S11E2 - How Aclarity Bootstrapped its Journey from B2C to PFAS Destruction

(don't) Waste Water! | Water Tech to Solve the World

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 [e-mail]

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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🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ 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.