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The Fundamental Molecule

The Fundamental Molecule

De: The Fundamental Molecule with Tom Ferguson Burnt Island Ventures
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 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-molecule2023 Burnt Island Ventures Economía Finanzas Personales Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • Anne Mushow - Building a Utility Data Dragnet

    Anne Mushow - Building a Utility Data Dragnet
    Jun 18 2025
    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 ----------- 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/ SM Material 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."
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    47 m
  • Jonathan Jackson - Flooding, Fairness, and Sticking to Your Knitting

    Jonathan Jackson - Flooding, Fairness, and Sticking to Your Knitting
    Jun 4 2025
    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 ----------- 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/ SM Material 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."
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    40 m
  • Craig Beckman - A Generational Shift in Membrane Design

    Craig Beckman - A Generational Shift in Membrane Design
    May 21 2025
    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 ----------- 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/ SM Material 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."
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    46 m
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