S11E2 - How Aclarity Bootstrapped its Journey from B2C to PFAS Destruction
How do you survive six years on "just" grants while hiring a team, running 15 pilots, pivoting from B2C, and succeeding in PFAS Destruction at scale where many failed? Aclarity did it! Wanna find out how and how spectacular acceleration was around the corner? Listen to this episode!
More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/
#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Episode #️⃣
Aclarity's website https://www.aclaritywater.com/
Julie Bliss Mullen's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/julieblissmullen/
Julie's Email julie.mullen@aclaritywater.com
My conversation with Sivan Zamir (Xylem Innovation Labs) https://dww.show/passing-the-baton-how-to-bring-innovation-to-market-faster-more-reliably/
My conversation with Max Storto (Xylem Innovation Labs) https://dww.show/growing-10-wonder-kids-from-5-to-50-clients-with-0-equity-xylems-weirdest-move/
Tom Ferguson on my mic (aka Julie's VC) https://dww.show/the-secret-formula-for-profit-in-water-tech-venture-capital/
Another take on PFAS Removal with SuperCritical Water Oxidation (374Water) https://dww.show/is-supercritical-water-oxidation-a-solution-for-pfas-energy-more/
Electrochemical removal of PFAS and more with Axine Water https://dww.show/the-best-industrial-wastewater-treatment-system-is-the-one-you-forget/
An early take on this mic' on Micropollutant removal with Oxyle https://dww.show/how-to-solve-a-global-challenge-in-an-easy-affordable-innovative-and-efficient-way/
Julie's independent Board Member, Wayne Byrne (on my mic', of course!) https://dww.show/four-successful-exits-and-counting-whats-next-disrupting-uv-disinfection/
Full blog article: https://dww.show/how-aclarity-bootstrapped-its-journey-from-b2c-to-pfas-destruction/
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⏰ TIME CODES ⏰
00:00 In This Week's Episode
02:18 Why is Aclarity a Water Tech "Cool Kid"?
04:22 Are we doomed with PFAS?
05:35 If PFAS is in 98% of people's blood, is it really dangerous?
06:43 Aclarity's elevator pitch
08:06 is Aclarity competing with Ion Exchange and Activated Carbon?
09:55 is Aclarity 10-50x better than competition?
11:40 Aclarity's founder story
14:09 The hints that nudged Julie to create Aclarity
15:30 Turning academic research into a business
16:48 Delegating your "baby" as a water tech founder
18:53 Key Learnings from the first 3 Years in Business
19:45 Aclarity's first prototype
23:33 How to pick your niche
26:27 How to partner with Big Groups
27:46 How did big water companies find Aclarity?
29:29 Working with Xylem vs Working with De Nora
31:15 Bootstrapped by design?
32:57 How to survive 6 years with $2 Million
34:45 Handling a first VC as a Water Tech Start Up
38:28 How a Seed Investor accepts next funding rounds
41:15 Does company valuation matter for a water tech founder?
44:15 What's next in the PFAS Removal landscape?
46:30 How much does it cost to remove PFAS?
47:55 Aclarity's Business Model
48:57 Does Aclarity solve all kinds of PFAS?
53:42 What will the EPA regulation on PFAS change?
58:35 Could Aclarity be acquired? By whom?
01:01:38 Rapid Fire Questions
01:05:31 7 Insights to Act On (right now!)
#WaterTech #WaterUnicorn #WaterEntrepreneurship
About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.
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