The Fundamental Molecule

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

Welcome to The Fundamental Molecule. This show explores the intersection of water, technology and entrepreneurship. Each week, Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner of Burnt Island Ventures, interviews innovators, experts, entrepreneurs and investors in the world of water, to help us understand where this trillion dollar industry is headed. These are the stories of the people building the future of the world’s most valuable and fundamental resource. Explore all of our episodes and learn more at https://www.burntislandventures.com/the-fundamental-molecule

  1. Sarah Brody - From Oceans to McKinsey

    OCT 28

    Sarah Brody - From Oceans to McKinsey

    It's always worth paying attention to top-level consultants as crucial advisors to their usually enormous clients. They have their finger on the pulse of the practical needs of the market and are responsive when they see critical mass in an area. Sarah Brody runs the North American water practice of McKinsey, which she has restarted in response to considerable client demand from mega-cap corporates to private equity firms. The mainstreaming of water advice for major clients is a very interesting leading indicator of the increasing attention being paid to the fundamental molecule. Sarah is a proper intrapreneur and has done exceptional work building the business on behalf of her clients. She really elucidates the role that firms like McKinsey play in this sector, and she has an excellent water origin story. Please enjoy my conversation with Sarah Brody.  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

    36 min
  2. Michael Rigney - The Millenium Falcon of Heat Pump Water Heaters

    OCT 9

    Michael Rigney - The Millenium Falcon of Heat Pump Water Heaters

    The idea of an Overton Window when the conditions around a political issue change that in turn changes the nature of what is politically possible, is a useful one in assessing businesses. Sometimes conditions change enough in a market or sector that there is suddenly a significant window of opportunity for a founder to run through. We think that is the case with Michael Rigney, CEO of Cala Systems. They're building a next generation heat pump water heater, and if they're right, they could save billions of gallons of water, reduce US national emissions by 3%, and save domestic energy consumers about $23 billion a year. We talk about the nature of the water heater market, competing against entrenched incumbents, and rebuilding a well known consumer product from the ground up. He has major game in this segment and Cala are in a fascinating position. Please enjoy my conversation with Michael Rigney. 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 ----------- Cala Systems CEO, Michael Rigney, shares insights on the future of water heating with his company’s next-generation heat pump technology. He explains how predictive control and intelligent design are set to revolutionize the industry by optimizing energy efficiency, cost savings, and user comfort. Rigney also discusses the importance of strategic partnerships, the role of branding, and the urgent need for decarbonizing residential water heating to reduce global emissions. 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Overton Window and Market Opportunities in Water Heating 01:47 Why Target the Water Heater Market 03:21 Recognizing a Unique Market Opportunity 05:40 Early Steps in Building Cala Systems 07:15 Building the World’s First Intelligent Heat Pump Water Heater 11:02 User Experience and Intelligent Water Heating 12:42 Customization and Integration with Home Systems 13:29 Branding Water Heaters: Lessons from Nest and Opower 15:37 Designing Cala Systems’ Website as a Brand Statement 17:29 The Impact of Decarbonizing Water Heating 20:17 Building a Strong Team 22:17 The Importance of Hiring Slowly and Thoughtfully 24:02 Practical Innovation: Balancing Thought and Scrappiness 25:48 Building the Company You Need for the Future 28:01 Balancing Customer and Installer Needs in Product Development 30:32 Geographic Focus for Early Deployment 35:24 Transitioning to Founder and CEO Role 36:44 Advice for Future Water Entrepreneurs Links: Burnt Island Ventures:  https://www.burntislandventures.com/ Michael Rigney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljrigney/ Cala Systems: https://www.calasystems.com/

    39 min
  3. Ifetayo Venner - Gatekeepers, Big Infrastructure, and Leadership

    SEP 25

    Ifetayo Venner - Gatekeepers, Big Infrastructure, and Leadership

    It's nice to have friends in high places, and in water, there are few places higher than the presidency of the Water Environment Federation, the core trade body for the wastewater industry. Ifetayo Venner and I got to know each other in 2017 when we both spoke at the opening session of WEFTEC, WEF’s annual gathering for the wastewater world, and we spoke in a cavernous room filled with about 5000 pros talking through our stories of how we got into water. Ifetayo’s was a lot better than mine, and no surprise. She is an enormously accomplished professional, Past President of WEF and a Senior VP at Arcadis, the massive engineering consultancy. She has led the creation of some very serious projects in wastewater, and I wanted to have her on The Fundamental Molecule to help us understand the role of engineering consultancies in the sector, what the world looks like from her point of view, the opportunities in infrastructure renewal, and of course, her own path through all of it. She really is great. Please enjoy my conversation with Ifetayo Venner.  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

    46 min
  4. Mae Stevens - Building the Case for Water on Capitol Hill

    SEP 18

    Mae Stevens - Building the Case for Water on Capitol Hill

    If I was to write a list of all the tricks we’re missing in water, it would be a lot, and somewhere near the very top would be lobbying - engagement with government on the federal and state level. I recognize we've made a lot of progress in the last five or six years in terms of securing capital for the required infrastructure renewal in the US, but there is a hell of a long way to go. But I look over the fence at energy, both legacy and renewables, healthcare, insurance, biotech, down to the gun lobby, and I can't help but think there is a massive gap between how effective we are in water and how effective we could be and how much more support for the fundamental molecule we would get if we were. Mae Stevens is a specialist lobbyist for water at Banner Public Affairs, and she recently joined us for our Founder Forum in DC alongside fellow lobbyist and longtime friend of BIV, Dan Kidera. She and he, they were both so good, and I wanted to have her on The Fundamental Molecule to help demystify this murky area of water at scale. Please enjoy my conversation with Mae Stevens.  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

    37 min

  5. AUG 28

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

    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/

    48 min

  6. AUG 14

    Matt Rosenthal - Business Beneath Our Feet

    There's an old saying from east London: “Where there's muck, there's brass.” Essentially, what this means is that the management of the dirtier side of life is invariably an opportunity for a decent business. Sewers are a big business. There are a million miles of them beneath our feet in the US, and about 300 million of them need to be inspected and cleaned every year. A serious undertaking. Matt Rosenthal, along with his Co-founder Billy Gilmartin, is building SewerAI in order to massively improve the process, efficiency, and accuracy of completing these inspections, and much more besides. As you will hear, he thinks as clearly about the fundamental job of an entrepreneur and leader as anyone we work with, and his pathway to building SewerAI was as entrepreneurial, honest, and compelling as any you will hear. Fitbit's loss was US sewer infrastructure’s gain. Please enjoy my conversation with Matt Rosenthal.  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 ----------- Matt Rosenthal, Co-founder and CEO of SewerAI, shares his journey from a chance entry into water tech to leading a company that is revolutionizing sewer inspection with AI. The discussion covers the challenges of scaling a tech-driven business in the water sector, the critical role of providing real value to customers, and the complexities of working with municipalities. This episode offers valuable insights into how innovation and AI are transforming essential infrastructure. 0:00:00 Start 0:00:49 Introduction 0:01:56 Matt and Billy’s entry into the sewer inspection industry. 0:04:00 Inefficiencies in traditional sewer inspections. 0:07:53 Market analysis and early mistakes. 0:11:02 Technical challenges in sewer inspection. 0:13:35 Combining skills to build the company. 0:18:19 Effective division of responsibilities. 0:20:50 Competitive edge through strong execution. 0:26:57 Leadership changes and hiring importance. 0:31:13 Series B fundraising strategy. 0:39:56 Thoughts on AI’s role and value. 0:43:54 Vision for expanding Sewer AI’s solutions. 0:46:31 Matt’s single most important piece of advice for future and aspiring water entrepreneurs. Links: Burnt Island Ventures:  https://www.burntislandventures.com/ Matt Rosenthal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewrosenthal99/ Key Takeaways: "The easiest way to raise a round is to build a kick-ass business. End of story." "Provide value to your customers. Everything else just follows from that." "If you can answer ‘yes’ to generating revenue and doubling it yearly, you're pretty good." "AI is just a part of the value we provide. It's the whole stack that matters." "We make people better at their jobs. That's what we do as a company." "Extreme honesty and openness build trust and show success." "Don't worry about building the business. Focus on providing value." "My job is to make my employees as productive as possible so they can make our customers productive." "The bar for excellence has never been so low. Do what you said you were going to do before it became inconvenient."

    48 min

  7. JUL 24

    Peter Fiske - From Academic to Entrepreneur (and beyond)

    Peter Fiske has packed a lot into his career, from being a rare successful academic to entrepreneur crossover to his current role as head of NAWI, the National Alliance for Water Innovation. He's just someone who loves building stuff, and he's done a lot from building and selling PAX Water Technologies to setting up the infrastructure for the radically improved coordination of US research into water technology. He's also one of the most energetic people I know - game recognize game - and one of the best communicators. Please enjoy my really fun conversation with Peter Fiske.  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 ----------- Peter discusses his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, applying academic research to solve real-world water issues, lessons from his first sale, and the future of brackish water desalination. He also highlights the need for decentralized water infrastructure and draws parallels with the energy sector's evolution. Emphasizing empathy, data, and collaboration in addressing water industry challenges, he notes that, as climate change impacts water resources, innovative solutions and industry cooperation are now, and will continue to be, vital. 0:00 Start 0:50 Introduction 1:31 Peter’s initial path into the water world 7:51 Moving from academia to entrepreneurship 19:56 Peter’s first sale and the lessons learned from it 22:46 Applying academic findings to relieve pain points 26:52 The future of brackish water desalination 28:34 Why doesn’t the US have a Department of Water? 29:51 Our main water problem 31:46 Public understanding of water issues 36:31 Water technology in the context of the S-Curve 40:30 Peter’s reflection on selling his business 43:57 His single most important piece of advice for aspiring water entrepreneurs Links: Burnt Island Ventures   NAWI Key Takeaways: "Entrepreneurship is first and foremost a personal choice and a career choice." "PhDs can be outstanding entrepreneurs. They are used to working extremely hard and are enormously resilient." "Empathy for your customers is crucial. Truly hope that what you have makes their life better." "Successful entrepreneurs are not risk takers. They analyze an environment and wait for the right opportunity." "The water industry is an unusually cordial and collaborative industry. Seek ways of synergy." "If you don't have data, you just have an opinion. Bring data to frame technical performance." "Our climate is changing, and the principal delivery vehicle for those effects will be the water cycle." "The future is already here; it's just not uniformly distributed."

    45 min

  8. JUL 10

    Josh Mackanic - Making the Unseen Seen

    It's well documented that we at Burnt Island Ventures love founder-market fit, but we really love it when it leads us to a founder and company that represents that fundamental leap forward in the operation of that market. Josh Mackanic is one of those founders. His two decades of experience in infrastructure has led him to build a platform people have talked about in the industry for a long time, but he and his team have been the ones to bring it to life. His deep knowledge of the infrastructure world is obvious in our conversation. We cover everything from the identification of the problem to how he thought through his fundraising process to how he sees the role of CivilGrid in unlocking a huge amount of friction in the wholesale infrastructure upgrade that the US requires in the coming decades. Please enjoy my conversation with the excellent Josh Mackanic.  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 ----------- Josh Mackanic, seasoned infrastructure expert and founder of CivilGrid, shares his journey from managing large-scale construction projects at PG&E to creating a revolutionary platform for infrastructure management. He discusses his unique insights into utility operations, the significant challenges faced by the construction industry, his team’s design expertise, and the crucial role of meticulous planning in successful project execution. Explaining how CivilGrid preemptively consolidates vast amounts of site-specific data, our guest notes that this results in streamlining project design, and reducing costly errors. Finishing up, Josh shares his thoughts on the future of infrastructure, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the industry, and his advice for aspiring water entrepreneurs. 0:00 Start 0:49 Introduction 1:56 Josh’s journey to starting CivilGrid 5:42 ‘Dig ins’ and the potential issues with them 8:23 The problem he and his colleagues decided to solve 10:23 CivilGrid and its impact 14:25 Acquisition of a critical mass of data 16:20 Understanding your areas of strength and weakness 17:22 Learning about selling 19:24 The CivilGrid team’s exceptional understanding of design 23:25 Josh’s insights on fundraising 27:28 His perspective on the IRA, infrastructure, and the future 31:03 Retaining and ingraining values in the team members 30:31 Josh’s most important advice for future water entrepreneurs Links: Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/ CivilGrid: https://www.civilgrid.com/ Quotes: "Running a complex construction project is like orchestrating a symphony in an unstructured environment." "90-92% of projects go over schedule or budget. Your biggest impact is at the design and planning stage." "If you don't have customers, you don't have a business. Start with the customers and work backwards." "Fundraising isn't just about money. It's about building the team and getting the right people aligned with your mission." "Prepare yourself mentally and physically. The road is longer and requires more resolve than you expect."

    34 min
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About

Welcome to The Fundamental Molecule. This show explores the intersection of water, technology and entrepreneurship. Each week, Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner of Burnt Island Ventures, interviews innovators, experts, entrepreneurs and investors in the world of water, to help us understand where this trillion dollar industry is headed. These are the stories of the people building the future of the world’s most valuable and fundamental resource. Explore all of our episodes and learn more at https://www.burntislandventures.com/the-fundamental-molecule

Information

  • Creator
    The Fundamental Molecule with Tom Ferguson, Burnt Island Ventures
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Burnt Island Ventures
  • Show Website
    The Fundamental Molecule

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