The Fundamental Molecule

Mudasser Iqbal - AI, Water and Institutional Memory


Listen Later

There is a lot going on in AI right now, from the travails of ChatGPT to the technology being essentially single handedly responsible for the surge of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” and therefore the overall S&P 500 in 2024. But what does it mean for water? Mudasser Iqbal is a career technologist and an exceptional guy, previous CEO of Visenti before its acquisition by our friends at Xylem in 2016, and he and his co-founders reformed to pursue the AI opportunity in water. TeamSolve is going after a tough problem, essentially aiming at solving the lack of easily accessible institutional memory and insight in water utilities using the power of AI. This is a fascinating run through the ins and outs of applying this technology and water, the practicality of problem solving, working with remote teams, maintaining customer focus and much, much more. Please enjoy my conversation with Mudasser Iqbal. 

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


-----------


Mudasser Iqbal, Founder and CEO at TeamSolve and noted ‘AI use in water’ visionary, details his organization’s mission to revolutionize utilities with their "knowledge twin," a formidable resource which effectively combats expertise loss. Accessible through everyday platforms, the Twin boosts efficiency for field techs and command centers. Building upon lessons learned from Visenti and Xylem, Iqbal stresses practicality, user feedback, and a distributed team model. He also urges water innovators to embrace tough challenges and strategic partnerships, mirroring TeamSolve's customer-centric, globally impactful approach.


00:00 - AI's Evolution and Real-World Applications

04:48 - Agentic Frameworks: Beyond Generative AI

07:04 - Why AI in Water Matters Now

09:37 - Real-World Examples: Institutional Knowledge Gaps

12:25 - Knowledge Twin: A Practical AI Solution

19:17 - Practical Uses: Field Technicians and Command Centers

24:21 - Ensuring AI Reliability and Trustworthiness

26:22 - Remote Team Collaboration: Lessons from COVID

29:30 - Vicente Learnings: Collaboration and Customer Focus

32:45 - Building a Customer-Centric Company Culture

35:15 - Creating Moats: Knowledge Sharing and Network Effects

38:51 - Maintaining Focus Amid Growth

40:40 - Advice for Water Entrepreneurs: Solve Hard Problems

Links:

Burnt Island Ventures

TeamSolve

Mudasser Iqbal 


SM Material


Key Takeaways:

"AI has been around for decades, contributing to drug discovery, predictive maintenance, and more. It's not new, but its applications are expanding."


"Generative AI connects the dots in water systems, overcoming data limitations and enabling real problem-solving."


"Institutional knowledge in water utilities often retires with employees. AI can bridge this gap, preserving essential information."


"AI's promise lies in solving real-world problems, not just generating text or images. It's about practical applications."


"Focus on solving a hard problem that's bothering customers. Stick to it for long-term success."


"AI can help leapfrog water utilities that are just starting their digital journey, providing practical solutions."

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Fundamental MoleculeBy The Fundamental Molecule with Tom Ferguson, Burnt Island Ventures

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

1 ratings


More shows like The Fundamental Molecule

View all
Marketplace by Marketplace

Marketplace

8,500 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,109 Listeners

Water Values Podcast by Dave McGimpsey

Water Values Podcast

189 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,343 Listeners

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

2,404 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

86,250 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,729 Listeners

The Bulwark Podcast by The Bulwark

The Bulwark Podcast

11,076 Listeners

The David McWilliams Podcast by David McWilliams & John Davis

The David McWilliams Podcast

357 Listeners

Hacks On Tap by Hacks On Tap

Hacks On Tap

8,012 Listeners

Switched On by Bloomberg

Switched On

100 Listeners

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

4,740 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

8,385 Listeners

The Future of Water by Reese Tisdale

The Future of Water

33 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

14,670 Listeners