coaster that's mostly going down. Imagine putting your hard-earned money into companies that promise to clean water or make our water use smarter, only to find out later that your investment has shrunk big time!

And the other way round: imagine you've worked decades to build a water company, and you're turning it public, and its valuation is only going down, and down, and even more down...

I looked into 50-ish listed water tech companies to get to the bottom of what's happening with water stocks. It's not about pointing out any bad apples; it's about understanding a trend where even the companies that were supposed to be the next big thing in water tech are struggling to keep their stock prices from dropping.

Why is this happening? It's not because these companies aren't trying to do great things for our planet. They are!

But turning groundbreaking water technology into a successful business is a long and bumpy road. Plus, many investors jump in excited by the big promises but bail out when they realize it's not a quick win. This leaves these pioneering water tech companies in a tough spot. They need money to grow and make their technologies work on a big scale, but if their stock prices fall, getting that money becomes really hard.

So, what can they, you, we do? We need to get smarter about investing in water tech. We need to understand that backing these companies is not just for a quick profit but for helping them build something that matters - which in turn, don't worry, will turn in money.

#WaterStocks #WaterInvestment #WaterTech

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

with 🎙️ Tom Ferguson - Founder and Managing Partner @ Burnt Island Ventures

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Let's speak: [email protected]

Main Idea: Venture capital plays a crucial role in supporting water entrepreneurs and fostering innovation in the water sector, emphasizing the need for strategic investment and entrepreneurial agility to address the pressing challenges and opportunities within the industry.

Burnt Island Ventures: Burnt Island Ventures is a specialist early-stage fund for the water sector that finds, funds, and supports the best founders in water. Under Tom Ferguson's lead, BIV ignited a "water fire" from its first $30 million fund that closed in early 2022, and now holds stakes in 16 companies (such as ZwitterCo, Aclarity, Ziptility or Daupler)

Key Ideas:

1. Venture Capital in the Water Sector: Burnt Island Ventures applies venture capital principles to the water industry, aiming to identify and support startups that can significantly impact water sustainability and management.

2. Entrepreneurial Approach to Water Challenges: Tom Ferguson's journey from the Carbon Disclosure Project to Burnt Island Ventures illustrates the entrepreneurial mindset needed to tackle water-related challenges innovatively.

3. Tom's unfair advantage: Having intensively worked with water entrepreneurs at Imagine H2O, before and beyond, BIV's Managing Partner knows what to look for in a successful water entrepreneur and hence can improve repeatability in company performances

4. Investment Philosophy and Strategy: Burnt Island Ventures' strategy focuses on identifying startups with the potential for significant impact, emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurial market fit and the ability to navigate the unique challenges of the water industry.

5. Future of Water Entrepreneurship: The discussion suggests a growing interest and opportunity in water-related ventures driven by increasing challenges in water management and sustainability efforts.

Summary: Tom Ferguson's discussion provides an in-depth look at how venture capital can catalyze innovation in the water sector. Starting with his background in sustainability and the Carbon Disclosure Project, Ferguson outlines his journey to founding Burnt Island Ventures, motivated by the potential to make a significant impact on water management through strategic investments. The firm's distributed team structure and focus on digital workflows reflect modern business practices, allowing for flexibility and a global perspective on water challenges. Ferguson emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurial market fit and the unique approach Burnt Island Ventures takes in selecting startups for investment, including the critical role of understanding the water sector's complexities and potential for innovation. The conversation also highlights the growing trend of water entrepreneurship, driven by the urgent need for sustainable water solutions and the opportunities for venture capital to support transformative technologies and business models in this space.

Links:

🔗 Have a look at Burnt Island Ventures' website

🔗 Read the BIV Blog

🔗 Listen to the Fundamental Molecule

🔗 Read Brian Iversen's article I refer to in the introduction

🔗 Come say hi to Tom on LinkedIn

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: https://dww.show/big-data-deeper-insights-crafting-smarter-water-strategies/

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

with 🎙️ Sudhir Gadh - CEO & Founder @ Third Element Water

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Let's speak: [email protected]

Micro-dosed Lithium is a surprisingly under-researched field of water science, yet it seems to present a wealth of advantages (as I discovered in this deep dive that kind of fell on me!)

Adding a micro-dose of lithium to tap water could offer numerous health benefits, including improved heart function, bone formation, obesity and diabetes management, reduced risks of Alzheimer's, and more, due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Unique Insights

1. Lithium, at micro-doses, is linked to a wide array of health benefits, including lower rates of suicide, homicide, and various chronic diseases, without significant reported adverse effects.

2. Despite the potential health benefits of micro-dosed lithium, there is a notable lack of regulation and research into its use in drinking water, highlighting a gap in public health policies.

3. The historical stigma associated with lithium, primarily due to its use in treating severe mental disorders, may contribute to the current lack of traction for micro-dosed lithium as a health supplement.

Key Ideas

• Health Benefits of Lithium: Studies suggest that micro-doses of lithium in drinking water can lead to lower rates of suicide, homicide, and Alzheimer's disease. It has also been linked to greater overall wellness, enhanced cognitive abilities, and a potential slowing down of aging processes.

• Lithium's Regulatory Void: Despite its potential benefits, there are no specific regulations regarding the presence of lithium in drinking water, leading to a lack of awareness and control over its consumption.

• Historical Context: The use of lithium in beverages and medical treatments in the past led to both therapeutic benefits and health controversies, influencing current perceptions and regulations of its use.

• Current Research and Evidence: Recent studies continue to support the health benefits of lithium, yet there remains a significant gap in research, especially regarding its low-dose effects and potential adverse outcomes.

• The Role of Bottled Mineral Water: Some bottled waters naturally contain lithium in micro-doses, yet there is no obligation to label or promote this fact, leaving consumers unaware of their intake.

General Summary

This podcast episode delves into the surprising health benefits of adding a micro-dose of lithium to tap water, ranging from enhanced cardiac function and bone formation to reduced risks of various diseases. The conversation between the host and Sudhir Gadh, a psychiatrist and representative of Third Element Water, explores the scientific studies supporting these claims and the history of lithium's use and perception in society. Despite the evidence, there's a notable lack of regulation and research on lithium's low-dose use in drinking water, raising questions about public health policies. The episode also touches on the historical stigma around lithium, its depiction in popular culture, and the current opportunities and challenges in promoting its health benefits more widely.

Links:

🔗 Have a look at Third Element Water's Website: https://thirdelementwater.com/

🔗 Come say hi to Sudhir Gadh on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sudhir-gadh-844a5419/

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: https://dww.show/micro-dosed-lithium-tap-waters-health-hack/

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The detailed deep dive into micro-dosed lithium with context and research is in this week's main episode, so here's a bonus with my full interview with Sudhir Gadh, the CEO & Founder of Third Element Water.

Main Idea

Adding micro-dosed lithium to drinking water can significantly enhance health, from improving mental well-being and brain health to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, offering a simple yet profound way to boost public health through water mineralization.

Participants

• Antoine Walter: Host.

• Sudhir Gadh: CEO & Founder @ Third Element Water.

Third Element Water

Third Element Water is a company that specializes in bottling lithiated water found in West Texas. Their mission extends beyond selling water; they aim to raise awareness about the importance of mineral content in water, specifically highlighting lithium for its numerous health benefits.

Unique Insights

• Micro-dosed lithium in drinking water has been linked to a range of health benefits, including improved mental health and reduced chronic disease risk, without the high costs or side effects associated with pharmaceutical interventions.

• The presence of lithium in water sources worldwide suggests a natural basis for its health benefits, underscoring the potential for widespread, low-cost public health improvements.

• The initiative challenges current norms and regulations surrounding drinking water, proposing a shift towards mineral-enhanced water for broader health benefits.

Key Ideas

• Health Benefits of Lithium: Lithium, even in micro-doses, can improve electrical balance in the body, potentially offering benefits for conditions like COVID-19 and post-COVID syndrome, enhancing brain health, and promoting overall wellness.

• Enhancing Water with Minerals: Sudhir Gadh discusses the concept of not just cleaning water but enhancing it with minerals like lithium, akin to practices with fluoride and chloride, to address deficiencies and improve public health.

• Regulatory and Perception Challenges: The initiative faces challenges related to public perception and regulatory norms, as well as the need for education and awareness to overcome skepticism and embrace the health benefits of mineral-enhanced water.

• Business and Deployment Strategy: Third Element Water aims to operate both B2C and B2B, selling their lithium-enhancement product directly to consumers and working with municipalities to improve public water supplies.

Key Points

1. Sudhir Gadh introduces Third Element Water and its focus on lithiated water.

2. Discussion on the broad health benefits of micro-dosed lithium in water.

3. Lithium's role alongside other minerals in enhancing water quality.

4. Challenges in changing public perception and regulatory standards for drinking water.

5. Strategy for deploying lithium-enhanced water solutions to the public and municipalities.

Quotes

1. "We are electrical beings, and so small amounts actually improve electrical balance immunologically."

2. "The latest research...is that there's less not just suicide, homicide, crime, Alzheimer's, psychosis, but there is greater wellness."

3. "We enhanced salt...we enhanced toothpaste and water now with fluoride. We're just moving to what's sensible."

Counter-Intuitive Facts

1. Lithium as a Health Enhancer: Commonly associated with treating bipolar disorder at high doses, lithium in micro-doses can significantly improve public health with minimal risk.

2. Enhancing Water to Improve Health: Unlike the conventional focus on removing contaminants, adding lithium and other minerals to water can address nutrient deficiencies and enhance health.

3. Accessible and Affordable Health Solution: Contrary to expectations, enhancing water with lithium is a low-cost strategy that could deliver significant health benefits without the need for expensive medical interventions.

Full Article: https://dww.show/micro-dosed-lithium-tap-waters-health-hack/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Video Version: https://youtu.be/8hjsmIyC9gg

Water reuse is crucial for addressing water scarcity and has many environmental, agricultural, and economic benefits. Yet, despite technological advancements and proven safety, public acceptance remains a challenge due to misconceptions and the importance of communication strategies.

What we'll discuss today:

🥹 The success of water reuse projects is significantly influenced by public perception and media coverage, with emotional appeals often outweighing rational arguments.

💪 Best practices for gaining public acceptance of water reuse include careful framing of the discussion, gradual implementation, and focusing on the treatment process rather than the water's source.

🈷️ The terminology used to describe reused water can greatly affect public acceptance, with terms emphasizing purity and quality being more favorable.

But also:

• Technology and Safety of Water Reuse: Advances in water treatment technologies allow for the production of water that exceeds drinking standards, demonstrating that water reuse is a viable solution to water scarcity.

• Public Perception and Media Influence: The case of Toowoomba illustrates how public opposition and negative media coverage can derail water reuse projects, emphasizing the need for effective communication and engagement strategies.

• Economic and Environmental Benefits: Beyond addressing water scarcity, water reuse offers numerous benefits, including reduced pollution, enhanced agricultural productivity, and groundwater recharge.

• Strategies for Public Acceptance: Drawing from cases like Singapore, strategies such as educating the media, using positive terminology, and showcasing successful examples are critical for overcoming resistance.

• Importance of Gradual Implementation: Introducing reused water incrementally, starting with non-potable applications or industrial use, can help build public trust and acceptance over time.

#WaterReuse #WastewaterReuse #NEWater #ReclaimedWater #Reuse

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with 🎙️ Kimberly Nelson - COO @ True Elements

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Let's speak: [email protected]

Main Idea: In a rapidly evolving world, integrating and understanding complex environmental data is crucial for effective decision-making. Leveraging state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive data analysis is key to preserving our natural resources, especially water.

True Elements: True Elements is a pioneering water intelligence company. They specialize in aggregating diverse data sets and applying advanced technologies like AI and machine learning to provide comprehensive insights into water quality and related environmental issues. Their unique approach consolidates and normalizes data from various sources, making it visually accessible and actionable for decision-makers in business, government, and non-profits. True Elements' mission is to equip stakeholders with the necessary tools to make informed decisions for water resource management and environmental resiliency.

Unique Insights:

1. The concept of "Water Intelligence" is emerging as a vital tool in environmental protection, combining advanced technologies with diverse data for better decision-making.

2. True Elements' approach to environmental data aggregation and analysis represents a significant leap in how we manage and understand water resources.

3. The partnership between True Elements and Waterkeeper Alliance showcases a model for strategic collaborations in environmental resiliency.

Key Ideas:

1. Water Intelligence: True Elements introduces "Water Intelligence," a concept combining technology, scientific analysis, and data aggregation to improve water resource management.

2. Data Aggregation: The company focuses on collecting and normalizing data from numerous sources, offering a comprehensive picture of water resources.

3. Environmental Impact: True Elements' work highlights the critical need for better data management and analysis to understand and mitigate environmental impacts effectively.

4. Strategic Partnerships: The collaboration with Waterkeeper Alliance demonstrates a strategic approach to leveraging localized knowledge and data for global environmental protection.

5. Technology in Environmental Resiliency: The use of AI and machine learning in environmental protection marks a significant advancement in the field.

Summary: In this conversation with Kimberly Nelson, COO of True Elements, we explore the crucial role of technology in environmental protection. True Elements exemplifies innovation in the environmental sector by introducing "Water Intelligence," a concept that blends state-of-the-art technology, scientific analysis, and comprehensive data aggregation. This approach provides decision-makers with actionable insights, significantly improving water resource management. The company's strategic partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance highlights the power of combining local volunteer efforts with advanced data analysis for global environmental impact. Nelson's journey, from her early days in government to her role at Microsoft, and now at True Elements, underscores the growing importance of technology in environmental resiliency. This evolution in data management and analysis, as discussed in the podcast, is critical for understanding and mitigating environmental impacts in an increasingly complex world..

Links:

🔗 Have a look at True Element's website

🔗 Get to understand the Water Intelligence concept

🔗 Start you water stewardship journey with this interactive tool

🔗 Come say hi to Kimberly on Linkedin

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: https://dww.show/big-data-deeper-insights-crafting-smarter-water-strategies/

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➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

I'm pretty sure nobody ever noticed the butterfly effect in real life. Changing a little parameter somewhere, which leads to unexpected consequences at a total other end of the system, might probably happen on a daily basis, but first, as I said, you'd have to notice and, second to understand that the effect you're seeing is, in fact, linked to the tiny change somewhere else.

We can accept that as a fact and try to master our silos to the best of our abilities, or we can see the continuous advancements in artificial intelligence as the missing link that finally enables us to get more holistic in the comprehension of our systems!

For instance, what if super tiny levels of certain components in drinking water had macro consequences, positive or negative, on human health? What if private worksites on a section of a watershed had tremendous consequences on the water risk downstream? What used to be conjectures drawn on a napkin now become data trends you can spot and link in the era of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Not ChatGPT or MidJourney style, but soft sensor and data crunching style. If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, first, thanks a lot, great choice, I appreciate; then you might recall a topic that we've quite extensively covered on this microphone. So, what's different today with True Elements? I'll let Kim explain in great detail in just a minute, but I'd say it's a matter of scale. We've seen in the past how modeling, machine learning, or AI can help within a plant, an industrial site, or a city with use cases all across the board. Well, True Elements' Water Intelligence introduces the watershed level as one of the many levels where they aim to create value.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/big-data-deeper-insights-crafting-smarter-water-strategies/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

with 🎙️ Aaron Tartakovsky - CEO & Co-Founder @ Epic Cleantec

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Let's speak: [email protected]

Main Idea: Change in water reuse practices is essential due to growing water scarcity and infrastructure challenges. Overcoming public perception and outdated regulations is key to adopting more sustainable water management systems.

Epic Cleantec: Epic CleanTech, co-founded by Aaron Tartakovsky, is a pioneering firm in the water reuse sector. The company specializes in transforming wastewater into reusable water, primarily for urban environments. By utilizing innovative technologies like membrane bioreactors, Epic CleanTech helps buildings and communities reduce their water footprint. Their approach includes decentralized water treatment solutions, promoting sustainability and efficiency in water use.

Unique Insights:

1. Inertia in Water Management: The podcast highlights the inertia in changing water management practices, rooted in centuries-old centralized systems, which poses a significant challenge to adopting water reuse.

2. Economic Impacts Drive Change: The realization that water scarcity directly impacts economic activities, like construction and agriculture, is accelerating the adoption of water reuse practices.

3. Policy as an Enabler and Barrier: Policy plays a dual role - both as a barrier and an enabler in the adoption of water reuse technologies. Proactive policy changes are essential for wider adoption.

Key Ideas:

1. Centuries-Old Water Systems: Modern water systems are still based on ancient principles, making the shift to water reuse challenging.

2. Necessity Driving Innovation: Water scarcity is pushing cities and companies to adopt water reuse out of necessity.

3. Economic Incentives: Financial implications are a significant factor driving the adoption of water reuse systems.

4. Policy's Role: Existing policies often hinder water reuse; changing them is crucial for progress.

5. Decentralized vs. Centralized Systems: The coexistence and collaboration of decentralized and centralized water systems are essential for future resilience.

6. Public Perception: Overcoming public misconceptions about recycled water is crucial for acceptance.

7. Technological Innovation in Water Reuse: Advancements in technologies like membrane bioreactors and digital solutions are key to efficient water reuse.

8. Global Interest in Water Reuse Models: There's growing global interest in Epic CleanTech's model, indicating a shift in water reuse perspectives.

Summary: Aaron Tartakovsky, co-founder and CEO of Epic CleanTech, discusses the urgent need for change in water management practices due to the growing global water crisis and outdated infrastructure. He explains that the major obstacle to water reuse is overcoming centuries-old centralized water systems and public perception of wastewater. Tartakovsky emphasizes that necessity, driven by water scarcity impacting economic activities, is pushing cities and companies towards water reuse. He highlights the role of policy in both hindering and enabling water reuse adoption. The conversation delves into the importance of both decentralized and centralized systems working together for resilience, the need to address public misconceptions about recycled water, and the significance of technological innovation in making water reuse more efficient and relevant in various industries. Tartakovsky's insights reveal a growing global interest in water reuse models, indicating a shift in perspectives towards sustainable water management.

Links:

• Epic Cleantec's Website

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: https://dww.show/the-economic-incentives-of-the-water-reuse-revolution/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

Welcome to the second installment of this week's water reuse series! If you've missed the first one, that was a dense conversation with Austin Alexander, Xylem's VP Sustainability; my advice: go back and listen to it once you're done with today's insightful, too short for my taste, but hence packed discussion with Aaron! And yes, I'm slightly biased.

So, in today's episode, we discuss the inherent inertia in water management that stems from centuries-old centralized systems, which pose a significant challenge to adopting water reuse. We'll tackle water scarcity from an unusual angle: looking at it as an economic risk, which in turn may accelerate reuse, assuming... policies play their role. That's to say, as an enabler, not a barrier.

We'll discuss how necessity breeds creativity, how there's still legwork to do to overcome public misconceptions about recycled water, and how technologies are reaching a maturity stage that makes them very approachable and plug-and-play.

Let's cut to the chase, it's time for me to open the mic' to Aaron!

Full Episode: https://dww.show/the-economic-incentives-of-the-water-reuse-revolution/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

with 🎙️ Austin Alexander - VP Sustainability and Social Impact @ Xylem

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Let's speak: [email protected]

Main Idea: In a world where technology often outpaces implementation, the real challenge in water reuse lies not in developing new technologies, but in fostering the political will and public acceptance necessary for its widespread adoption. This issue is crucial for addressing the growing global water crisis..

Xylem: Xylem is committed to developing innovative and smart technology solutions to tackle the world's water challenges. The company's focus extends across a comprehensive range of water-related sectors, including treatment, testing, and transportation. With a strong emphasis on sustainability and social impact, Xylem aims to create efficient water management solutions that benefit communities and industries worldwide.

Unique Insights:

• Circular Economy and Water Reuse: The podcast highlights a novel approach of framing water reuse within the context of circular economy, emphasizing the sustainable and efficient use of resources.

• Public Perception and Policy Change: A key insight is the evolving public perception of water reuse, moving beyond the 'toilet to tap' stigma, and its influence on policy and implementation.

• Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability: There is an emerging trend of corporate investment in water sustainability, driven by the realization of water being a critical element for business survival.

Key Ideas:

1. Water Reuse Technology: The technology for water reuse is largely available and improving, but the challenge lies in implementation, influenced by factors like financing and political will.

2. Public Perception: Changing public perception towards water reuse, including overcoming misconceptions, is crucial for its broader adoption.

3. Role of Circular Economy: Incorporating water reuse in the circular economy narrative can be a powerful tool to promote sustainability and efficient resource use.

4. Corporate Sustainability Initiatives: Major corporations are increasingly investing in water sustainability, recognizing its importance for long-term business viability.

5. Cost-Effectiveness of Water Reuse: Water reuse is often more affordable than alternatives like desalination, but public awareness of this fact is low.

6. Role of Digital and Other Technologies: Digital technology plays a significant role in enhancing the efficiency and reducing the cost of water reuse solutions.

Summary: In a detailed conversation with Antoine Walter, Austin Alexander discusses the various aspects of water reuse. He begins by stating that the technology for water reuse is not the major hurdle; rather, it's the implementation, which is hampered by financial constraints and lack of political will. Alexander highlights the shift in public perception towards water reuse, overcoming the 'toilet to tap' stigma, and the importance of educating the public about its benefits. He discusses the role of circular economy principles in redefining water reuse and emphasizes the increasing corporate investment in water sustainability, driven by the realization of its necessity for business survival. Alexander also points out the affordability of water reuse compared to other methods like desalination. He concludes by emphasizing the need for greater public engagement and corporate responsibility in promoting water reuse.

Links:

• Xylem's website

  
  

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: https://dww.show/beyond-technology-the-social-dynamics-of-water-reuse/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

If you're a regular listener of this podcast, I hope I don't need to convince you about the perks of water reuse: it's a widely untapped water resource in an era of growing water scarcity, it's the cheapest of all the unconventional water sources, notably much cheaper than seawater desalination, and it comes with a wealth of welcome side-effects, ranging from much better environmental impact and removal of trace compounds and endocrine disruptors, all the way through resource recovery and circular economy.

Great, that's a very rational story, yet we humans are no rational beings despite what we believe. We're emotional, and the emotions associated with water reuse are, let's face it, tainted. As a result, despite all the good reasons to adopt it, the recent growth we've seen in water reuse's contribution to our water mix might be an optical illusion. It's growing, yes, but a bit like a dragster to which you would have attached a parachute after having placed an elephant in the passenger seat.

So the question becomes: how do we remove that elephant and that parachute? How do we speed up the much-needed adoption of water reuse? And what prevents the elephant from disembarking the car?

To answer these, we'll delve with Austin today into the challenge of fostering the political will and public acceptance necessary for reuse's widespread adoption. We'll follow up on Friday with another brilliant return guest, Aaron Tartakovsky from Epic Cleantec, to look into infrastructure challenges, outdated regulations, and, again, overcoming public perception. And I'll close that tryptic with my own synthesis, leveraging some of my former guest's wisdom - notably David Lloyd Owen and Paul Gagliardo - but also Austin, Aaron, and Henry Charrabé, which you've not heard on that microphone yet, that should be out next Monday and available on my main YouTube channel as well.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/beyond-technology-the-social-dynamics-of-water-reuse/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Video Version: https://youtu.be/08GBv_Jd3ck

Melbourne's history is deeply intertwined with its water management. Starting as a small village on the Yarra River's banks, it rapidly grew during the Victorian gold rush, leading to increased water demand. To address this, the city built the world's largest artificial reservoir in 1857, signifying its commitment to resolving water issues.

However, the Millennium Drought in the early 21st century was a stark reminder of Melbourne's water vulnerability. This led to the Victorian Desalination Plant project by AquaSure, comprising Thiess, Macquarie Capital, and Suez Environnement. Despite its ambitious goals, the plant faced construction delays and financial setbacks, and remained largely unused post-completion due to sufficient rainfall.

Melbourne's water strategy is unique, with annual assessments to determine the need for desalinated water and a focus on water reuse and sustainability. Although the plant has been underutilized, it's an essential part of the city's long-term water security plan, as climate change continues to pose challenges. T

he city's proactive and adaptive approach serves as a model for urban water management. Despite being built to address water scarcity, the Victorian Desalination Plant didn't produce water for several years due to adequate rainfall. This shows how weather can dramatically change the need for certain infrastructure. Melbourne orders desalinated water annually, based on forecasts rather than immediate need.

This approach differs from the typical on-demand operation of desalination plants worldwide. Paying for the desalination plant's standby costs, even when not in use, highlights a long-term commitment to water security, emphasizing preparation over immediate utility.

#Desalination #Melbourne #WaterScarcity

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with 🎙️ Kendra Morris - President Northeast Region at Veolia North America

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Main Idea: Kendra Morris (Veolia) serves as a key supporter and advocate for water professionals, ensuring they understand their critical role in public health and the economy through reliable water and wastewater services.

About Veolia: Veolia is a multinational company with a focus on providing integrated solutions across water management, waste management, and energy services. Operating globally, Veolia is dedicated to sustainable development and innovation in environmental services. They work with communities and industries to manage, optimize and sustainably use resources. Veolia's initiatives include improving access to water, recycling waste to create new materials, and contributing to the circular economy.

Unique Insights:

• The concept of a "silver tsunami" where imminent retirements could lead to a significant loss of institutional knowledge within the water industry.

• Veolia's approach to community integration by employing residents and thus building trust and enhancing the value of their work locally.

• The discrepancy between the financial attractiveness of the water sector jobs and the lack of awareness or interest in these roles.

Key Ideas:

• Role of a Champion: Kendra Morris describes her role as empowering Veolia's Northeast region employees to see the broader impact of their daily tasks on public health and local economies. She emphasizes the importance of morale and purpose in their roles.

• Workforce Development: Veolia is tackling the 'silver tsunami' of retiring workers by creating internship programs with technical high schools to cultivate a new generation of water professionals.

• Industry Awareness: Despite offering higher-than-average wages, the water sector struggles with awareness. Veolia, in particular, faces the challenge of making its brand and the opportunities within the water sector more known.

• Veolia Academy: Veolia's commitment to education is reflected in the Veolia Academy, which offers free online courses to anyone interested in water and wastewater professions, aiming to address the educational needs of the future workforce.

• Diversity and Inclusion: Kendra Morris outlines Veolia's efforts to promote diversity in the water workforce, including gender diversity and cultural inclusion, which are key to bringing different perspectives and strengthening the sector.

Summary: Kendra Morris explains her role at Veolia as a motivator for water professionals, helping them see the importance of their work in public health and economic development. She discusses the 'silver tsunami'—the mass retirement of skilled workers—and Veolia's response through educational programs like internships for high school seniors. Despite higher wages in the water sector, there's a lack of awareness about career opportunities, something Veolia aims to change through initiatives like Veolia Academy. She emphasizes the need for greater diversity in the workforce to improve performance and representation. The future success in the water industry, according to Morris, hinges on standardized data to inform operational decisions.

Links:

• Veolia North America

• Sciens Water

  
  

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: dww.show/new-year-new-you-new-water-job/

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

At the end of 2022, I discussed the silver wave the water sector is facing on that microphone. Well, sorry to start 2024 that way, but as Kendra will explain in a minute, that wave turned into a tsunami, and it's about time we learn how to surf it!

So this week, I'm releasing two twin episodes, the one you're currently listening to - that's a great choice, stay here - and a conversation with Lyle King from Influx Search where we look at the water job market dynamics from a complementary perspective. So, if you haven't heard Lyle yet, add it to your playlist and you know what to do after finishing this one!

In this episode, we'll discuss the role of a water champion, how to tackle the silver tsunami through workforce development in general and the Veolia Academy in particular, Industry awareness and branding, and finally, diversity and inclusion.

I had a blast recording this conversation at the Rethinking Water Conference organized by Sciens Water at the Columbia Water Center in New York, thanks again to Alex Loucopoulos and the Sciens team for inviting me over, and without further due, let me welcome Kendra Morris.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/the-unseen-potential-in-water-careers/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

with 🎙️ Lyle King - Owner & Director at Influx Search

H2Oracle: h2oracle.dww.show

Main Idea: The water industry faces a significant challenge in attracting and retaining talent, particularly due to a looming generational turnover and the evolving skill sets required in the era of digitization and automation. This challenge calls for a strategic approach in recruitment, focusing on not just acquiring new talent but also on retaining and developing existing employees.

Influx Search: Influx Search is a global recruitment consultancy and headhunting organization specializing in the water industry. They work with a wide range of businesses involved in various water applications, not limited to municipal uses but including industrial water and wastewater, as well as commercial and residential applications. Their focus is not just on recruiting new talent but also on helping businesses retain their existing employees, recognizing the value and cost-effectiveness of employee retention.

Unique Insights:

• The water industry faces a 'silver tsunami' with a significant portion of its workforce approaching retirement, creating a knowledge gap.

• The future of the water sector includes a shift towards data, digital technologies, and automation, requiring new skill sets.

• The concept of employer branding is critical in attracting talent, as many companies struggle to communicate their culture and values effectively.

Key Ideas:

• Generational Turnover: The water industry is older by an average of five years compared to other sectors, with about 50% of the UK's water engineering force expected to retire in the next two decades. This creates a large knowledge gap and a need for strategic succession planning.

• Skills Shift Towards Technology: There is a growing need for skills in digital technologies and data management in the water sector. Roles related to software engineering and customer success management are becoming more critical.

• Challenges in Attractivity: The water sector struggles with attracting diverse and young talent due to image and branding issues. There's a need for more efforts in showcasing the sector's impact and opportunities.

• Retention and Recruitment Strategy: Influx Search emphasizes the importance of not just recruiting talent but also retaining them. It's cheaper for organizations to keep their staff happy and engaged than to constantly hire new people.

• Employer Branding: Companies need to effectively communicate their culture, values, and benefits to attract the right talent. This includes creating a strong online presence and employer brand.

Summary: We discuss the challenges facing the water industry, particularly in talent management. The sector is experiencing a generational turnover, with a significant portion of the workforce nearing retirement, creating a substantial knowledge gap. The industry also faces challenges in attracting young and diverse talent, partly due to a lack of effective employer branding. The future of the water sector is leaning towards automation and digital technologies, necessitating a shift in required skill sets. Influx Search’s approach to recruitment emphasizes not just hiring new talent but also retaining and developing existing employees, recognizing the cost-effectiveness and value of employee retention.

Links:

• Influx Search Website

  
  

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: dww.show/new-year-new-you-new-water-job/

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

Happy New Year! With a new year comes statistically, for one-third of us, the urge to make good resolutions. If you're under 30, it's even more than half the people who make these good resolutions. In maybe or maybe not related news, 50% of people contemplate changing their careers, and two-fifths of them even contemplate so very openly.

What does that mean. Well, if you're in a super sexy working field, that's great news: more people will want to join you. But the other side of that same coin is that if you're on the maybe less sexy end of the market, you better be prepared to struggle.

Where's the water sector on that scale? Well, despite its promising landscape for job seekers, its competitive wages, especially on the lower end of the qualification ladder, its lower educational barriers to entry, and its tremendous opportunities in a variety of roles that are critical to the infrastructure and environmental sustainability, hence I'd say, despite its high purpose, unfortunately, you guessed it right, we the water professionals are not that sexy.

But once we've said that, what do we do about it? Well, this week, I'm releasing two twin episodes. The one you're currently listening to, with Lyle King, and another one you'll find in your hopefully favorite feed, with Kendra Morris. While the latter deals with training more people to water jobs, the former you're again currently listening to, so this one looks in depth at a few key aspects of the job market and its best practices.

If you belong to the people actively or passively looking for new endeavors, you'll learn what skills are the most in-demand right now, what techniques yield the best mid and long-term results in interview processes, and what water field is the hottest.

If you're looking to recruit the best water professionals out there, you'll learn how and where to find the right fits, how Lyle and his peers might be able to help you out, and what to absolutely avoid if you don't want to experience crazy churn rates amongst your candidates.

But what if you're neither recruiting nor seeking to recruit, shall you skip this episode? Of course I'm biased, but in my humble opinion, you really shouldn't. Because as Lyle will explain, the most efficient use of your HR resources is to ensure you retain and optimize your talents. Which involves employer branding, and efficiently articulating company culture and values.

That's a packed schedule, so let's cut to the chase and without further due, let me open the mic' to Lyle King. Remember, if you like this episode, share it with a friend, a colleague your boss or your team, that's the only way I can spread the message and I'll see you on the other side!

Full Episode: https://dww.show/new-year-new-you-new-water-job/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

⛏️ LITHIUM PROJECT 💧

The full project recap: https://leckerlithium.com/

🎥 IN THIS EPISODE 🎥

I could have titled this video "How I may Accidentally Become a Billionaire" - and it was a fascinating quest that's probably only half-through (that's on you now!)

I embarked on an extraordinary global quest, unraveling a potential solution to a critical challenge facing the electric vehicle (EV) industry: the scarcity of lithium. As the backbone of EV batteries, lithium is in high demand, yet its supply is concentrated in a few locations worldwide, lagging behind the explosive growth of the EV market. This imbalance has catapulted lithium prices, making it a lucrative yet elusive resource.

This journey took me to four continents and made me meet dozens of lithium experts. It all started with a surprising discovery: a vast, untapped lithium source almost in my backyard. This revelation isn't just a stroke of luck but the result of meticulous research and exploration in the once-thriving potash mines of South Alsace.

Not only did I uncover a significant lithium source, but I also built a viable strategy to mine it, potentially producing 20,000 tons annually. This hopefully addresses a global challenge, turning an environmental hazard into an opportunity and potentially transforming the EV industry.

👨‍💻 TO DIVE DEEPER 👨‍💻

All the experts who helped build this deep dive:

1. Why Water Technologies Matter in Lithium Mining (with Ben Sparrow - Saltworks) - https://dww.show/why-water-technologies-matter-in-lithium-mining-and-why-you-should-buy-now/

2. The Shocking Requirements of Spodumene Processing (with Tony Strobbe) - https://dww.show/the-shocking-requirements-of-spodumene-processing-and-more-lithium-101-stories/

3. What are the 10 Simple Secrets behind Standard Lithium's DLE success? (with Robert Mintak) https://dww.show/what-are-the-10-simple-secrets-behind-standard-lithiums-dle-success/

4. How "Reverse ZLD" made the World's Largest Water Company a Lithium Refinery Expert (with Jim Rieke - Veolia) - https://dww.show/how-reverse-zld-made-the-worlds-largest-water-company-a-lithium-refinery-expert/

5. The Game-Changing Company with 60 Patents that's Disrupting the Battery Industry (with Teague Egan - EnergyX) - https://dww.show/the-game-changing-company-with-60-patents-thats-disrupting-the-battery-industry/

6. Vulcan's Clever Strategy to take off its Zero Carbon Lithium: Sell it Years Ahead! (with Cris Moreno) - https://dww.show/vulcans-clever-strategy-to-take-off-its-zero-carbon-lithium-sell-it-years-ahead/

7. How to Eradicate Dead Zones, Cut Energy Needs by 80% and Double Lithium Selectivity (with Chris Wyres - Evove) - https://dww.show/how-to-eradicate-dead-zones-cut-energy-needs-by-80-and-double-lithium-selectivity/

8. How Lithium Refining & Water as a Service spark Growth for a Family Business (with Devesh Sharma - Aquatech) - https://dww.show/how-lithium-refining-water-as-a-service-spark-growth-for-a-family-business/

9. Sustainable Lithium Production has an Overlooked 3rd Component: Here's how to Unlock it! (with Christopher Brown - Helios Corporation) - https://dww.show/sustainable-lithium-production-has-an-overlooked-3rd-component-heres-how-to-unlock-it/

10. The 5 Rules to a Successful Direct Lithium Extraction Adventure (with Andy Robinson - Standard Lithium) - https://dww.show/the-5-rules-to-a-successful-direct-lithium-extraction-adventure/

11. The Bill Gates Jewel that pivoted from Water to Chemical Free Lithium Refining (with Saad Dara - Mangrove Lithium) - https://dww.show/the-bill-gates-jewel-that-pivoted-from-water-to-chemical-free-lithium-refining/

🙏 THANKS 🙏

Musée de la Mine et de la Potasse - https://mine.musees-mulhouse.fr/

L&L Location - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550630790742

Evove - https://www.dle.technology/

Saltworks - https://www.saltworkstech.com/

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

with 🎙️ Alex Buehler – President & CEO at Integrated Water Services

💧 Integrated Water Services is a leading US design-build provider of water and wastewater solutions.

▶️ This episode is a Bonus to my deep dive on M&A in the #waterindustry check it out on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/W6BmMc6D4Qk?si=xGwH0iEettOcSb_B

▶️ Or read the full blog entry on How to buy a Water Company 

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste...

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

🌊 What we covered:

🌐 How the middle market in the water industry represents a significant step above the niche that Central State Water Resources (CSWR) serves, focusing on suburban and ex-urban communities.

🛠️ What the three divisions of the company cover: product solutions, technical and digital services, and field services, providing a comprehensive approach to water treatment.

📦 Why the Blue Box represents a breakthrough in water treatment, offering a modular, scalable, and easy-to-deploy solution.

🔄 How horizontal and vertical integration strategies are key to expanding the company's product line and services.

🔍 What the criteria are for selecting M&A targets, including market size, growth potential, competitive landscape, and unique intellectual property or barriers to entry.

🤝 How the M&A pipeline is aggressively filled with potential acquisitions through both organic engagement and strategic searching using tools like IQ and pitch books.

💼 Why engaging with entrepreneurs and sole proprietors requires a nuanced approach due to their businesses often not being prepped for sale.

📈 What a scorecard system looks like for evaluating acquisition opportunities, ranking them based on strategic fit and financial metrics.

🎯 How growth ambitions are fueled by a mix of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, aiming for a 10x increase within a four-year period.

🔍 What the company's core strategic imperatives and enablers are, driving towards financial objectives like revenue, EBITDA, and return on invested capital.

📢 How the current pace of 4-6 acquisitions per year aligns with the company's operational capabilities and growth targets.

🚀 Why the end goal is to build a water/wastewater treatment and water reuse platform with national coverage, focusing on the middle market that is often overlooked.

🔔 Subscribe and Stay Informed:

Don't miss out on our deep dives into water industry trends, strategies, and technologies. Subscribe to "Don't Waste Water" for more content that quenches your thirst for knowledge!

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with 🎙️ Tom Rooney – Chairman at Sciens Water

💧 Sciens is a research-driven investment fund that identifies uncovered, under-researched, or misunderstood water sector opportunities that are undercapitalized.

▶️ This episode is a Bonus to my deep dive on M&A in the #waterindustry check it out on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/W6BmMc6D4Qk?si=xGwH0iEettOcSb_B

▶️ Or read the full blog entry on How to buy a Water Company 

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste...

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewa...

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

In this eye-opening episode of "Don't Waste Water," we delve into the dynamic world of water services, examining the significant shift brought about by the consolidation of the industry. Join us as we explore the intricate dance of mergers and acquisitions reshaping the landscape of water utilities.

🌊 Key Insights:

Unraveling the Consolidation Trend: We dissect why major players like Veolia and Xylem are acquiring companies like Suez and Vauquois, and what this means for the future of water services.

Fragmentation vs. Integration: Discover how the U.S. water infrastructure's profound fragmentation contrasts starkly with the emerging trend of consolidation. What are the implications for small and large utilities alike?

Technology Roll-Down: Learn about innovative approaches like the 'Blue Box' technology, transforming the accessibility of advanced water treatment for smaller utilities.

Regulatory Perspectives: We delve into the role of regulators in this consolidation trend, balancing the scales between progress and fair competition.

🔍 In-Depth Analysis:

Guest Insights: Hear from industry experts who provide their unique perspectives on how these changes are influencing the water sector's strategic, operational, and technological directions.

Impact on Communities: Understand how these shifts impact local communities, from the quality of water services to environmental sustainability.

🌐 Global Context:

We broaden the scope to understand how these trends in the U.S. align with global movements in the water sector.

🌟 For Whom?

Whether you're a C-suite executive, investor, water entrepreneur, or simply a water-conscious citizen, this episode offers valuable insights into the changing tides of water services.

📈 The Big Picture:

By the end of this episode, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of the current state and potential future of the water industry amidst this 'Big Shift.'

🔔 Subscribe and Stay Informed:

Don't miss out on our deep dives into water industry trends, strategies, and technologies. Subscribe to "Don't Waste Water" for more content that quenches your thirst for knowledge!

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We think aout carbon emissions when we fly, not when we flush! Let me coin that phrase, which opens up my reflection this week on a water professional's carbon impact and the ways to mitigate it through deploying water technologies.

Let's dive into the heart of the water sector's role in CO2 emissions and explore innovative technologies that could drastically reduce our carbon footprint. 

I share my personal journey of grappling with the guilt of my carbon emissions and how it led me to discover solutions far more effective than planting trees.

First, let's summarize Xylem, Cambi and Global Water Intelligence's findings on the Water Sector's Carbon Footprint. It surprisingly compares almost one to one in CO2 equivalent emissions with the aviation industry.

Then, let's explore 5 Carbon Mitigation Strategies in the Water Sector:

1️⃣ Leak Reduction - Discussing the impact of 126 billion cubic meters of lost drinking water annually and how pressure management can significantly reduce this loss and the associated carbon impact.

2️⃣ Smart Pumps: How optimizing pumps with AI and machine learning can slash energy use and CO2 emissions.

3️⃣ Biogas Enhancement: The potential of anaerobic digestion and thermal hydrolysis processes in wastewater treatment plants to produce biogas, replacing fossil fuels. (And what I used to do kind of wrong in that field)

4️⃣ Aeration Optimization: The role of AI in optimizing the activated sludge process, reducing energy consumption, and mitigating nitrous oxide emissions.

5️⃣ Advocacy and Policy Influence: The importance of regulations and incentives in driving sustainable practices in the water sector.

I'm closing on a personal touch, reflecting on the impact of the Water circus on the road twice a week all year long. It's great if the water sector compensates its emissions, but what if it didn't create them in the first place? Let's set ourselves on the path to 2050!

Bottom line; think critically about your own carbon footprint and the broader implications of everyone's daily water use. Let's all challenge conventional ideas and present an opportunity for water professionals and enthusiasts to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Additional Resources

The power of MABR 

Better understanding Methane emissions 

Fighting Nitrous Oxide emissions in Wastewater Treatment 

Cutting the Water Sector's carbon emissions in half (at no cost) 

The potential of the Thermal Hydrolysis Process 

Following my tracks on the IOT Use Case Podcast (together with Aerzen) 

The full blog article on this week's episode covering the Water Sector's Carbon Impact 

⬇️ In this Episode ⬇️ 

00:00 My 12-Ton CO2 Problem

00:50 The Superpower of Water Pros

01:40 Where do the Water Sector's CO2 emissions come from?

02:51 Water Technology n°1

06:26 Water Technology n°2

09:33 Water Technology n°3

12:43 Water Technology n°4

16:11 Water Technology n°5

19:15 Conclusion

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with 🎙️ Tom Rooney - Chairman at Sciens Water

with 🎙️ Alex Buehler - CEO at Integrated Water Services

with 🎙️ Damian Georgino - Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson

***

🌊 Dive into the riveting world of water company acquisitions in this episode of "Don't Waste Water," where we unravel the strategies behind turning water utilities into profitable ventures.

🚰 Featuring insights from industry giants like American Water, Essential Utilities, and Central States Water Resources (CSWR), we explore their aggressive M&A tactics. American Water's staggering 245 acquisitions since 2000 and CSWR's recent 83 deals in a single year are just the tip of the iceberg.

🔍 Uncover the surprising reason behind the U.S.'s fragmented water utility sector. With over 50,000 water systems and 35,000 wastewater systems, many small-scale utilities are failing to meet health standards. This episode sheds light on the urgent need for consolidation and improvement.

💡 Learn from Tom Rooney, Alex Buehler, and Damian Georgino about the transformative power of scale in improving water utility operations. Discover how larger entities can implement advanced technologies to enhance service quality and ensure safer water for all.

🧐 Examine the potential risk of monopolization in the water industry. We debunk myths and provide a reality check on the pace of consolidation in the U.S. compared to other countries like the UK.

🎙️ Special guests Alex Loucopoulos and Tom Rooney from Sciens Water share their expertise in creating efficient water utility ecosystems. Delve into their innovative approach of "rolling up" service providers and "rolling down" technologies to bridge the gap in the water sector.

🔄 Explore the concept of "tech aggregation" in the water industry. Companies like Integrated Water Services are leading the charge in bundling and scaling up solutions to serve the middle market effectively.

🌐 Go beyond the surface with discussions on the strategies of other leading companies in the sector, including Evoqua, Nijhuis Saur Industries, and SKion Water.

🚀 Wrap up with a forward-looking perspective from Tom Rooney, predicting more consolidation in the water industry and its surrounding ecosystem.

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article:

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

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Fresh from the bustling halls of Aquatech Amsterdam 2023, the water sector's epicenter for cutting-edge insights, here's my personal selection of the water technologies you need to hear about. There's a bit of disruption, a bit of translation, a tad of sturdiness, and a good piece of grit, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Shall we look into it?

This recap from Aquatech Amsterdam 2023 covers the most exciting water technologies on display at the event. In the video, I go through my top five picks, discussing innovative technologies such as the smart removal of cellulose from wastewater by Purgatoria, Zwitterco's brand new reverse osmosis membrane technology, or BluElephant's take at the good old MBR. 

The episode also highlights emerging trends in the industry and includes interesting discussions with representatives from various companies, making it essential viewing for professionals in the water sector. 

Check out my full article on Aquatech Amsterdam 2023 

🎙️What I covered 🎙️

🌊 How Aquatech Amsterdam became the nexus for groundbreaking water technologies in 2023.

🚀 Why the "Cool Kids" of water tech, like Aquacycl and Membrion, are rapidly expanding and innovating.

🌐 What ZwitterCo's revolutionary RO membrane means for the future of water treatment.

🤖 How ZwitterCo is transforming water desalination with their cutting-edge technology.

💡 Why BluElephant's autonomous, off-grid MBR is a game-changer in wastewater treatment.

🌿 What makes BluElephant's MBR unique: combining simplicity, autonomy, and affordability.

🎯 How serendipitous encounters at Aquatech led to unexpected and valuable insights.

🌱 Why green lime innovation could significantly impact carbon emissions in the water sector.

🧠 How Aquatech's unique environment fosters specific and highly relevant conversations.

🔄 What the innovative technology from Purgatoria reveals about recycling toilet paper.

💪 How Purgatoria's technology can boost the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants.

🌍 Why Purgatoria's approach to cellulose recovery could be a major step towards environmental sustainability.

📈 How Aquatech Amsterdam exemplifies the evolution of water marketing and industry trends.

⬇️ In this Episode ⬇️ 

00:00 A Warm Welcome from Aquatech Amsterdam 2023

0040 5 - the Cool Kids are growing!

02:16 4 - A Technological leap from ZwitterCo?

07:16 3 - The Ideal Decentralized MBR?

12:15 2 - The Best Water Tradeshow?

16:50 1 - The OTHER treasure in your toilets

22:32 Conclusion

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with 🎙️ Kimberly Kupiecki - Senior Director at Gingko Bioworks 

💧 Ginkgo Bioworks is the software company for biology, coding DNA to create custom cells that solve real-world problems.

What we covered:

🔬 Why Ginkgo Bioworks is like programming life itself - Kimberly Kupiecki unveils the art of coding cells, not just computers. 

💧 How the water sector intersects with synthetic biology - Ginkgo Bioworks eyes growth in the biosensor space. 

🏭 What's beyond water - Kupiecki's role spans from industrial applications to dabbling in pharmaceuticals. 

🧪 How Ginkgo's foundry's 'secret sauce' lies in high-throughput screening, turning outliers into discoveries. 

🌱 Why the synthesis of nature and science at Ginkgo could revolutionize materials, starting with the very building blocks. 

🚀 How agility in assimilating feedback and implementing rapid changes marks the cultural shift from DuPont to a scale-up. 

🌱 What aggressive 2025 goals balance the scale-up's growth with the necessity of becoming earnings positive. 

💡 Why building intellectual property (IP) adds layers of downstream value without expanding physical footprints. 

🎢 How embracing risk leads to personal expansion, a sentiment echoed in Kimberly Kupiecki's mentoring approach. 

🌟 Why "The Beautiful Mess" captures the essence of juggling motherhood and a career in male-dominated industries. 

🌱 What innovative approaches to carbon reduction excite industry leaders? Kimberly Kupiecki reveals a game-changing negative carbon mechanism. 

🤝 How stakeholder insight forms the backbone of success; Kimberly Kupiecki emphasizes learning from stakeholder dynamics. 

📘 Why endorsements and marketing strategies are crucial for launching your book; Kimberly Kupiecki shares her pre-launch jitters.

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Have a look at Gingko Biowork's website 

🔗 Come say hi to Kimberly on Linkedin

➡️ Check out the entire article on Gingko Bioworks 

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

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Ready to shake up how you think about water investments? This episode dives into the Value of a Statistical Life (VSL) and how it can be a game-changer for justifying water projects. 💧💰

We're not just talking numbers; we're talking about lives saved and the economic benefits that ripple through communities. From policy decisions on airbags to the cost of treating water, we're breaking down why the VSL could be the missing link in your water investment strategy. 📊

If you're an investor, water entrepreneur, or policy-maker, this episode offers a fresh lens on how to evaluate the ROI of water projects. Don't miss it! 🎧

👉 Got thoughts? We're all ears. Reach out and let's keep the conversation going. 🗨️

If you think we might be a match, reach out to me: [email protected]  
I’ll send you over my little sponsoring slide deck and we’ll take it from there!

Get Amazing Day by Coldplay and over 1M + mainstream tracks here https://go.lickd.co/Music

License ID: XeJAnanjZM0

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Ever seen a family drama as intense as 'Game of Thrones'? Well, Hager und Elsässer (H+E) has had its share of suitors and heartbreaks, and it's about to get more dramatic.

🤯 Get ready for an M&A rollercoaster that'll leave you hanging on to your seat. Ever wondered why H+E, a company that's been around since 1932, has changed hands like a hot potato? This video deep-dives into the tumultuous journey of H+E—its rise, fall, and limbo. 

🇫🇷🇩🇪 From French conglomerates like SUEZ to German family businesses, H+E's narrative is rich in culture clashes and financial woes. Yet, something remains intriguingly 'odd' about the company. 

👀 Gradiant has just walked into the arena with a fresh MIT vibe. Will they be the ones to finally sweep H+E off its feet, or are we setting the stage for another M&A tragedy? 🤔

🔑 What's Inside:

A tearjerker of an adoption story that starts with Stulz-Planaqua and Hager und Elsässer. 

M&A Blunders & Culture Clashes: SUEZ, Degrémont, RENA - the list is long! 

The billion-dollar question: Is H+E's technology misunderstood or just too ahead of its time? 

Why Gradiant’s latest move to acquire 51% of H+E is the plot twist we've been waiting for. 

💥 Don't miss out on this water-sector saga that could teach HBO a thing or two about plot twists! 🛎 Subscribe now and hit that bell! 

👉 Here are the podcast episodes mentioned in today's video:

SKion Water / Reinhard Hübner: https://dww.show/the-7-secrets-of-the-water-company-of-the-year-you-shall-absolutely-steal/

Aquarion / Karl Michael Millauer: https://dww.show/the-fascinating-story-of-the-man-who-has-35-water-companies-to-sell/

Supercritical Water Oxidation / Kobe Nagar: https://dww.show/is-supercritical-water-oxidation-a-solution-for-pfas-energy-more/

⬇️ In this Episode ⬇️ 

00:00 When Hager und Elsässer was up for Adoption

01:22 Hager und Elsässer's Story

03:04 Cultural Clashes between France and Germany

03:57 H+E's story (continued)

04:21 Cash Troubles and Insolvency

05:54 Aquarion: a New Hope for Hager und Elsässer?

07:29 H+E and Stulz-Planaqua followed different paths

09:29 Gradiant: the Last Hope for Hager und Elsässer?

12:04 A great M&A case study!

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with 🎙️ J. Carl Ganter - Managing Director at Circle of Blue

💧 Circle of Blue is an award-winning team of leading journalists, scientists, data experts, communications designers, and facilitators that reports challenges and solutions to global resource issues with emphasis on the fierce and growing competition between Water, food, and energy in a changing climate.

***

We're diving deep into a topic that's been swept under the rug for far too long: the media's coverage of water issues—or lack thereof. Are journalists dropping the ball, or is the water sector failing to make its case?

📌 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

✅ Why mainstream media often overlook critical water issues.

✅ How the water sector struggles with its own narrative.

✅ The role of specialized press bodies like Circle of Blue.

✅ Actionable steps YOU can take to make a difference!

✅ The 6-Step Framework to make journalists and Politicians Craving for the developments of your Water Story

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Full Article: https://dww.show/is-big-media-failing-us-or-are-we-failing-the-water-folks/

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

➡️ Useful Links:

Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

Circle of Blue: https://www.circleofblue.org/

⬇️ In Today's Episode:

00:00 We Have a Water Problem

01:10 Big Media and Water Pros: Total Strangers?

02:06 Introducing: J. Carl Ganter (Circle of Blue)

04:52 How to better cover the Story of our Lifetime?

07:07 How to Personalize the Water Narrative?

08:21 The Heartbreaking Story of Pesticides in Nebraska

10:22 How to impress a Congressman on a Plane?

12:55 How to get water into local news?

14:39 What to learn from Matt Damon: The Movie Trailer Magic

15:56 The 6-Step Framework to Make your Story Stick

17:58 Sponsor: Sciens Water

19:13 What is Circle of Blue?

21:21 Conclusion

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In a world saturated with content, what makes a good movie trailer stand out? The answer lies in a potent blend of psychology, novelty, and familiarity. Trailers like Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" and George Lucas's "Star Wars" have set the gold standard, employing a mix of well-known tropes and groundbreaking elements to captivate audiences. 

Marvel Studios has taken this to the next level, mastering the "novel yet familiar" approach and leveraging psychological principles like the Zeigarnik effect to leave audiences wanting more. 

And if trailers and teasers have proven to be a game-changer for dozens and dozens of movies, beyond the silver screen, the principles that make them compelling can be applied to our everyday storytelling, whether it's a business presentation, a social media post, or a pitch to a local journalist to "news hack" a Global Trend. 

By understanding the psychology and strategies behind successful movie trailers, we can craft narratives that not only capture attention but also sustain it, making our stories as unforgettable as the films they promote.

And coincidence or not, if you've ever followed my advice and read the Worth of Water book by Gary White and Matt Damon - who should know one thing or two about movie trailers - the opening chapter exactly follows the 6-step framework that Phill Agnew lays out.

Step 1 - Identify the Core Message

That's the narrative we discussed with Carl minutes ago; in the example of the Water.org founders' book, that's the win-win-win perspective of achieving Water for all. 

Step 2 - Blend Novelty and Familiarity

In theory, that's Star Wars combining the Hero's Journey with Space Opera. In the case of our book, that's a water charity, but combined with a bank and Nobel-prize-winning microcredit strategy.

Step 3 - Cast for Impact

Matt Damon, do I need to add anything here? Well actually yes, because it's not just the impact of a big name; it's also a blend of novelty and familiarity, as just explained. The well-known Matt Damon, but not cast as Jason Bourne but as an NGO founder with a high drive for impact.

Step 4 - Craft the Narrative Arc

Remember how Carl explained minutes ago how two pictures ended the Vietnam War? Or the heartbreaking story of the parents of the deceased football player in Nebraska? In Water.org's book, it's Matt Damon getting to know Wema along her long road to collect Water for her family.

Step 5 - Zeigarnik Effect

Don't close the action; let things open. That happens several times in Matt Damon and Gary White's story. But we had an even greater example with Carl's congressman story: when he says "I work in water security. And I leave it at that." the congressman can't resist the urge to get to know what happens next.

Step 6 - Choose the Release Timing Wisely

For the "Worth of Water" book, that was right in time to get people buzzing about it before the UN Water Conference, and guess who then got to feature in the opening segment of that Conference - probably also the only one worth watching? Along the same lines, that's word for word Carl's advice of picking the right story at the right time and constantly being on the lookout for planets aligning with that regard. 

So here you go, a bullet-proofed 6-step framework to get your local news reporter intrigued or to shed new light on your water innovation's impact. 

➡️ Check out the entire article on how to finally build the Water Narrative

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👀 Think plastic straws are the ocean's worst enemy? Think again! The real culprit is hiding in plain sight—in your closet! In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Adam Root, the CEO and founder of Matter, a game-changing company tackling microplastics at the source - i.e., the washing machine. Plus, we're diving deep into the facts, figures, and future solutions that could save our oceans. 🌊

🎙️ Featuring:

Adam Root, CEO & Founder of Matter

Hosted by Antoine Walter, your go-to water industry expert

📚 Topics Covered:

1️⃣ The Invisible Threat: What are Microplastics?

2️⃣ The Source: Your Washing Machine's Dirty Secret

3️⃣ Matter's Innovative Solutions: From Laundry to Legislation

4️⃣ The Global Impact: Legislation, R&D, and Education

5️⃣ Your Role: Simple Steps to Make a Difference

🔗 Links & Resources:

Check out Matter's hardware filter, Gulp: https://gulp.online

A big thank you to this episode's sponsor, Sciens Water: https://www.scienswater.com

👇 Why You Can't Miss This Episode:

📈 Investment Insights: Learn why tackling microplastics is not just an environmental need but a business opportunity.

🌍 Global Perspective: Understand the scale of microplastics pollution and what's being done globally.

🛠️ Tech Talk: Get the inside scoop on Matter's groundbreaking technology.

🎧 Also Available as a Podcast:

Find this episode on your favorite podcast platform, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify

👉 Subscribe & Ring the Bell 🛎️:

Don't miss out on our latest episodes, investment tips, and water industry deep dives. Subscribe and hit the notification bell now!

👇 Join the Conversation 👇

What are your thoughts on microplastics? Have you made any changes to reduce your microplastic footprint? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

👋  SOCIAL MEDIA  👋 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWaterPodcast

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with 🎙️ Tuija Pohjolainen-Hiltunen - President Industry and Water Segment at Kemira 

💧 Kemira markets safe and sustainable chemistries that are part of a good life, ensuring hygiene, safe water, food safety, and more.

What we covered:

🌍 How Kemira is revolutionizing water treatment with a purpose-driven approach to chemistry.  

🤝 Why the power of partnerships is non-negotiable for Kemira's success.  

💡 What sets Kemira apart: a relentless focus on innovation to solve real-world challenges.  

♻️ Why Kemira is a game-changer in the circular economy, turning waste into valuable resources. 

🔗 How Kemira's multi-faceted solutions go beyond just chemistry, incorporating digital tools and AI for optimization.  

🎯 What makes Kemira a leader in customer-centric approaches, tackling new challenges as regulations evolve. 

📈 How Kemira Beat the Odds: Navigating through COVID-19 and volatile markets to achieve impressive growth.  

🌍 Why Global Reach Matters: Dominating Europe and North America while eyeing expansion in China.  

🔬 What's ViviMag: Introducing new applications like phosphorus recovery and PFAS treatment.  

🌿 How to Go Green: Transitioning from 60% virgin materials to bio-based alternatives.  

🤖 Why ChemConnect is a Game-Changer: Leveraging predictive analytics and AI for smarter water treatment.  

🚀 How Reliability Fuels Growth: Winning customer trust through consistent delivery, even in crises. 

🎯 How Customer Needs Drive Innovation: Kemira's quest to replace fossil-based materials without compromising performance.  

🤝 Why Partnerships Matter: Leveraging collaborations and a $500M growth accelerator to fuel bio-based product revenue by 2030.  

🌿 What "Walking the Talk" Means: Moving beyond buzzwords to make concrete steps in sustainability and decarbonization.  

📊 How Metrics Define Success: Aligning personal KPIs with business targets for a win-win outcome.  

🌊 Why Water is the New Cool: Observing a surge in industry excitement and collaboration, especially in digital solutions.

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Have a look at Kemira's website 

🔗 Come say hi to Tuija on Linkedin

➡️ Check out the entire article on how Kemira makes a $500 Million biobased bet 

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

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🌊 Welcome to a Water Experience Like No Other! 🌊

In this exclusive episode, we're diving deep into the world of water tasting with none other than Milin Patel, THE Water Sommelier. But this isn't just any tasting session; it's an experience that will elevate your understanding of H2O to new heights!

🗽 Where It All Happened 🗽

I had the incredible opportunity to meet Milin during New York's Climate Week, specifically at the "Rethinking Water" conference. This enlightening event was organized by the Columbia Climate School and Sciens Water, and let me tell you, it was a game-changer!

🙏 Special Thanks to Sciens Water 🙏

I owe a HUGE thank you to Sciens Water for inviting us to this transformative event. Your commitment to reimagining the future of water is nothing short of inspiring. I'm so honored to be a part of this journey with you.

🧠 Wanna learn more about Sciens Water? 🧠

Sciens is a fundamental research-driven investor that identifies pockets of opportunity in the water sector that benefit from long-term macro factors but are uncovered, under-researched, and misunderstood, and consequently under-capitalized by the capital markets. Sciens makes control investments in the U.S. water infrastructure and related companies where it can generate both yield and capital appreciation through the application of value-added strategies developed through over 25 years of private equity investment experience.

➡️ Check them out ➡️ https://scienswater.com/

🥤 What's Inside 🥤

A comprehensive backstory to Milin Patel, the Water Sommelier

The art and science of building vocabulary to elevate the Water Experience (especially from Tap)

When to appreciate your tap water and when to open a fine water bottle

Milin's top picks for the most exquisite waters you've never heard of

... And so much more!

Come say hi to Milin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milionh20/

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with 🎙️ Ann Perreault - Vice President for Strategic Marketing & Growth at Evoqua Water Technologies 

with 🎙️ Joshua Griffis - Director of Technology & Innovation at Evoqua Water Technologies 

💧 Evoqua is a global leader in helping municipalities and industrial customers protect and improve the world's most fundamental natural resource: water

What we covered:

💧 How net water positivity is the new gold standard, making a splash beyond just offsetting usage to actively generating more water. 

🤝 Why strategic IP development safeguards the partnerships Evoqua is building in the industry, making it more than just a game of patents. 

📈 What the real playbook behind Evoqua's acquisitions reveals: it's not just R&D expenditure but a broader, synergistic growth strategy. 

🤝 How synergy supercharges tech: Joshua and Ann discuss that when two technologies collide, they often create something greater than their individual parts. 

🎯 What every water business needs to grasp: Customer needs are like shifting sands, and understanding emerging trends and problems is key to hitting the target, says Ann. 

📈 Why mergers and acquisitions aren't just Wall Street buzzwords: M&A is woven into Evoqua's strategy as a critical channel for forging significant partnerships, according to both interviewees. 

🌍 How Evoqua's footprint is more global than you think: Contrary to popular belief, Ann implies Evoqua's global presence is often underestimated. 

🔍 Why profitability is not an end but a means for Evoqua, enabling them to engage in ambitious, industry-shaping initiatives. 

💡 How innovation is the new black: Ann emphasizes that sustainability isn't a sideshow; it's the main act, embedded at the core of impactful innovations. 

🎯 Why "de-risking" is your new buzzword: Both speakers agree that helping companies "de-risk" by doing the heavy lifting on feasibility and validation can fast-track adoption. 

🤔 What failing fast really means at Evoqua: If you're not failing, you're not learning—this mantra isn't just for startups; it's infiltrating the big players too. 

📊 How the Product Vitality Index is your new KPI: Forget conventional metrics; Ann suggests that measuring where your revenue comes from in terms of innovation investment is where the future lies. 

🎯 How customer insights aren't a one-and-done deal: Diving deep to truly understand customer problems can reveal the nuanced layers beneath. 

🌍 Why location flexibility enriches talent pools: restricting staff to physical locations is yesterday's news, says Perreault, when a world of talent is just a Zoom call away. 

📈 What scaling your operation really takes: The journey of scaling a function often throws more curveballs than you initially thought. 

🌿 Why sustainability is more than a buzzword: it's about achieving homeostasis with your environment for the long haul, not just slapping a green label on things.

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Have a look at Evoqua's website 

🔗 Come say hi to Ann on Linkedin 

🔗 Then make sure to also connect with Joshua on Linkedin

➡️ Check out the entire article on how Evoqua applies Open Innovation 

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Open Innovation is not the only link between last week's conversation with Max Storto from the Xylem Innovation Labs, and this week's deep dive with Ann and Joshua. Indeed, in just a minute, we'll delve into a paradigm-shifting model we touched on last week: Open Innovation. 

To ensure we have a common understanding of the term, Open Innovation fundamentally alters how companies think about their innovation process. If you remember my conversation with Glenn Vicevic from Veolia, he defined Open Innovation as Innovation that's not closed. We had a good laugh, still, it's true: the Idea is to break open the former R&D silos, to enter the age of porous boundaries and shading frontiers, where external ideas and technologies flow into the organization, and internal ideas flow out into the broader ecosystem.

Long before this got to be a thing in the Water Sector, we've seen companies like Procter & Gamble, flipping their R&D approach to connect with external innovators. They sourced ideas from around the globe, leading to breakthroughs like the Swiffer. 

To take a more techie reference, consider how Apple's App Store empowers an army of developers to build upon iOS, creating value for both Apple and the broader user community. It's a win-win scenario, optimizing resources, and accelerating market-ready solutions.

But why is this a pivotal discussion for the water sector? Open Innovation could be the key to unlocking new technologies, sustainable practices, and financial models that address pressing water issues - you know, the ones that just got evaluated as a multi-trillion dollars business opportunity by CDP - if you missed that one, go check my YouTube channel for more. 

But for you listening to this, why does all of that matter: well, companies that successfully adopt Open Innovation practices could leapfrog in growth and impact. They could be faster to ride trend waves, have a more efficient use of their capital, put technology adoption on steroids, and if you're a regular of this podcast, you know how that's the game changer.

Hence if, for sure, everything can't be painted in pink, and silver bullets still don't exist, getting a glimpse of the way Evoqua leveraged open innovation strategies to inspire your own innovation approaches is quite a generous gift from Ann and Joshua, which really didn't hold back when it comes to sharing. 

You'll leave this episode understanding the vital metrics and benchmarks to assess Open Innovation opportunities, as well as actionable tips for investors, in-house strategists, and entrepreneurs keen to leverage this model before it becomes an industry norm.

Remember, if you appreciate the value shared today and for free, you can help me out tremendously by sharing this episode with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, if you're new here make sure to subscribe, I insist, it's entirely free, and it helps me to keep getting incredible guests on that microphone. Last word before we take off, if you're in New York on the 19th of September and you like free sharing of incredible water value, you may want to join the Rethinking Water Conference at the Forum at Columbia University, the link is in the description, and I'll be there the entire day to record some more interviews. Come share a recycled wastewater beer with me in the evening, and I'll meet you on the other side!

➡️ Check out the entire article on how Evoqua deployed Open Innovation to turn the tides!

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with 🎙️ xStorto - Lead Innovation Analyst at Xylem Innovation Labs 

💧 Xylem is one of the largest water and wastewater technology companies globally and follows the simple motto: "Let's solve water"

What we covered:

🤝 How the Xylem Innovation Labs explore partnerships with early-stage technology providers to enhance offerings and improve portfolio stacks 

🚀 What the main tracks within Xylem Innovation Lab entail, from the commercial accelerator focusing on client growth to the early-stage incubation program and open innovation ecosystem targeting specific water-related issues. 

⚽ How Max likens his role in scouting potential technology providers to a talent scout in sports, seeking the most promising innovations that align with Xylem's capabilities and customer challenges. 

🌍 What main challenges Xylem's customers face, such as decarbonizing the water sector, industrial treatment solutions, decentralized treatment, and addressing contaminants of emerging concern like PFAS and microplastics. 

🌊 Why Xylem is looking into areas like digital workforce solutions and flooding issues, aiming to find innovative ways to address these significant concerns in the water management industry. 

🎙️ How Max Storto's dynamic and multifaceted role at Xylem brings both planned goals and unexpected chaos into his daily life. 

🗳️ Why political work with the Iowa Democratic Party led Max to engage in grassroots conversations, touching on critical water issues in both local and federal contexts. 

🚰 How the state of water networks in the U.S., including boiling water notices, reflects challenges in infrastructure investment, public awareness, and income inequality. 

📊 How Xylem Innovation Labs aggregates customer-facing team information, interprets data, and involves business units to prioritize decisions, fostering a united approach. 

🚀 What makes Xylem's accelerator program unique: sourcing from grants, accelerators, internal recommendations, VCs, and conferences and inviting companies to apply, ensuring a focused approach to innovation. 

🤝 Why Xylem's relationship-building with startups is key: no equity taken, a mutual NDA, building trust, and aiming for long-term commercial agreements to foster a truly collaborative partnership. 

🚀 What distinguishes Xylem's process of carefully select from 3 to 400 invitations, leading to 40-50 applications for a handpicked 10-count accelerator cohort, ensuring alignment with innovation priorities. 

🧠 How Max's role as a market analyst at Xylem intertwines with engineering teams, aiding in financial analysis and business case development for revenue projections. 

🌍 What the Xylem Innovation Labs' role in global R&D is, including their part of the R&D package, and how they complement the company's existing product development efforts. 

🌱 How innovation with impact at Xylem is characterized by a focus on sustainability metrics and diversity and their efforts in alleviating water challenges and reducing carbon footprints. 

👔 Oxford Collar, Decentralized Work Environment, fostering long-term growth, mutual trust and partnership, commercialization over investment, selling solutions vs taking equity... and much more! 

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Come say hi to Max on LinkedIn  

🔗 Check Xylem Innovation Website's website 

➡️ Check out the entire article on Xylem's weirdest move 

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

Suggested episodes:

🚀 My interview with Sivan Zamir 

🔋 My conversation with Austin Alexander 

👔 My short catch up with Patrick Decker 

Max Storto is Lead Innovation Analyst at the Xylem Innovation Labs. Xylem is one of the largest water and wastewater technology company globally and follows the simple motto: "Let's solve water"

A bit more than one year ago, I invited Sivan Zamir on this microphone to discuss the Xylem Innovation Labs, Xylem's shiny, fascinating, and intriguing move into the start-up accelerator world. That has been a well-received episode but also one that sparked quite a lot of conversations. 

You know, Xylem is a listed behemoth; everybody is well aware that they have to make money! So when they mention that they will help water industry companies to 10x their customer base, that they will fund pilots with the Trial Reservoir and fund other water accelerators with, for instance, Imagine H2O, it not only raises an eyebrow but also generates a ton of questions. And usually a very logical deduction: of course, they will have a great positive impact on these companies' path, but they will also reward themselves by taking stakes and equity in these companies, hence turning a pretty straightforward positive return on investment. 

Now that's where it gets even more intriguing, because, in my process of getting a better understanding of the mechanics of the Xylem Innovation Labs with its scout, Max, I actually uncovered something we had not discussed at all with Sivan last year: Xylem doesn't take any equity in its incubated partners. Zero.

And it doesn't stop there: they don't even expect these companies to be exclusive or tied to Xylem in anything beyond a simple NDA - which is merely more there to protect the start-ups than the water giant. 

So, for a layman like me, it's hard to get the strategic sense of that move. Until you shift your internal software and realize that what Xylem is pursuing with its Innovation Labs is not investment, it's R&D. And a bit like in a Google versus Apple approach you would see in tech, their bet here is that adopting an open innovation strategy, is actually the most impactful and the best use of their money for the water ecosystem, yes, because I believe Patrick Decker when he tells me he wants his company to have a positive impact, but also the best path to growth for Xylem itself!

And a bit like the App or Play Stores have been great growth factors for Apple and Google, Xylem's future partnerships with the companies it strategically groomed may be significant commercial assets in a world of water challenges that are not getting easier or simpler.

You'll see that this is just one of the many gems we uncovered while opening the hood and exploring the Xylem Innovation Labs engine with Max, Max who, by the way, has been an incredible sparring partner able to cope with great openness with my sometimes annoying wittiness, I had great fun to record this one, so I'll stop ranting and let you have great fun listening to it. 

➡️ Check out the entire article on how to grow 10 wonder kids from 5 to 50 customers

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with 🎙️ Alice Schmidt, MBA lecturer, Adviser to the European Commission, and non-profit organizations like Extinction Rebellion, Protect our Winters, and Chair of the Board of Endeva e.V. 

with 🎙️ Claudia Winkler, CEO, and co-founder of Goood Mobile, Europe's first B-Corp Certified telecom provider, and a Founding Partner of Adjacent Possible Network. 

💧 Alice and Claudia had been with us for their first book "the Sustainability Puzzle," and are back for an in-depth exploration of the AI world and its potential impact on Societal Progress and a Sustainable Future. This is the topic of their second book: Fast Forward, written with Florian Schütz and Jeroen Dobbelaere.

What we covered:

📚 How Alice and Claudia's "Sustainability Puzzle" hit the zeitgeist by guiding both sustainability newbies and experts through the multifaceted realm of eco-responsibility.

🔬 Why their new book, "Fast Forward," hones in on technology, one of the six puzzle pieces from their first book, to spotlight its transformative potential for sustainability.

🤖 What Claudia sees as the agnostic nature of technology and why Alice casts a skeptical eye on the good intentions behind big tech, 

🎯 How both authors urge active participation in shaping AI's direction, suggesting that collective input could steer technology towards a more equitable and sustainable future.

🤖 How Alice and Claudia disagree on the role of tools like ChatGPT, revealing a tension between AI as a utilitarian augmenter versus a potential risk to trust. 

🌐 Why both emphasize AI literacy, advocating for the masses to engage with tools like ChatGPT in order to make well-informed decisions.  

🚀 Why ChatGPT's viral success is likened to the smartphone revolution, ushering in mass-market adoption of AI technologies and sparking important societal debates.

🎓 How Schools Aren't Necessarily the AI Saviors and What Lifelong Learning Means in the AI Age

🚨 How AI Could Be Its Own Worst Enemy and Why Big Tech Needs a Leash: 

🤖 How AI's Multifaceted Analysis Outsmarts Human Limitations

💼 Why Regulations Don't Suffocate Innovation, They Guide It.

🤑 How Money Talks, Even for AI

🌱 Optimism in the AI-Ecology Nexus

🤖 How AI is personalizing Claudia's life and revolutionizing smart cities, making them more livable and sustainable. 

🌊 What Tuvalu's digital twin reveals: a poignant, almost meta response to climate-induced existential threats that also sheds light on the term "ecological racism." 

🎯 Why stepping into the AI world varies by individual: It's all about awareness, understanding the bigger picture, and leveraging a human-centered approach for universal benefit. 

🗳️ How the democratization of AI and active participation in decision-making could be a marker for Alice Schmidt's vision of positive societal impact.

🤖 Why Technology is Finally Joining the Sustainability Conversation: Claudia is optimistic about the growing convergence between sustainability and technology agendas, indicating a maturing landscape.

📖 Claudia's 14-year-old son's ChatGPT book, Parents being the Unsung Heroes in AI Education, Neom as a double-sided sword, Betting big on Circularity, Playing the Long Game with Conferences... and much more!

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

➡️ Send your warm regards to Alice on LinkedIn 

➡️ Then do the same with Claudia on LinkedIn as well 

➡️ Get to know the two new brains that worked on "Fast Forward:" Jeroen and Florian

➡️ Check out the entire article on AI prompting a Sustainable Future   

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

Here's the secret: I'm not a one-man band. Yes, I lied all that time. Did you really believe I could push a podcast interview out every week for 163 weeks in a row, all by myself? Of course not. The Don't Waste Water Corporation is a hefty team of 22. But here's the catch: I'm the only human. Let me introduce you to my crew.

First, there's my editing manager, a robot called Descript. In his AI team, we've got the Scribe, which turns all my recordings into text. Pretty standard so far, but it becomes swiftly cooler with the Grammar Maniac. If I record this: "So, what's the uh, name of your book?" The Maniac identifies the filler words and gets them out of the way. 

In that same team, the Chopper chops out every word, and so if I were to say something as stupid as: Colmar is not the nicest place on earth, I just have to select the wrong word as you'd do in your text editor, and delete it. Job done!

The work is then handed over to the Audio Engineer. Because sometimes a guest or me, may record on a poor microphone or noisy environment. And you certainly don't want to hear what a poor microphone or noisy environment sounds like. In more difficult cases I escalate it to Adobe Enhance Beta. And in last resort to iZotope's Neutron or Ozone Smart Assistants. 

Back to Descript: the Audio Engineer has a quite dangerous colleague I very seldom use, but if needs be, I can emulate any voices and have them say whatever I want. For instance, here are two sentences from Alice. Can you find out which one really belongs to today's interview? 

Now, this is for sure an audio podcast, but also a YouTube video. And would you like to watch me speaking if I avoided any eye contact with you? Well, if that was ever to happen, I'd be just one click away from having the rectifier bring back my eyes where they should be. Yes, that one is a bit scary. 

What if I lean back a bit too much in my chair and go out of focus? Topaz AI brings me back to sharpness. 

And what if I stumble? No wait. And what if I stumble? Not the right dynamic. And what if I stumble? Gling automatically picks my best take!

Then, if I want to lure you into listening to a great interview, I can say it. But if I say it with subtitles, statistics say you're more likely to follow my advice. That's Captionator's job. 

And while I record horizontally, getting the word out is more efficient in Vertical mode - but nothing to worry Final Cut's AI always prompts my best profile. And if I don't have time to edit the best quotes myself, OpusClip does it for me!

A cool episode needs a cool title: My ideas are not always top-notch thankfully, Coschedule loves to rate them and propose improvements. While YouTube requires me to provide at least a decent thumbnail to distribute my content, I often have a hard time finding a relevant picture or illustration to promote a water or lithium topic. In these cases, I ask MidJourney for a solid basis and Photoshop Beta for added context. 

Finally, while TrueSync, ColorLab AI, Insta 360 Studio, Leia Pix AI, and many I'm probably forgetting here have been sporadic members of the team but didn't stick in the long run, I've recently hired ChatGPT to compile the key episode highlights you'll find in the show notes and on the Don't Waste Water website. 

Last but not least, all my English copy is written in Grammarly, which detects that "English" should take a capital letter. Yes, I know, you don't hear my grammar mistakes, so why bother? Well, my prospective guests have to read my emails first, and you only have one chance to make a good first impression.

Why do I tell you all of that? First don't worry, if you were to use any of these tools, I wouldn't get a cent. This wasn't an ad with extra steps. No, I'm telling you that to highlight one of the ideas Claudia and Alice develop in their new book: AI may be neither a threat nor a waste, but used right, a way to enhance humans. 

with 🎙️ Paul Martin, Chemical process development expert & founder of Spitfire Research.  

💧 Spitfire research is a Process development consulting company for a decarbonized future, where Paul acts as an antidote to marketing hopium and a tireless advocate for a fossil-fuel-free future.

This episode is a section of my Hydrogen Deep Dive 

What we covered: 

🧪 How the thermodynamics and fundamental properties of the Hydrogen molecule turn it into a false hope of decarbonization strategies

🌡️ How given the way it's produced, hydrogen actually is a decarbonization problem 

🪶 How Goethe is right: hope's preferable to despair unless hope needs the laws of physics to stop applying 

⚡ How the biggest problem with green hydrogen production is not its water impact but its energy consumption 

🏭 How hydrogen barely moves today, and what that reveals about the difficulty of using it as a transportation fuel 

😒 How producing small amounts of hydrogen from wastewater treatment plants is fully doable, yet barely desirable 

🦘 How optimizing the production of green hydrogen requires very specific geographic properties, and where that applies

🌬️ How the World barely features half the renewable production capacity needed if we wanted to just switch from gray to green hydrogen

👃 How the Hydrogen economy may well be the false nose of Fossil Fuel Companies to keep striving in a decarbonized world 

📈 How Turquoise hydrogen production makes a lot of sense, already today, but has a limited market potential for its byproducts. 

🧑‍🔬 How turning Biogas into Hydrogen sounds like a very weird thing to do. 

🔬 How electrolysis processes don't really allow to valorize the oxygen byproduct today, and why. 

🚚 How Hydrogen is an amazing good and tool, just not to be wasted as a fuel 

🌍 How the European Union and the UK daydream about Hydrogen, and how it may be a last resort solution for Japan and South Korea

🔋 How batteries are not perfect but have a clear path to scale 

🏚️ How to be serious and earnest about decarbonization, states shall start with relevant policies

🍏 How we shall start with the low hanging fruit when putting hydrogen and decarbonization in the same equation

🦌 Canada tackling carbon taxes, CO2 prices as business enablers, Hydrogen promoters being useful idiots, Hydrogen as a sunk cost fallacy, Hopium... and more!

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥 

➡️ Get the Full Story (including an infographic and full transcript)       

➡️ Read Paul's best hydrogen articles 

➡️ Contact BlueTech Research: [email protected]

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with 🎙️ Saad Dara - CEO and Founder of Mangrove Lithium 

💧 Mangrove Lithium produces battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate from a wide array of raw sources

What we covered:

🔄 How Mangrove Lithium, initially focusing on water treatment and desalination, found the ideal product-market fit within the lithium industry. 

♻️ How the circularity of chemicals, environmental benefits, and potential for zero-emission processes play a crucial role in Mangrove's approach to lithium conversion. 

🌀 How Saad Dara spun the company out in 2017, completing his PhD in 2020, and is on the path to commercialization, aiming to co-locate and operate systems with lithium production companies. 

🚀 How the simplicity and flexibility of their operations sets them apart, with the ability to change feedstock and product quickly, offering more choices in a volatile lithium market. 

🛠️ How their secret sauce lies not in membranes but in the cathode, providing unique value in energy consumption and purity, a major differentiator in the industry. 

🔄 Why their approach appeals to both small and large producers, offering a standardized, modular system that fits various scales, potentially serving as a cooperative refining platform. 

🌏 What makes them stand out in the global market is the possibility of bringing lithium refining to regions like North America and Europe, potentially altering the current China-dominated landscape. 

🔋 How their technology could redefine the lithium market by being a perfect fit for cooperative refining, an innovative model that could support smaller players as they grow. 

📐 How modularity in plant design allows flexibility, optimizing both CAPEX and OPEX, from 3000 to 15,000 tons per year, and the thoughtful combination of modules based on needs. 

🤝 Why taking a holistic and consultative approach to the supply chain, working side by side with partners, leads to a more successful and optimized process. 

🌋 What differentiates the company's electrochemical approach from other market players like Vulcan, and why their system is simpler and safer to operate. 

📈 How focusing on demonstrating a 3000 tons per year system can remove market skepticism, and why operating at a commercially relevant scale and time period is crucial. 

💡 Why strong backing by BMW iVentures and Breakthrough Energy Ventures highlights confidence and credibility in the company's innovative approach - and how Bill Gates is cool (ok, I'm the one adding this) 

🤖 What makes Mangrove’s “boxes” unique and how they are working to prove their efficiency and effectiveness in real-world applications. 

🎤 How the conversation unveils the company's vision, backing, synergies, and future plans, providing a multi-dimensional insight into the world of lithium processing and innovation. 

🏢 How Lithium Valley emerged I coin a term for Vancouver's status as the lithium company capital, with a mystery Saad chalks up to community development. 

🤝 What makes competitors collaborators: Saad discusses the complementary fit between Saltworks and Mangrove Lithium, shedding a competitive light on the cooperative spirit of the industry. 

📈 How to get started with Mangrove Lithium

🎤 What makes the flexible model appealing: Saad explains Mangrove's customizable models for providing technology or production services, reflecting the company's adaptability in the growing lithium industry. 

♻️ Why all lithium sources are vital

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Come say hi to Saad on LinkedIn 

🔗 Check Mangrove Lithium's website

➡️ Check out the entire article on how Mangrove Lithium is a Jewel in Bill Gates' crown  

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

Saad Dara is the CEO and Founder of Mangrove Lithium. Mangrove Lithium develops an innovative approach to Lithium Refining which is using electrochemical processes to reach battery grade from diverse raw sources. 

The decarbonization of our World oftentimes resembles a set of Russian Dolls. First, we needed electric cars, so the manufacturers started shifting their internal combustion lines to EV ones. Then, batteries were on the critical path, so the World frantically built Gigafactories. As a result, Lithium became the bottleneck, and over the next decade, we'll try to catch up. But in doing so, we may well bump into the next problem: missing chemicals.

Don't roll your eyes too fast: I do know that Soda Ash, for instance, is pretty commonplace and shouldn't be an issue. Except if you are in the middle of the high Andes, and especially on the Argentinan side, where dozens of junior lithium companies are currently cutting their teeth. 

If you don't have enough Soda Ash, you can't refine your Lithium Chloride to Carbonate, and why is that a problem, well, that means you have to truck large volumes of concentrated brines away, and reach a place where chemicals are available. Not a big deal? Well, except if you compound in the absence of paved roads around most of the Salars that will enter into production in the next years, or simply the fact that bringing a truck up to an altitude of over 4'000 meters is not that easy. 

While I was up in Olaroz, Cachi, and Jama, I crossed two different trucks in two different places that had rolled over onto the side of the road. So again, I'd say, not a piece of cake.

But if evaporation ponds are so efficient in the high Andes, it's, of course, thanks to widely available solar energy. Something energy companies start to leverage by installing solar farms.

So what if it were possible to use that electrical energy right where it's produced, to refine the concentrated brines that evaporation ponds output into battery-grade carbonate or hydroxide? 

Well, some companies have started to explore that electrochemical road, and you would have guessed, that's where Mangrove Lithium is focusing. 

Their technology was born as a water treatment and desalination play, yet the ideal product-market fit seems to rather be in the lithium industry - once again, a proof of the high porosity between those two worlds. 

Let me avoid spoiling you all of my conversation with Saad Dara, but what I can already tell you is that we had good fun recording, I hope you'll enjoy it as well, if you do, please remember to take that episode and share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss or your team, wherever you're listening or watching that, make sure to like and subscribe, and I'll meet you on the other side!

➡️ Check out the entire article on how Mangrove Lithium is the Jewel in Bill Gates' crown on the (don't) Waste Water website!

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