The Fundamental Molecule

Pierre Côté is arguably the most successful inventor and technologist in the industrial wastewater space. He has two ubiquitous technologies under his belt - the hollow fiber membrane and the membrane bioreactor, or MBR - and a third technology well on the way to becoming ubiquitous: the membrane aerated biofilm reactor, or MABR. Pierre is not only brilliant and a wonderful person, he is totally focused on finding practical solutions to persistent problems that are affordable and implementable. Pierre is now at it again with a new technology for dealing with nutrient pollution via an inexpensive algae biofilm process being brought to life through AlgaFilm, our 7th investment in our Second Fund. He is a profoundly thoughtful, modest, and wise man, and his advice for technical founders is particularly on point. Please enjoy my conversation with the great Pierre Côté.

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

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Inventor Pierre Côté discusses the iterative process of invention, stressing that ideas arise from real-world problems and pressure. He details the origin of his latest venture, AlgaFilm, which evolved from failed prototypes into a novel biofilm system, and advises technical founders to focus on solving a customer's whole problem rather than just their specific technology. For success, he says entrepreneurs must build strong, diverse teams, find a market "wave" (like new regulations) to ride, and have a bit of luck on their side.

00:00 - How Inventors Solve Real-World Water Challenges02:34 - Why Innovation Requires Pressure, Curiosity, and Iteration05:12 - Cross-Disciplinary Thinking and Customer-Driven Design08:09 - The Origin Story Behind AlgaFilm’s Algae Biofilm System10:32 - How the Algae Forest Reinvents Nutrient Removal14:18 - Lessons from Past Water Tech Failures and Breakthroughs18:10 - Navigating Startup Constraints vs. Corporate Innovation21:31 - Commercializing Water Tech with a Whole-Solution Mindset25:16 - Why Cost Modeling and Competitive Awareness Matter28:43 - Staying in Water: Motivation, Mentors, and Market Realities32:15 - Future Trends: Climate Resilience, AI, and Smarter Infrastructure35:01 - Final Advice: Build the Right Team and Catch the Right Wave

Links:

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

AlgaFilm: https://algafilm.com/

Pierre Côté: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-c%C3%B4t%C3%A9-5291a226/

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Key Takeaways:

"Ideas don't come in a vacuum. You need to be exposed to problems. Start by looking for problems."

"Inventions come to fruition through iterations. Risk-taking and mistakes are part of the process."

"Introverts live in their heads, thinking about problems more than extroverts. Curiosity is key."

"Algae can do interesting things, but existing processes are either too large or complex and expensive."

"Focus on building a strong team. Include expertise outside your field for diverse solutions."

"Express objectives as goals, not means. Focus on solving problems, not just creating products."

"Limited funding in startups forces focus on pain points. It's a positive constraint."

"Find early adopters excited about new technology. Treat them well to ensure mutual success."

At BIV, we have huge admiration for people who call their shot and are right. For all you hockey fans out there, it's people who ‘Gretzky’ to where the market is going to be and so are there when it arrives. Oliver Lawal is a fascinating entrepreneur. He saw something obvious - his words - and just went and built the thing and has made so many smart moves along the way. He's a truly thoughtful person, and there is a lot in this conversation for fellow entrepreneurs - from what ‘focus on the customer’ really looks like to how to build a team that never wants to do anything else. He also uses a phrase which has now entered the BIV lexicon: “There's a big difference between what I think is cool and what is actually helpful.” Never a truer word. It almost makes me forgive him for being a Spurs fan. Please enjoy my conversation with the excellent Oliver Lawal, CEO of AquiSense.

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

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Oliver Lawal discusses UV water treatment, detailing its history and AquiSense's UV-C LED innovation (analog to digital shift). He explains entrepreneurial strategies like controlling the LED supply chain by becoming a key customer and enabling customer validation with affordable lab units. Oliver emphasizes solving real problems ("cool vs. helpful") and building a strong team culture focused on shared vision, respect, and practical problem-solving rather than blame.

00:00 - Why Water Innovation Needs Entrepreneurs  

02:52 - How UV Disinfection Works and Its Origins  

04:42 - Why UV Beats Chemical Treatment in Water  

06:57 - Transitioning UV from Mercury Lamps to LEDs  

10:47 - Spotting Market Shifts and Acting Early  

13:44 - Building Trust Through Scalable UV Tech  

18:44 - From Petri Dishes to Multimillion-Dollar Utility Deals  

23:03 - Building What’s Helpful vs. What’s “Cool”  

27:06 - How Strong Co-Founder Dynamics Shape Success  

31:06 - Designing a High-Performance Technical Culture  

35:31 - Balancing Startup Leadership with Real Life  

39:43 - Final Advice: Solve Real, Not Just Interesting, Problems

Links:

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

Oliver Lawal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-lawal-6877ab9/

AquiSense: https://aquisense.com/

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Key Takeaways:

"Solve a real problem. The operative word is ‘real’. Be honest about it."

"There's a big difference between what I think is cool and what is actually helpful."

"We have to control the supply chain. I want the best pricing and newest products."

"Being honest is crucial. Focus on solving the problem, not apportioning blame."

"How do you come in with a new technology and have a customer sign a $2 million contract?"

"I don't need to be excellent at everything. I need the ability to step away."

"Balance is key. America is positive, but sometimes lacks nuance."

"I have high expectations. I can be tough, but I'm focused on problem-solving."

"Variety is important. I play instruments averagely, but it's about stepping away."

"Listening to direct feedback is vital. You can't solve real problems from an office."

There is so much that is dumb in water, but easily one of the dumbest is that in the US - let alone the rest of the world - 60 percent of meters are offline and need to be read by hand in 2025. It is an insane state of affairs, and we have had our eyes out for teams to solve it for literally years. Anne Mushow is the driving force behind the solution to this problem at Subeca. Taking over from the exceptional Patrick Keaney, she is a superb leader: practical, experienced, thoughtful, and so determined to banish the schleppiest of schlep work that is meter reading to the past. She spent a lot of time in this market, both in water at Sensus and Xylem, as well as experiencing hypergrowth at Amazon. Please enjoy my conversation with Anne Mushow.

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

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Anne Mushow highlights the slow adoption of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the water utility sector, attributing it to factors like risk aversion and capital intensity. She emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making and customer-centricity, sharing insights from her experiences at Sensus, Xylem, and Amazon. Anne also delves into Subeca's innovative approach, focusing on low-barrier adoption and leveraging technologies like Amazon Sidewalk to empower utilities with efficient and cost-effective solutions.

00:00 - Why Most Water Meters Still Require Manual Reads  

02:43 - The Real Barriers to AMI Adoption in Utilities  

08:41 - How Cloud and Managed Services Are Changing Water Tech  

11:01 - Subeca’s Low-Friction Approach to Smart Metering  

16:04 - Eliminating Manual Labor with Plug-and-Play Devices  

20:15 - Building a Strong ROI Case Without Infrastructure Costs  

24:05 - How to Successfully Sell Into Utility Markets  

31:52 - Applying Amazon’s Culture to Water Tech Innovation  

36:17 - The Future of Water Data as a Service  

39:55 - Leadership Lessons from Stepping Into the CEO Role  

45:50 - Anne’s advice for current and future water entrepreneurs

Links:

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

Anne Mushow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mushow-3108a65b/

Subeca: https://www.subeca.com/

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Key Takeaways:

"Water utilities are buyers, not builders. They need solutions, not just data."

"In the US, 60% of meters are offline and need manual reading in 2025. It's an insane state of affairs."

"Utilities are risk-averse. They need to see proof of concept before making big investments."

"Amazon Sidewalk's connectivity in challenging terrains is astonishing. It works where others fail."

"Focus on solving real customer problems. Product-market fit will follow."

"The market for water utilities is diverse. Tailor your approach to their unique needs."

"Documentation and working backwards are key. They transform ideas into actionable plans."

"Survive and advance. Find what's working and ride it to bring in revenue for innovation."

"The sky's the limit for networks. Managed services will drive utility transformation."

"Gut is the instant amalgamation of all your experience. Trust it, but verify with data."

Flooding is becoming an increasingly obvious mega issue in the world today. It costs anywhere between $200 billion and $500 billion in the US alone each year. They're 31% of natural catastrophes and 1.8 billion people, about a quarter of the planet, live under flood risk. This is a nightmare for insurers who are raising their premiums in response, 17% last year in the US alone. But what if you could change the cost structure of this issue - where possible, allow homes and businesses enough lead time to take high value items out of harm's way, take the cars off the parking lot of the dealership and the goods off the warehouse floor? This can transform the insurance economics around flooding and is exactly what Previsico is doing.  Jonathan Jackson is an exceptional entrepreneur now on his fourth company, and it was a pleasure to have him on The Fundamental Molecule to hear what he's building at Previsico and how he's building it. Please enjoy my conversation with Jonathan Jackson.

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

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Jonathan Jackson describes the growing challenges for insurers due to unpredictable floods, and how his company, Previsico, addresses this with precise, actionable flood warnings that utilize advanced forecasts and ground sensors. This enables businesses to mitigate up to 70% of flood damage and transform the economics of insurance. He discusses Previsico's origins as a UK university spin-out, its customer-driven US market entry, the significance of a clear ROI, and core company values such as fairness and purpose. Jonathan finishes by advising entrepreneurs to focus on their specific area of expertise.

00:00 - Why Flooding Is a Massive Insurance Crisis

01:59 - How Insurers Struggle to Price Flood Risk

07:04 - Key Differences in UK vs US Flood Insurance

08:47 - Why Businesses Are Forced to Self-Insure Flood Loss

09:58 - Provisico’s Approach to Preventing 70% of Flood Damage

11:14 - How Forecasts and Sensors Enable Real-Time Response

14:52 - The ROI of Ground-Truthing Flood Data

16:24 - How a Government Grant Sparked Provisico’s Founding

21:10 - Breaking Into Insurance Through Public-Private Partnerships

24:18 - Cracking the Insurance Market with Lloyd’s Lab and Zurich

25:40 - How to Sell to Risk-Averse, Slow-Moving Enterprises

29:12 - Expanding to the U.S. Through Customer Pull, Not Push

31:11 - Building Culture Around Fairness, Purpose, and Creativity

37:18 - Why Water Entrepreneurs Must Stay Laser-Focused

Links:

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

https://previsico.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-jackson-a393102/

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Key Takeaways:

"Flood risk maps estimate property location risk. Insurers use them to determine underwriting."

"A 1% flood risk every year means you could be flooded year after year. It's about communication."

"Provisico's service, with a good flood plan, can achieve 70% commercial loss prevention."

"We enable insurers to mitigate losses, improving their profitability through accurate flood warnings."

"Our flood forecast prepares organizations for flood, while sensors provide high-confidence alerts."

"Our vision is global. We aim to reduce flood loss by 50% or more, helping people worldwide."

One of the reasons why working in water is fun is the people who work in it - dedicated, driven, modest, self-effacing, hard working, but with a lightness that comes from doing something that really matters. Craig Beckman personifies these qualities and then some, and he also happens to be working on a generational - and I really do mean that it's once in a generation if the past is anything to go by - generational shift in the design of the spiral wound membrane module. Well, we'll go into it in the episode, but think of it as the basic building block, the workhorse of water treatment, a $4.6 billion a year market growing at 11%. Craig and his team have the opportunity to make something we all rely on, whether we know it or not, fundamentally better. It's such an exciting story from inception to development to their enormous production space they just moved into. But more than anything, Craig is a wonderful person to spend time with. Please enjoy my conversation with Craig Beckman.

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

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Craig Beckman shares lessons learned from GE Water and MIOX on customer needs and small company agility here today. He describes how his current venture, Aqua Membranes, revolutionizes membrane elements by replacing inefficient mesh spacers with optimized, 3D-printed structures - an innovation that targets reduced fouling and energy use, especially in industrial reuse. Discussing focused go-to-market strategies, overcoming technical challenges, and scaling production to build confidence, Craig emphasizes membrane technology's crucial role in future water security and advises persistence for water entrepreneurs.

00:00 - Building the Future of Water Through Innovation

01:59 - Lessons from Big Company Sales and GE Water Rollups

05:10 - Why Big Companies Miss Mid-Market Water Opportunities

09:18 - Balancing Recurring Revenue with Customer Needs

13:31 - Why Traditional Membrane Spacers Fail in Water Treatment

17:24 - Redesigning Membranes for High-Reuse Industrial Wastewater

21:54 - Solving Customer Pain with Elegant Membrane Engineering

27:44 - Overcoming Doubt and Manufacturing Complexity in Water Tech

31:05 - Go-to-Market Strategy for Industrial Water Startups

35:10 - Building Case Studies to Accelerate Market Adoption

39:04 - Scaling Manufacturing to Gain Customer Trust

42:19 - The Future of Membranes in Global Water Scarcity Solutions

45:04 - The #1 Advice for Water Entrepreneurs

Links:

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

Craig Beckman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-beckman-ceo/

Aqua Membranes: https://aquamembranes.com/

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Key Takeaways:

"Just because everyone has wastewater doesn't mean it's a good commercial opportunity."

"The membrane market is poised for growth. It's a critical need for food and water security."

"Persistence is key in water entrepreneurship. Be patient. Water's impact grows over time."

"In water treatment, solving problems for customers is about aligning with their needs, not just trends."

"Cash flow is crucial in startups. It's a lesson learned from experience."

"The speed at which opportunities are pursued is crucial. Big companies often can't get out of their own way."

It's no secret that the so-called "hyperscalers"—Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and others—are doing their hyperscaling in the context of the AI revolution. The pace of digital infrastructure buildout is mind-boggling—about $450 billion in 2024 and with no sign of slowing. All of this has implications for the water sector. So I wanted to talk to someone who is a) in the thick of this, and b) has been part of a hyperscaler's water work for some time. Will Hewes is a superb guy, a proper water veteran all the way from his undergrad work, and he took his considerable expertise in infrastructure into running water resources first at AWS, and now across all of Amazon. They have been at the forefront of basin-wide sustainability efforts, and it was so energizing to hear how an "intrapreneur" builds inside a company like Amazon, all the way down to how these individual projects get done. Please enjoy my conversation with Will Hewes. 

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

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Will Hewes discusses his role in overseeing Amazon's water replenishment, detailing their "Water Positive" strategy which aims to return more water to communities than Amazon uses, particularly in AWS data centers which employ water for energy-efficient cooling. Hewes details the two-pronged approach: internal efficiency improvements (ex. direct evaporative cooling design reducing L/kWh, real-time monitoring, using recycled water), and external replenishment projects. These projects, chosen for local impact and verified credibility, address needs like WASH access or agricultural irrigation efficiency, often catalysing tech adoption.

00:00 - How AI and Data Centers Are Reshaping Water Demand

03:40 - Amazon’s Water Positive Strategy Explained

05:00 - Sustainable Cooling in Data Centers with Water Efficiency

08:45 - Shifting from Potable to Recycled Water Sources

11:49 - How Amazon Builds Global Water Replenishment Projects

13:55 - Partnering with Startups to Scale Smart Irrigation

18:24 - Measuring Impact and Verifying Replenishment Claims

21:55 - The Reality of Corporate Water Risk Assessment

24:45 - Why Hyperscalers Collaborate on Water Stewardship

27:33 - Balancing Growth with High-Quality Sustainability Practices

30:33 - Lessons from Will Hewes’ Career in Water Infrastructure

34:44 - Why Scalable, Fast-Adopting Water Tech Wins

43:21 - Advice for Water Entrepreneurs

Links:

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

Will Hewes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-hewes-61947232/

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Key Takeaways:

"Water is the most fundamental resource. It's about public health, urban planning, and managing wild spaces."

"Water is key to cooling strategies in data centers. It reduces energy use and meets sustainability goals."

"Our Water Positive program commits to returning more water to communities than we use."

"Efficiency and recycled water are cornerstones of our water sustainability strategy."

"Water replenishment projects must respond to local watershed challenges."

"Technology can unlock water security and reduce carbon associated with water treatment."

"Collaborate with partners to implement innovative water solutions that address local needs."

It's so fun when you feel like an investment has been dragged out of your hands. At the end of our deployment of our first fund, I was adamant that our final investments had to be blindingly obvious because the next best use of funds was to give more capital to companies we already knew were amazing. So when I met Shane Dyer, CEO of Irrigreen, the quality could not have been more obvious. Here was a multitime founder operating at a seriously high level, building around a product that was an absurdly large improvement on the status quo and which had the potential to save billions of gallons of water. It's been such a pleasure to watch him work, and it was deeply exciting to invest in them again as the third position in our Opportunity Fund. Please enjoy my conversation with Shane Dyer.

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

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Irrigreen’s CEO Shane Dyer discusses tackling overlooked water tech challenges by applying his IoT and growth marketing expertise from outside the sector. He details Irrigreen's genesis, adapting inkjet tech for precise, water-saving irrigation. Dyer shares critical startup lessons: the power of listening to customers for product & marketing direction, strategic hiring focusing on grit over resumes, rigorous iteration & verification for deep tech, effective board management, and keeping the customer the ultimate North Star.

00:00 - Why Water Tech Is the Climate Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight

02:34 - Bringing IoT and Startup Experience into Water Innovation

04:11 - Growth Marketing Tactics for Climate Tech Startups

07:52 - Building High-Impact Startup Teams

09:25 - From Inkjet Printers to Smart Sprinklers

12:43 - Designing Products That Customers Actually Want

17:21 - Reinventing Irrigation Through Digital Precision

21:36 - Balancing Consumer Appeal with Contractor Adoption

25:33 - Simplifying Supply Chains

27:53 - How to Get Real Value from Your Startup Board

32:46 - Running Data-Driven Growth Experiments That Work

35:45 - Scaling Hardware Quickly

38:12 - Hiring as the Ultimate Startup Superpower

40:34 - Shane Dyer’s #1 Advice for Water Entrepreneurs

Links:

Burnt Island Ventures 

Shane Dyer 

Irrigreen 

Sean Ellis 

Steve Blank 

The Startup Owner's Manual 

Nail It Then Scale It 

Getting to Plan B 

The Lean Startup 

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Key Takeaways:

"Experience is when the hairs on your neck rise during design review, sensing a potential landmine ahead."

"Startups are not little big companies. They're a completely different experience requiring ambition, talent, and grit."

"Growth marketing requires high-velocity experimentation and qualitative insights to drive hypotheses."

"A board is a team. Keep them informed and engaged to work on urgent growth problems for your next unlock."

"Hire slowly and focus more on getting the right team."

"For new ideas, reach directly to customers first."

When you hear a canary singing in the coal mine, you should stop and listen. Without torturing the metaphor too far, this is how I felt when I started working with Megan Glover at 120Water in 2017 as she started to build her business. The success of a business is predicated on the talent of the people running it, and Megan was important because she was one of the first brilliant CEOs who was truly new to water. She is at the vanguard of exceptionally smart, driven company leaders who appeared at the end of the 2010s and were the predicate essentially of BIV coming into being. We don't get to do our job without enough people as good as Megan. I love this conversation covering everything from strategic marketing to advice to board members. Please enjoy my conversation with my friend Megan Glover.

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

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Megan Glover, Co-founder and CEO at 120Water, joins Tom to discuss the role of strategic marketing in her organization’s trajectory, emphasizing market analysis, customer understanding, and the importance of a quantitative approach. Together, they delve into the genesis of 120Water, its pivot from a consumer focus to serving municipalities, and the significance of regulatory drivers like the lead and copper rule. Megan reflects on talent in the water sector, the evolution of her role as CEO, and offers advice to founders regarding risk-taking in particular.

00:00 - Why Talent Defines Startup Success

02:52 - The Role of Strategic Marketing in Water Tech

05:17 - Market Research: Understanding Customers Before You Build

07:19 - The Origin Story of 120Water

09:36 - The Business Pivot: From Consumer to Municipal Focus

12:07 - How Water Regulations Create Business Opportunities

14:17 - The Future of Lead, PFAS, and Emerging Contaminant Rules

16:50 - State vs. Federal Water Regulations

19:46 - Consumer Awareness vs. Action in Water Quality

20:56 - The Evolution of Lab Testing & Data Standardization

22:49 - The CEO Journey

24:10 - Navigating Board Relations & Investor Alignment

27:08 - Attracting & Retaining Talent in the Water Industry

29:17 - The Future Vision for 120Water

30:42 - Managing Cash Flow While Scaling in a Slow-Moving Market

32:10 - The Role of Partnerships

33:20 - The Art of Negotiation for Water Entrepreneurs

35:13 - The #1 Advice for Water Entrepreneurs

Links:

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

Megan Glover: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megancglover/

120Water: https://120water.com/

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Key Takeaways:

"The success of a business is predicated on the talent of the people running it."

"Before you can create, know who the creative is for."

"Regulatory demand is the number one driver for change in the water industry."

"Take the risk. The water industry is here to support you and wrap their arms around you."

"Partnerships can be a phenomenal tool. Win fast and fail fast."

"Manage your cash. Sales cycles in water take twice as long as in other startups."

"Every stage requires reflection."

"People are concerned about water quality, but not willing to pay for the solution."

Sometimes things just strike you as dumb and then one day you understand why. The current model of desalination is a great example. It's something that everyone thinks that we at BIV should be invested in up to the eyeballs, and, of course, we support technologies that are pertinent to desal, but the legacy model is just a tough nut to crack. Ever more scaled plants to minimize the per gallon cost of purified water is the name of the game. So when I met Alex Fugelsang and the full Flocean team, it was like a light bulb going off. Legacy desal was dumb for the simple reason you were pumping up onto land a whole load of water, putting all of it through a giant factory, having designed it for all of that water, then throwing at least 40% of it back into the ocean. So what if you could desalinate under the surface of the sea and get rid of all that excess capacity? You don't run into paradigm shifts all the time, but we think that Flocean is one of them. Alex is a superb guy with a fascinating skill set, having spent most of his life operating machinery at inhospitable depths, and he's on a remarkable mission to put a huge dent in global water insecurity. Please enjoy my conversation with Alex Fugelsang. 

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

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In today’s episode, Alex Fuglesang details Flocean's underwater desalination: less energy and less environmental impact thanks to stable deep-sea conditions. He reveals how robotics ensure reliable maintenance in their water-as-a-service model, and highlights building trust with communities, providing tailored solutions for water scarcity. Alex also shares insights on his background, leadership, and the future of desalination.

00:00 - Why Legacy Desalination Is Failing

02:16 - Operating and Engineering in Harsh Deep Sea Conditions  

05:30 - Robotics and Automation in Underwater Water Tech  

06:32 - Flocean's Origin Story  

10:35 - How Flocean Cuts Energy Use and Environmental Impact  

13:22 - Simplifying Permitting for Subsea Desalination  

15:16 - Real-World Water Scarcity Challenges in Island Nations  

17:24 - Growing Industrial Demand for Onsite Desalination  

19:52 - New Business Models for Water Delivery  

22:56 - What Infrastructure Investors Want from Water Tech  

24:09 - Building a World-Class Water Tech Team  

26:53 - Targeting High-Impact Coastal Markets  

28:38 - Strategic Marketing for Deep Tech Startups  

29:57 - Military Leadership Lessons in Startup Life  

34:17 - The Future of Desal

37:43 - Cutting Red Tape in Water Infrastructure Projects  

39:17 - Top Advice for Climate Hardware Entrepreneurs  

Links:

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

Alex Fuglesang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderfuglesang/?originalSubdomain=no

Flocean: https://www.flocean.green/

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Key Takeaways:

"In water-scarce regions, the frustration is real. Limited budgets lead to expensive maintenance and weeks of downtime."

“Cutting bureaucracy and aligning stakeholders can unleash new technologies."

“Flocean uses natural deep-sea pressure to cut power consumption. 40% energy efficiency savings are not abnormal."

"Scale with trust and demand. Start small to build trust, then scale without massive infrastructure changes."

Felicia Marcus is one of the most significant public servants in water, having served on the Board of Public Works for the City of LA, served as Regional Administrator for the EPA in Region 9, COO of the Trust for Public Land and Western Director of the NRDC. As if that wasn't enough, she was also the Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board of California during the business end of the 2011-2017 California drought, which was rather scary and is now taking a “breather” as a Fellow at Stanford's “Water in the West Program”. Felicia is delightful, the speed of her mind matched only by the quality of her communication. We're so lucky to have such extraordinarily dedicated people who choose service when they could be doing a lot of different things, and the water sector is so much better off for it. Please enjoy my conversation with the excellent Felicia Marcus. 

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

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Felicia Marcus, a powerhouse in water policy, joins Tom today to discuss California's drought response, elevating water's importance, and the role of communication in public service. Felicia shares insights from her career, including her time as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board and at the EPA, highlights the need for more support for water technology innovation, and expresses concerns about the current state of the EPA. Geopolitics of water and AI's implications are discussed, and Felicia offers her invaluable advice for water entrepreneurs.

00:00 - Meet Felicia Marcus

02:06 - Why Water Needs a Bigger Spotlight

03:16 - The Hidden Complexity of Water Infrastructure

06:15 - Why Water Lags Behind Energy in Investment and Innovation

07:16 - California’s Water Crisis

10:02 - Lessons from Droughts

12:58 - A Career in Water Policy

16:26 - The Future of LA’s Water and Infrastructure Challenges

20:47 - How Politics Shapes Water Policy Decisions

22:09 - Lessons from Managing California’s Drought

25:04 - Balancing Environmental Protection and Water Use

26:47 - Why Water Tech Innovation Lags Behind Energy

27:07 - The Operator vs. The Visionary

31:13 - The Power of Communication in Water Policy

36:53 - Stanford Water in the West Program

40:15 - The Role of AI in Water Management

42:52 - Water and Global Geopolitics

45:36 - Cybersecurity Risks in the Water Sector

45:58 - Advice for Water Entrepreneurs

Links:

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

Felicia Marcus: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciamarcus/

SM Material

Key Takeaways:

"Water is a necessity for life and economic development. It's amazing how it's just assumed and taken for granted."

"Energy is appreciated because people notice when the lights go out. Water is less understood, less appreciated."

"California's drought taught us a lot. The public saved nearly 25% when asked. Education was key."

"The disparity in funding between water and energy is a self-inflicted wound in California."

"I like helping people move. You can't just say, “Do it.” You have to help them see another way."

"Know your audience beyond who you want to sell to. Educate yourself on the context in which you sell."