Ep. 3: Alex Rappaport - The Power of Entrepreneurial Process
You don’t often meet someone that you immediately know you’ll remember where and when you met them for a very long time. That happened to me with my guest today, Alex Rappaport, CEO of ZwitterCo. At a conference in 2018, a coiled ball of energy introduced himself to me, and it was clear that this was a very talented founder indeed. Since we invested in ZwitterCo in April 2021, Alex and his team have made remarkable strides in redrawing the map of industrial water reuse. He thinks as clearly as anyone about the process of company building, the structure of his market and the positioning of his product. Please enjoy my conversation with Alex Rappaport.
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Full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content below.
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Alex Rappaport, CEO of ZwitterCo, shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making and adaptability in the business world. He highlights ZwitterCo's groundbreaking technology, addressing membrane fouling issues in water treatment, and the significance of strategic partnerships in the industry. Throughout the conversation, Alex shares valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurs in the water technology sector, offering a unique perspective on building meaningful relationships and scaling solutions.
Episode Highlights:
● What makes water-related challenges complex and the addition of sales processes
● The importance of adaptability, focus, specific markets, technology fit, building a scrappy sales organization, and collaborating with partners who understand new processes.
● Why entrepreneurs should start with manual processes, learn from patterns, and gradually automate and outsource tasks as the company grows.
● How Alex and team collaborated with channel partners to integrate technology into new solutions and why that’s critical for expansion and growth.
● Why fundraising is about building relationships based on trust, chemistry, mutual respect, and shared values, not just transactions.
● Alex’s thoughts on limited climate tech investment, and why water-related solutions are essential.
● Alex’s advice for the next generation of water technology entrepreneurs
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