The Weekly Dive #38

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Meet Gradiant, the $1B water-recycling startup. AI is revolutionizing algal monitoring. Are nuclear-powered desalination plants the future of water? A carbon capture startup that produces water as a byproduct just raised $80M. Coca-Cola launches a $138M sustainability fund. Climate change is pushing oxygen out of the oceans. Intelligent life is more likely to evolve in oceans. Death Valley could reach the hottest temperatures ever recorded on Earth. This week, we are highlighting Philippe Cousteau, one of HydroDAO’s advisors.

Your weekly Bonus – Painting 2% of Earth white would stop global warming.

This week’s quote:

Water is the giver of life, quenching our thirst and nourishing our souls

What’s New with Our Portfolio Companies?

Mayu Water: The startup aiming to fix the water we drink 

Mayu’s vision is to gift the world with healthy and sustainable water, accessible to anyone, anywhere. It’s all in the swirl, apparently.

What’s New with Water Innovations?

Meet the $1 billion water-recycling startup helping the likes of Coca-Cola, BMW, and TSMC curb their usage and clamp down on pollution 

The water-recycling firm Gradiant became one of the first in the space to be valued at $1 billion.

USING AI TO REVOLUTIONISE ALGAL MONITORING

Welsh Water is trialing a new project that uses AI to improve the way it monitors algae levels in its reservoirs.

ATOMIC POWERED, DECENTRALISED DESALINATION: A MOONSHOT?

Are modular, decentralised nuclear powered desalination plants the future?

NYC Invites Tech Startups To Tackle Municipal Water Challenges 

The DEP aims to change that, with a planned $29 billion in investments over the next 10 years.

What’s New in the Industry?

A Stealthy L.A. Carbon Capture Startup Snags $80 Million From Big Oil And JetBlue

Avnos says that it’s building technology that’s a “twofer” when it comes to environmental crises: it sucks carbon dioxide directly out of the atmosphere and produces water as a byproduct of the process.

Brief: Coca-Cola and bottling partners launch $138m sustainability fund 

The fund will focus on technologies that can reduce the carbon footprint of Coca-Cola.

Algae packaging company Noriware raises seed capital 

HSG student Jessica Farda has developed an algae-based packaging material with her start-up Noriware.

Allonnia raises $30M in Series A to accelerate biotech

Allonnia will use the funding to expedite development of the company’s biotechnology and engineered products.

What’s New in the Science?

How climate change is pushing oxygen out of the world’s oceans

Species like tuna and sharks are especially vulnerable to these changes.

Death Valley Could Reach The Hottest Temperature Ever Measured on Earth

Intense heat waves have become the new normal, exacerbating droughts and wildfires.

New radar tech discovers Earth’s hidden ice — preps to explore life on Europa

Europa Clipper’s new radar-compatible technique will explore Jupiter’s moon in 2024.

Intelligent life more likely to evolve in oceans

A new astrobiology paper argues that technology-based intelligence is more likely to evolve in oceans than on land.

Our HydroDAO Advisor: Philippe Cousteau

Inspired by the legacy of his grandfather Jacques Cousteau, Philippe is a multi Emmy-Nominated TV host and producer as well as an acclaimed author, speaker, and social entrepreneur.

As a social entrepreneur, Philippe is the co-founder of SeaWeed Naturals, a wellness brand that is combining the powerful benefits of restoratively farmed marine ingredients like seaweed and algae and regeneratively farmed land ingredients to create a whole new category of Land x Sea Wellness.
His conservation efforts are focused on solving global social and environmental problems. In 2005 he founded EarthEcho International; a leading environmental education organization that is building a global youth movement to restore and protect our ocean planet. To date, EarthEcho has activated over 2 million youth in 146 countries through its programs and we are very honored that EarthEco and Philippe have collaborated with our youth organization Water Corps.

As a special correspondent for CNN, he has hosted several award-winning shows, including his series Going Green which ran for four years and the 8-part special Expedition Sumatra. Philippe has also hosted and produced television programs for Animal Planet and the 8-part series Oceans for the BBC and Discovery Channel.

As an author, Philippe’s children’s book, Follow the Moon Home, has been chosen for the prestigious Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. He has co-written, Going Blue and Make a Splash, The Endangereds, and his latest book, Oceans for Dummies, which he co-authored with his wife Ashlan was released in February 2021.

Thank you Philippe for keeping your grandfather’s legacy alive through all of your achievements in ocean conservation, and for your support to our HydroDAO community.

What’s in the Future?

Painting 2% of Earth White Would Stop Global Warming, Scientist Says

The color is so white that it can reflect over 98% of light. This is particularly useful because light generates heat – and we here on Earth are running a bit hot these days.

The Weekly Dive #37

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374Water’s SCWO technology is now a net positive energy producer. This is what ChatGPT had to say about water. BiOceanOr raise €2M for water quality forecasting and Hooked Foods raised €644K for vegan seafood. About half of US tap water is contaminated with PFAS. Thames Water has accumulated £14M in debt. Oceans are changing color and it’s affecting life within it. EPA announces a new framework to regulate PFAS. Heat in 2024 will leap to a whole other level. ‘Underground climate change’ is threatening buildings. This week, we are highlighting Guillaume Féry, one of HydroDAO’s key advisors. Learn about his impressive background and why he is passionate about water.

Your weekly Bonus – We could be harvesting water from space in the future.

This week’s quote:

Water is our teacher reminding us to flow with grace and adapt to change

What’s New with Our Portfolio Companies?

CORRECTING AND REPLACING: 374Water’s AirSCWO Technology Becomes Net Positive Energy Producer 

Offering proprietary technology and design, the HEC-Prime was developed in partnership with Swedish-based energy company Maston Group, exclusively for 374Water.

What’s New with Water Innovations?

3 WATER QUESTIONS WE ASKED CHATGPT – RATE THE RESPONSES

What can the AI chatbot do for water? We asked it three questions covering communicating water reuse projects, investing in start-ups and meeting 2023 corporate water positive goals.

BiOceanOr raises €2 million

BiOceanOr, a startup that has developed water quality forecasting services has raised €2 million in its latest funding round.

Hooked Foods Raises €644,000 in Crowdfunding Campaign

Swedish vegan seafood startup Hooked Foods, has raised more than one million Swedish Kroner.

Researchers develop cheaper, more robust electrodialysis method 

A recent study explores using polymers with redox properties to replace ion-exchange membranes.

What’s New in the Industry?

USGS study estimates 45% of U.S. tap water contains PFAS 

According to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), at least 45 percent of the nation’s tap water is estimated to have one or more types of PFAS “present” in its system.

Rising Inflation Means British Water Companies Are Leaking Money 

Thames Water’s £14 billion debt crunch highlights issues facing wider sector.

Japan will soon release radioactive water. How worried should we be?

The environment minister declared in 2019 there were “no other options” as space runs out.

EPA announces framework to regulate new commercial PFAS uses 

The EPA wants to prevent harmful PFAS while allowing new critical or safe uses of PFAS.

What’s New in the Science?

Our Oceans Are Changing Color, And It Could Affect How Life Within It Thrives 

Analyzing two decades of satellite imagery, researchers from the US and UK have found Earth’s oceans are getting greener, potentially reflecting the impact climate change is having on phytoplankton populations as the world warms.

‘Underground Climate Change’ Threatens to Destabilize Buildings

The earth beneath our major cities is heating up, morphing in ways that could damage buildings and transport systems.

Heat in 2024 Will Probably Leap to a Whole New Level, Expert Warns

The highest temperatures have been recorded with the largest sea surface temperature anomaly.

‘THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY MUST DETOXIFY ITS SUPPLY CHAIN’

The report came out in late May as a collaboration between Defend Our Health and Bloomberg.

Our HydroDAO Advisor: Guillaume Féry

Guillaume is a WASH engineer and cleantech expert passionate about international development projects, with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of technology deployment and water management. His focus is on SDGs 6, 7, 9 and 11.

After spending ten years in water operations, he became a technology expert in data analytics, digital innovation and emerging technologies for the water sector. He has experience with utility giants (Suez, Veolia, Thames Water) and global consultancies (PWC, IBM, Accenture). Today, he provides his expertise to international development institutions (ADB, World Bank, AFD, IADB) focusing on water security, urban resilience and climate change adaptation through innovation. He is also an expert for the Solar Impulse Foundation in the “Efficient Solutions” label initiative, which aim is to highlight emerging cleantech solutions. Guillaume is passionate about finding new ways to address water and sanitation challenges and accelerating action to achieve SDG6, working with stakeholders, including startup incubators and academic institutions. He firmly believes that innovation and climate action is not a slogan but a process with substance. His motto: “Do or don’t, there is no try” – Yoda.

Thank you Guillaume for your leadership and passion for improving water access, sanitation and hygiene and for your support to our HydroDAO community.

What’s in the Future?

‘Hundred times’ more probability of finding water on exoplanets, says new study

Rutgers University scientists believe there might be many more Earth-like exoplanets with liquid water.

The Weekly Dive #36

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Earn $100k award with Ocean Exchange now! 374Water enters into a strategic partnership with EGL. Destinus unveils its supersonic hydrogen-powered plane. Water cremation will soon be available in the UK. New technology for transforming nitrate agricultute runoff into amonia. Bluu Seafood raises €16M for its cultivated fish production. Anxiety grips the world as Japan readies to release Fukushima radioactive water into the oceans. Researchers turn chicken feathers into water filters. Hygroelectricy, turning humid air into electricity. This week, we are highlighting Renée Martin-Nagle, one of HydroDAO’s key advisors. Learn about her impressive background and why she is passionate about water.

Your weekly Bonus – Scientists say we underestimated the risk of simultaneous crop failures worldwide.

This week’s quote:

The sound of waves crashing on the shore is nature’s lullaby, soothing our souls

Member Update from Millicent Pitts

Ocean Exchange Call for Solutions is open! Entries to compete for three $100k awards

Apply at oceanexchange.org via F6S platform. We welcome registration from innovators with solutions in materials, devices, processes, and systems that meet the award definitions.

What’s New with Our Portfolio Companies?

374Water and EGL Enter into a Strategic Partnership Agreement to Eliminate PFAS Contamination in Australia 

EGL will adopt and place an initial order of the AirSCWO solution for the Australian market.

What’s New with Water Innovations?

Destinus unveils supersonic hydrogen-powered plane at the Paris Air Show

First fully hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft planned to launch between 2030 and 2032.

World’s first offshore green hydrogen pilot production facility now online

A follow-up project will generate four tonnes of green hydrogen a day.

Israel kickstarts 93-mile-long undersea electric cable project linking Europe grid 

The cable will carry renewable energy from Israel to Europe through Cyprus and Greece.

Water cremation will be available for the first time in the UK 

As an alternative to cremation and burial, Co-op Funeralcare is piloting water cremation in the UK.

What’s New in the Industry?

Bluu Seafood Secures €16M to Cultivate Fish at Scale and Gain Regulatory Approvals in US & Singapore 

Cultivated seafood company Bluu Seafood announces it has secured €16 million in Series A funding to advance its technology platform and scale up its cultivated fish production.

Anxiety grips the world as Japan readies to release Fukushima water

The treated water has been lying at the Fukushima nuclear power station for years.

To Keep Pace With PFAS Regulations, Labs Must Modernize Their Science

The need for sensitive testing and thorough analysis will continue to grow.

Grundfos acquires Metasphere to pioneer solutions to the world’s water 

Smart sewer solutions from UK-based telemetry and analytics business will empower the industry.

What’s New in the Science?

Two-thirds of fertilizer is lost to run-off. This invention could recycle it.

Researchers fine tune smart farming with an ingenious gel that senses nitrate waste from fertilizer runoff and transforms it into ammonia—to produce healthier crops.

Researchers take a step forward in turning chicken feathers into water filters 

Improved technology boosts potential for a low-cost, sustainable solution to contaminated water.

‘It was an accident’: the scientists who have turned humid air into renewable power 

Now the question is whether it will be possible to harness it on the scale needed to power homes.

This is Pleobot, a krill-inspired robot for underwater exploration 

Scientists have created a krill-inspired robot that could be helpful for oceanic navigation.

Our HydroDAO Advisor: Renée Martin-Nagle

Dr. Renée Martin-Nagle is a self-professed water geek whose interests include surface water, groundwater, unconventional water resources, climate change, and oceans. In 2019 she earned a PhD from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, for her work in developing a governance regime for the vast volumes of fresh groundwater sheltered in submerged continental shelves. 

She has authored more than 30 publications on freshwater and speaks widely on environmental, sustainability and freshwater issues. As founder and CEO of A Ripple Effect, Dr. Martin-Nagle also provides consulting services designing and implementing a global water resilience program for a Fortune 500 company. Her pro bono activities include serving as Treasurer of the International Water Resources Association, as an Expert Reviewer for the 2022 Sixth Assessment Report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as Co-Chair of the International Scientific Committee for the 2023 World Water Congress in Beijing, and as Secretary-Treasurer of the Ebensburg (PA) Municipal Authority. Prior to entering the water sector, Dr. Martin-Nagle served for more than 20 years as Chief Legal Officer for Airbus Americas.

Thank you Renée for your leadership and passion for conservation of freshwater and for your support to our HydroDAO community.

What’s in the Future?

Researchers: We’ve Underestimated The Risk of Simultaneous Crop Failures Worldwide

The risks of harvest failures in multiple global breadbaskets have been underestimated, according to a study Tuesday that researchers said should be a “wake up call” about the threat climate change poses to our food systems.

The Weekly Dive #35

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See pictures from the imploded Titan submarine’s wreckage. Groundwater extraction is causing the Earth’s rotational pole to drift. 3M reaches a $10.3B settlement over PFAS contamination. 374Water is joining the Russell 3000, congrats! NASA can now recycle 98 percent of urine and sweat into drinking water. Britain’s nuclear transport solutions set to become greener with AI-powered sails. The largest hydro-solar power plant unveiled in China. N-Drip raised a $44M Series C round. This week, we are highlighting Seth Siegel, one of HydroDAO’s key advisors. Learn about his impressive background and why he is passionate about water.

Your weekly Bonus –  Here is what 30 years of rising seas looks like.

This week’s quote:

Water is a symbol of renewal, inviting us to let go of the past and embrace new beginnings.

Titanic Expedition: Latest Updates

Imploded Titanic submarine seen for first time as pieces recovered from sea floor

The Titan’s wreckage was seen for the first time in pictures taken on Wednesday, more than a week after it imploded in the depths of the Atlantic.

Member Update from Ian Abbott-Donnelly

The water pivot: transforming unsustainable consumption to valuing water as a resource for life 

Ian’s paper presents theories on methods to pivot from linear, extractive uses of water to considering water as a high value, circular resource.

What’s New with Our Portfolio Companies?

374Water set to join Russell 3000(R) Index, Another Milestone Achievement for Sustainable Innovation 

This significant milestone underscores the company’s decade-long journey from its academic beginnings as a Duke University impact project to its current position as a trailblazer in the field of waste treatment and innovation.

What’s New with Water Innovations?

NASA successfully recycles 98 percent of urine and sweat into drinking water on the ISS 

NASA demonstrated a 98 percent water recyclability rate on the ISS for all wastewater, including sweat and pee.

Britain’s Nuclear Transport Solutions looks to go greener with AI-powered sails

The system is currently undergoing land tests scheduled to run till 2025.

World’s largest hydro-solar power plant enters full operation in China 

The power station in Sichuan can save over 600,000 tons of standard coal annually.

Project Neptune: This 450-feet superyacht is all luxury and no emissions 

Billionaires would snap this up as soon as they are built. But when will that be?

What’s New in the Industry?

3M reaches $10.3 billion settlement over contamination of water systems with ‘forever chemicals’

The deal would compensate water providers for pollution with per- and polyfluorinated substances, known collectively as PFAS.

Hyfé raises $9m to transform wastewater into next gen feedstocks 

The capital will advance commercial partnerships, increase headcount, and allow pilot demonstration.

AgTech startup N-Drip announces $44 million Series C for irrigation innovation 

The company’s irrigation system helps farmers irrigate more precisely and efficiently.

bNovate raises CHF 12 million to enhance global water safety 

The round was led by Emerald Technology Ventures, a pioneer in the cleantech venture capital field.

What’s New in the Science?

Groundwater extraction linked to drift in Earth’s rotational pole

The Earth’s tilt drifted by around 31.5 inches (80 cm) east between 1993 and 2010.

This salty gel could harvest water from desert air

A new material developed by MIT engineers exhibits “record-breaking” vapor absorption.

Earth’s water is actually a natural byproduct of the planet’s fast formation

This challenges our fundamental understanding of planet formation.

New nanomaterial can harvest hydrogen from water using light 

An international team of scientists has developed a new nanomaterial that can produce hydrogen from fresh or salt water using sunlight.

Our HydroDAO Advisor: Seth Siegel

Seth M. Siegel is a serial entrepreneur, lawyer, water activist and a New York Times bestselling author, recognized for his thought leadership and advocacy on water scarcity and quality.

Seth is the author of the award-winning, international bestseller Let There Be Water: Israel’s Solution for a Water-Starved World, which is available in more than 50 countries and 24 foreign-languages. The book has won praise from Tony Blair, Michael Bloomberg and Nobel Laureate Shimon Peres.

He is also the author of Troubled Water: What’s Wrong with What We Drink, a critical look at America’s drinking water, and Other People’s Words: Wisdom for an Inspired and Productive Life, a motivational book that reflects a lifetime of Seth collecting inspirational quotations.

Seth is a Senior Fellow at the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Water Policy and his commentary has appeared in leading publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. He is the Chief Sustainability Officer at N-Drip, an Israeli AgTech startup. Seth is an active speaker advising on global policy issues to audiences around the world, including in Congress, the United Nations and Google’s headquarters. 

Thank you Seth for your leadership and passion in teaching the world about water’s importance and for your support to our HydroDAO community.

What’s in the Future?

NASA Shows What 30 Years of Rising Seas Feels Like in Chilling New Animation 

NASA has released a chilling animation showing just how far sea levels have risen in the three short decades its satellites have been monitoring them.