The Fundamental Molecule Podcast By The Fundamental Molecule with Tom Ferguson Burnt Island Ventures cover art

The Fundamental Molecule

The Fundamental Molecule

By: 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 Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership Personal Finance
Episodes
  • 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 mins
  • 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 mins
  • Will Hewes - Managing Water for a Hyperscaler

    Will Hewes - Managing Water for a Hyperscaler
    May 7 2025
    It's no secret that the so-called "hyperscalers"—Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and others—are doing their hyperscaling in the context of the AI revolution. The pace of digital infrastructure buildout is mind-boggling—about $450 billion in 2024 and with no sign of slowing. All of this has implications for the water sector. So I wanted to talk to someone who is a) in the thick of this, and b) has been part of a hyperscaler's water work for some time. Will Hewes is a superb guy, a proper water veteran all the way from his undergrad work, and he took his considerable expertise in infrastructure into running water resources first at AWS, and now across all of Amazon. They have been at the forefront of basin-wide sustainability efforts, and it was so energizing to hear how an "intrapreneur" builds inside a company like Amazon, all the way down to how these individual projects get done. Please enjoy my conversation with Will Hewes. 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 ----------- Will Hewes discusses his role in overseeing Amazon's water replenishment, detailing their "Water Positive" strategy which aims to return more water to communities than Amazon uses, particularly in AWS data centers which employ water for energy-efficient cooling. Hewes details the two-pronged approach: internal efficiency improvements (ex. direct evaporative cooling design reducing L/kWh, real-time monitoring, using recycled water), and external replenishment projects. These projects, chosen for local impact and verified credibility, address needs like WASH access or agricultural irrigation efficiency, often catalysing tech adoption. 00:00 - How AI and Data Centers Are Reshaping Water Demand 03:40 - Amazon’s Water Positive Strategy Explained 05:00 - Sustainable Cooling in Data Centers with Water Efficiency 08:45 - Shifting from Potable to Recycled Water Sources 11:49 - How Amazon Builds Global Water Replenishment Projects 13:55 - Partnering with Startups to Scale Smart Irrigation 18:24 - Measuring Impact and Verifying Replenishment Claims 21:55 - The Reality of Corporate Water Risk Assessment 24:45 - Why Hyperscalers Collaborate on Water Stewardship 27:33 - Balancing Growth with High-Quality Sustainability Practices 30:33 - Lessons from Will Hewes’ Career in Water Infrastructure 34:44 - Why Scalable, Fast-Adopting Water Tech Wins 43:21 - Advice for Water Entrepreneurs Links: Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/ Will Hewes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-hewes-61947232/ SM Material Key Takeaways: "Water is the most fundamental resource. It's about public health, urban planning, and managing wild spaces." "Water is key to cooling strategies in data centers. It reduces energy use and meets sustainability goals." "Our Water Positive program commits to returning more water to communities than we use." "Efficiency and recycled water are cornerstones of our water sustainability strategy." "Water replenishment projects must respond to local watershed challenges." "Technology can unlock water security and reduce carbon associated with water treatment." "Collaborate with partners to implement innovative water solutions that address local needs."
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    44 mins
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