Invested In Climate Investing in water with Burnt Island Ventures & StormSensor, Ep #19
This summer, the impacts of climate change have been impossible to ignore. Record heat waves, droughts and floods have inflicted a terrible toll around the world. They’ve made all the more clear the pressing need to transform how we access, use, reuse and protect ourselves from water. It’s the source of life on Earth, and yet our relationship with water clearly needs to change.
In this episode, we dive deep into the opportunity for investing in water with Tom Ferguson and Erin Rothman. Tom is the Founder and Managing Partner of Burnt Island Ventures, a new venture firm focused on investing in water businesses. Erin is the founder and CEO of StormSensor, a climate tech company focused on helping cities predict and plan for storms and floods.
I learned a lot through this conversation and left feeling really grateful for the work being done by Tom, Erin and a growing pool of water entrepreneurs. Warning, in case you can’t tell, this episode is awash in puns. Hope you enjoy.
In today’s episode, we cover:
- [3:24] Tom’s path to Burnt Island Ventures and the investment thesis behind their work
- [10:18] What is StormSensor and what problems does it aim to solve
- [12:57] How the water space has developed over the years
- [17:11] US infrastructure and how new legislation will help climate entrepreneurs
- [20:07] How StormSensor works and its technical innovation
- [22:45] What the future looks like if StormSensor is successful
- [24:07] The economic toll that we're already seeing from water-related climate impacts
- [30:32] The exciting range of water innovations that hold promise
- [36:26] The gaps and opportunities in entrepreneurial efforts and investments
- [42:09] Visions for the future of water - what path are we on
- [48:59] What can everyday listeners do for impact
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Tom Ferguson and Erin Rothman
Connect With Jason Rissman
Subscribe to Invested In Climate