Ep. 30: Scott Bryan - Pilots, Impact & Acceleration
I owe what I get to do every day here in a job I love to many people, but Scott Bryan really helped. In 2015, he took a chance on me to become the VP of Programming at Imagine H2O running the Accelerator, and it was a learning curve which laid the groundwork for what we do here at BIV. Scott is one of the most important figures in early stage water. Since 2010, he has built Imagine H2O into the premier accelerator for water entrepreneurs running three annual programs, and they announced their first pilot fund last year. All of this adds up to an enormous and rapidly growing degree of impact in water as the companies they backed and supported have revolutionized everything from groundwater management to flood insurance.
Please enjoy my conversation with Scott Bryan.
Listen now on:
Subscribe to The Fundamental Molecule here.
Full show notes and links to mentioned content below.
-----------
Scott Bryan, President at Imagine H2O, joins Tom today to discuss the evolution of the water technology ecosystem. Together, they start by taking a look at how the early days were characterized by business plan competitions before the subsequent shift to emphasizing team strength, execution ability, and customer-centric approaches. Scott then goes on to highlight Imagine H2O's evolving selection process, the critical role of pilot projects, and the importance of impact measurement. Noting that water is a less polarizing issue than climate, allowing it a degree of stability, today’s episode also explores philanthropy in the water sector and Imagine H20’s focus on Asia, before wrapping it all up with Scott’s sage advice for water entrepreneurs.
00:00 - Imagine H2O’s Role in Water Innovation
02:19 - Why Water Has Lagged Behind Clean Tech
04:08 - Early Challenges in Water Entrepreneurship
05:40 - What Makes a Water Startup Succeed?
07:30 - The Hidden Dangers of Fundraising Success
09:41 - Key Milestones in Water Innovation Growth
11:17 - How COVID Shifted the Water Tech Landscape
13:17 - Why Most Accelerators Fail at Water Startups
15:15 - The ROI of Water Startup Accelerators
16:14 - Measuring Impact in Water Innovation
17:45 - Why Water Needs Standardized Impact Metrics
18:31 - The Unique Challenges of Running a Water Nonprofit
19:34 - The Role of Philanthropy in Water Innovation
20:24 - Why Climate Funders Must Care About Water
22:46 - How Water Ties Into Public Health and Equity
25:20 - Why Pilots Are Critical for Water Startups
28:12 - How the Water Innovation Pilot Fund Works
30:40 - Expanding Water Tech Innovation Internationally
32:24 - Key Lessons from Imagine H2O Asia
33:48 - Hiring the Right Talent for Water Startups
35:12 - The Future of Water Tech Investment
36:20 - Why Water Is a Bipartisan Issue
38:22 - What Entrepreneurs Must Know About Water Policy
40:11 - The #1 Advice for Water Entrepreneurs
Links:
