Jorge Richardson - Water Access, Reliability, and Selfies with Bono

Sometimes businesses pop up that take a bit of time to make sense. HOPE Hydration is one of those businesses. When I first met Jorge Richardson in 2021, he was chock full of confidence, like a lot of entrepreneurs in 2021, with an admirably aggressive plan, but I couldn't quite see it. And, fortunately, I was wrong. Make no mistake, this is an exceptional early company with the potential to transform a very large legacy part of the water sector. Jorge is also exactly the right person to build it. A rare combination of smarts, charisma, and a down to earth way of looking at the journey that can only come from a very specific blend of experiences, both positive and negative. We think they can be a huge part of the solution to the public water access problem, and this is a fascinating look into the early stages of building that solution. Hopefully, you'll get it faster than I did because we are seriously excited. They were our second investment in BIV Fund 2. Please enjoy my conversation with Jorge Richardson. 

Subscribe to The Fundamental Molecule here: https://www.burntislandventures.com/the-fundamental-molecule

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fundamental-molecule/id1714287205

-----------

Jorge Richardson’s journey led him to create Hope Hydration, tackling the broken water access system with fresh ideas. In 2021, he pivoted to focus on event-based water stations, quickly learning how to make a big impact with limited resources. By combining a smart, ad-driven business model with B Corp principles, Hope Hydration is redefining what it means to offer free, high-quality water everywhere. For Jorge, success is all about having the right people, a clear mission, and staying true to your values.

00:00 Start

00:49 Introduction

01:53 Jorge's Unconventional Path to Water Sector

02:18 Mission and Vision of Hope Hydration

04:50 Problems with Traditional Water Access Models

08:00 Transforming Drinking Water Infrastructure

11:10 Key Learnings and Pivot from 2021 Onwards

16:46 Understanding the Ad Business Model in Water Tech

20:45 Balancing Ads with Mission as a B Corp

25:27 The Power of Networking and Partnerships

29:43 Scaling Across Multiple Vertical Markets

35:38 Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage

41:53 Global Impact and Scaling Hope Hydration

45:23 Advice for Future Water Entrepreneurs

Links:

Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/

Jorge Richardson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgerichardson/

HOPE Hydration: https://www.hopehydration.com/