Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with water technology? When GE sold its water division in 2017, nobody blinked. But in 2024, Georg Fischer's stock jumped 15% when they announced they're selling everything BUT water! Plus GF's not alone: DuPont and Danaher are making similar moves, and there's a World in which Veolia might move along.

What changed? Water tech companies are expected to grow from $290B to $1.4T in value by 2034. From being seen as "slow-growth" and "low-tech" a decade ago, water technology is now the hottest asset in industrial portfolios. Let's explore what this means for the future of the #WaterSector - and more precisely for #WaterTech companies!

Get my friend Björn to buy me a beer (and pocket the 10% discount) subscribe to Global Water Intelligence using the code "BJOERN10"

My Full Interview with Mads Joergensen (GF's CFO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qg05MfjB7g

My (impromptu) coverage of the Xylem/Evoqua Merger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrwKzgZYj5U

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

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Georg Fischer (or GF) just announced that it divested its Machining Solutions arm for about 650 million Swiss francs to United Grinding Group and evaluated strategic options to do the same with its Casting Solutions division. Said differently, GF fully embraced its new trajectory: becoming a Water and Flow solutions company, with, on top of this, the ambition to become the World leader at that (starting from number two).

Here's what I discussed with Mads:

• Why are companies like GF pivoting entirely toward water solutions?

• How does a traditional industrial company make a leap into sustainable infrastructure?

• Can the water market really sustain 8% growth?

• How do acquisitions fit into GF’s $5 billion revenue goal?

• What makes water infrastructure a smart investment right now?

• How can investing in water align with sustainable goals?

• What’s the "ketchup effect" in mergers and acquisitions?

If you want to follow up with Mads, reach out to him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madsjoergensen/

Key Ideas

• Strategic Shift in Water Sector: GF divested its machining solutions and plans to exit its casting solutions divisions to focus on water-related products. This pivot, welcomed by the market, positions GF as a pure-play water and flow solutions company in response to global water scarcity concerns, increasing the attractiveness of water infrastructure investments.

• Acquisition of Uponor: GF’s recent 2.1 billion CHF acquisition of Uponor bolstered its presence in piping systems and set the foundation for a focus on water solutions. GF sees Uponor as essential to consolidating its market position and is pursuing acquisitions in similar companies to reach its revenue goal of 5 billion CHF by 2030.

• Market Fragmentation and M&A Strategy: The water market's fragmentation offers GF a path to scale rapidly through strategic acquisitions of companies between $75 million to $125 million, quickly integrating them to build a resilient, scalable business. This acquisition approach aims to make GF the market leader by capitalizing on economies of scale but mostly scope.

• Sustainable Investment Appeal: With investors increasingly focused on environmental impact, GF’s shift aligns with sustainability and long-term profitability. Mads Joergensen highlights how water infrastructure is crucial for economic stability and environmental health, positioning GF as a high-impact investment opportunity that appeals to both financial and environmental investors.

• Global Expansion Plans: GF is aiming for geographic diversification with a balanced presence across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. This global reach, coupled with sector diversification across building, industrial, and infrastructure flow solutions, offers resilience and positions GF to capitalize on the growing global water market.

• Challenges and Caution in Water Innovation: Water technology has long development cycles, sometimes taking decades to reach market maturity. GF’s approach focuses on proven technologies and scalable solutions, reducing exposure to riskier, early-stage innovations.

Hey, and for the sake of full disclosure: this is NOT a sponsored episode (at all), but GF happens to be my employer when I'm not running this podcast 🙂

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You need to know the rules to beat the rules ⬇️

Water innovation takes decades to be adopted: 35 Years for the average water tech!

For their book "The Dynamics of Water Innovation," Paul O'Callaghan and his team reviewed 488 water technologies to identify patterns, timelines (and ways to accelerate them), and some of the specificities of water entrepreneurship.

In this review, I share with you the key learnings, but also my feelings about the book. Spoiler: you should read it!

➡️ Get the book: https://www.braveblue.world/book

📚 Download the supporting research (free): https://edepot.wur.nl/536755

📣 MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE 📣

My interview with Andrew Benedek (Zenon): https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s5e12-how-to-be-alone-early-crazy-but-actually-right-the-history-of-zenon

My conversation with Graeme Pearce (Membranes): https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s2e9-everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-mbrs-without-daring-to-ask

Fluence's take at MABRs: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s2e7-this-astonishing-technology-will-turn-the-wastewater-sector-on-its-head-here-s-why

My conversation with Reinhard Hübner (SKion): https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s5e1-the-7-secrets-of-the-water-company-of-the-year-you-shall-absolutely-steal

My interview with Tom Ferguson (Burnt Island Ventures): https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s10e16-the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-ventures-tom-ferguson-s-unfair-advantage

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

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

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

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

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

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Technology Adoption in various sectors

02:14 Anatomy of a Winner

05:08 The WaTA Model

08:30 3 Levers to Market Faster

14:23 Why bother?

15:55 Conclusion

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📚 On the bookshelf: Liquid Asset by Barton Thompson

📘 Subtitle: How Business and Government Can Partner to Solve the Freshwater Crisis

• What's the thesis of the book?

• What are some key learnings you'll get from it?

• What are my own thoughts and criticisms about that book?

• And ultimately, should you read it?

➡️ Let's review!

Included: My exclusive interview with the author at this year's Rethinking Water Conference in New York, hosted by Sciens Water

By the way, a big thanks to Sciens for inviting me over! Go check them out: https://scienswater.com/

Get the Book: https://www.sup.org/books/politics/liquid-asset

The two conversations I mentioned in the episode:

• Water Trading in Australia with Scott Hamilton - https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s4e6-how-water-trading-unbelievably-killed-one-million-fishes-and-a-river

• Groundwater Trading in California with Ellen Bruno - https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s4e13-could-we-please-stop-burning-industrial-wastewater-this-is-much-better

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introducing: Liquid Asset by Barton Thompson

01:10 The Book's Thesis

12:43 Review & Critique

15:16 Interview with Barton Thompson

25:40 Conclusion

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Gross Wen Technologies reached $15 Million in yearly sales while rolling out in three verticals and getting selected among hundreds of contestant in THE Global Water Hub - aka Singapore.

All on the back of a simple, even seemingly simplistic technology: algae-based nutrient removal (and recovery).

Oh and did I forget? They profitable from the get-go. What's the secret? 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 #️⃣

Gross Wen Technologies' Website: https://algae.com/

Connect with Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-gross-39125755/

The last time we covered Green Algae on the podcast: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water/s4e11-are-you-still-fighting-green-algae-here-s-what-to-do-instead

My Coverage of WEFTEC: https://youtu.be/UnvaN9ZDjPs

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

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

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

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

#WaterTech #GrowthStage #GreenAlgae

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 episode is for you.

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

The World's largest water company is ambitious: it plans on growing 3 times faster than the market, so that its water tech and new solutions business lines will grow by 50% by 2030.

How? By introducing 5 Priority Offers, starting with a new dedicated PFAS removal arm: BeyondPFAS.

Let's dig into it!

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

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

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

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

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

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Here are my curated picks from WEFTEC 2024:

💰 Aqua Membranes' Series B (led by Burnt Island Ventures) - with CEO Craig Beckman and Partner Steve Kloos

3️⃣ 3 intriguing Water Techs, finally explained - VorTech (with Sean Mulligan & John McConomy), VVater (with Michael Watt), BioLargo (with Alex Evans)

🤖 ML applied to Water Asset Management (with Jennifer Zach)

🦾 My meeting with Kando's STREAMi (with Ori Reshef)

🧪 PFAS Destruction with Axine Water Technologies (with Mark Ralph) Support my one-man band: leave a Like and share your thoughts in the comments!

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

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

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

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

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Welcome to WEFTEC 2024

01:55 Aqua Membranes' Series B

11:31 Tech1 - VorTech

19:42 Tech2 - VVater

28:30 Tech3 - BioLargo

38:51 Thank You!

40:37 MentorAPM's Applied ML

46:57 Imagine H2O's Croc Tank

47:32 Meeting Kando's STREAMi

53:46 Axine's First PFAS Destruction Reference

01:01:07 See You Soon!

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The US Water Infrastructure is crumbling - and it may be time for Policy to effectively jump in. Let's discuss how and why with:

➡️ Mae Stevens (the highly praised water lobbyist who wrote the Bill in response to the Flint Crisis - and SO much more): https://www.linkedin.com/in/maestevens/

➡️ Melisa Logan (Mayor of Blytheville, Arkansas): https://www.mrcti.org/meet-our-mayors

➡️ Aurélie Rodzynek (Program Coordinator at the Columbia Water Center): https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurelie-rodzynek/

& a short "BlueField on Tap" segment with Reese Tisdale (President & CEO of BlueField)

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

🎙️ 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

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 The $2 Trillion Water Infrastructure Challenge

06:08 The Water Lobbyist (who wrote the Flint Bill)

16:32 The Water Silver Wave

23:50 BlueField on Tap (Sorry Dave!)

25:32 The Mayor with a Dry River

35:02 How to get Woman in Water?

37:07 The Academic (who worked with the UN)

44:16 My Last Take on the UN Water Conference

49:13 See you in New Orleans!

#WaterPolicy #DeepBrief

Hey, I'm introducing this "Deep Brief" segment, and I'd crave your feedback! What do you think of it? What shall I do better? Let me know in the comments! (or send me a DM on LinkedIn or a mail: [email protected])

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In January 2023, MembrIon raised a $12.5M Series B. Roughly two years later, they're on the verge of raising their Series C, but in between, it's been a bumpy road!

From zooming in on their target market to turning their business model around through signing their first commercial deals and re-modeling key positions in the team, there's A TON to learn from the MembrIon crew.

They've opened me the door of their offices, factory (and investor), and openly shared everything that matters, so the best I could do was to articulate their story best!

How does a Series B transform a growth stage water tech? How does a water tech company align for growth? What sacrifices do you need to make to succeed in water technology adoption? How does a Series B company grow towards its Series C? How does a VC Investor interact with its water tech portfolio? This - and much more - is in this week's story: MembrIon's Growth Story

(As always, if this is of value to you, make sure to subscribe.)

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

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

MembrIon's Website: https://membrion.com/

PureTerra Ventures' Website: https://pureterra.com/

My first interview with Greg Newbloom: https://dww.show/membrion-ceo-that-raised-22m-reveals-his-one-trick-you-must-copy-today/

Value Driven / Crisis Driven: https://dww.show/how-long-will-it-take-to-grow-the-4-stages-of-water-innovation/

🎙️ PODCAST 🎙️

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

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

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

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 MembrIon's Growth Story

03:42 Embracing the Journey 1

0:49 Gathering a Crew

17:10 Product Market Fit

21:34 Market Adoption

27:24 Business Model Pivot

34:13 The First Order

40:04 Ramping Up

48:42 Series C

51:01 2030

54:40 Epilogue

#WaterTech #GrowthStage #GrowthStory

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 episode is for you.

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

How did Veolia overcome the Leader's Curse to supercharge its internal and external tools with AI and LLMs when so many sat on the edge? 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 #️⃣

🔗 Come say hi to Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlcollier/

🔗 Veolia's water tech zone website: https://www.veoliawatertechnologies.com/en

🔗 Introducing Hubgrade on this microphone... 4 years ago! https://dww.show/how-to-almost-double-treatment-capacity-in-about-no-time/

🔗 Already praising Veolia's agility (with Glenn Vicevic) last year: https://dww.show/how-to-foster-innovation-and-agility-when-youre-the-worlds-largest-water-company/

🎙️ 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 👋

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

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

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

02:26 Entropy Theory applied to Veolia

05:31 Introducing Andrew Collier

06:15 Applying LLMs to IoT Data

09:05 Veolia's Water Tech Zone and Digital Team

11:12 Hubgrade Water Footprint and Sustainability

23:21 User-Centric Software Development at Veolia

26:33 Driving User Adoption and Measuring Impact

30:48 Leveraging AI for Operational Efficiency

32:17 Fine-Tuning AI Models

34:36 The Future of Automated Plants

37:05 Training the Next Generation with AI

42:28 Generative AI and Design Optimization

46:06 Personal Reflections and Future Outlook

48:02 Rapid Fire Questions

#WaterTech #BlueTech

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 episode is for you.

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