The Waterly
"The Waterly" is a weekly all-things-water newsletter we share with our community covering the latest innovations and investment deal flow in the water sector and recent news on climate change and water-related crises.
The world's first autonomous ship has completed its inaugural trip to Japan. The global smart water industry is set to grow at 11% per year. Glanris was highlighted as one of the top startups to help solve the water crisis. The Tonga volcanic eruption is a deep threat to seawater. Water poisoning charges in Flint that were kept secret are now released. Gwen Edwards, chair of the Angel Resource Institute is this week's highlighted member of the WELL.
Your weekly Bonus - Celebrate Penguin Appreciation Day and jump on to take a ride on the back of a penguin.
This week's water fact:
Iceberg A68A dispersed 61M Olympic pools worth of water in just 3 months
Tech & Innovation
Technological solutions to droughts
Perennial water shortages in California will likely only grow worse due to climate change. But emerging technologies offer hope—if Californians can stop taking water for granted, says David Feldman, UCI professor of urban planning & public policy and director of Water UCI.
The World’s First Autonomous Ship Has Finished Its First Run in Japan
The large ferry has autonomously navigated over a 149 mile (240 km) stretch of Japan's Iyonda Sea at the speed of 26 knots (30 mph or 48 kph) and also performed the docking procedures at the end of its voyage.
Aquaconnect wins FICCI’s ‘Most Innovative AgTech Startup Award’
Aquaconnect, India’s pioneering full-stack aquaculture platform, has won the “Most Innovative Agtech” (Mature Startup) award at the fourth edition of the FICCI Summit and Awards for Agri Startups.
Corporate & Deals
Global Smart Water Management Market to reach USD 11.37 billion by 2027
Global Smart Water Management Market is valued at approximately $5.44B in 2020 and is anticipated to grow at a rate of more than 11.1 % over the forecast period 2021-2027. Smart Water Management is an important process due to rising water scarcity and the need for water conservation.
DOI announces funding opportunities for desalination, reclamation, reuse
The Department of the Interior announced that sponsors of eligible projects can now apply for up to 25% of their planning, design, and construction costs.
Arxada merges with Troy Corporation
The combination was announced on Nov. 3 2021 and finished on Jan. 5 2022. Arxada hopes that the merge will create a comprehensive and innovative offering of its Microbial Control Solutions (‘MCS’) business, enabling the delivery of new solutions and value-added services to customers.
Our Portfolio Companies
Glanris among the top 10 Startups Helping to Solve the Water Crisis
Check out some of the new, creative startups changing the water industry below.
Water & the Environment
Satellites show 'mega-iceberg' released 152 billion tons of fresh water into ocean as it scraped past South Georgia
152 billion tons of fresh water entered the seas around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia when the megaberg A68A melted over three months in 2020/2021, according to a new study
Scientists predict Tonga ash-seawater cocktail will be toxic hazard
Following an underwater volcano eruption on Saturday, Tonga has suffered significant damage and is blanketed in ash that closed runways and threatens water supplies.
‘Haven’t been seen for 25 years’: rains bring salmon back to California streams
“We’ve seen fish in places that they haven’t been for almost 25 years,” said Preston Brown, the director of watershed conservation for the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (Spawn).
Dumped fishing gear is killing marine life. Yet no governments seem to care
One Scottish trawlerman is so incensed by the dumping of nets he’s come to me – a longstanding critic of his industry – with evidence
PFAS and Chemicals
Revealed: the Flint water poisoning charges that never came to light
The former criminal prosecution team investigating the Flint water crisis was building a racketeering case against state officials. Then the team was dismantled.
PFAS Superfund Designation: EPA’s Latest Step Starts 90 Day Clock
Once a substance is classified as a “hazardous substance” under CERCLA, the EPA can force parties that it deems to be polluters to either cleanup the polluted site or reimburse the EPA for the full remediation of the contaminated site.
Gwen brings over 30 years of experience building products, services, and profitable business units in high technology sectors into her work as an angel investor and advisor to entrepreneurs.
From Stanford Research Institute to Fortune 50 executive (SBC, Nortel Networks, Bell Canada) to Venture Capital backed technology startup CEO, Gwen has been both a business builder as an “intrapreneur” as well as an entrepreneur with venture capital backing.
She now unites the knowledge of successful brands, experience with scale, and the skills of managing innovation with a deep understanding of what it takes to successfully invest in new innovative companies. As an investor she brings the power of an operator, and the understanding of what it takes to build a successful company. In 2017 Gwen was appointed Chair of the Angel Resource Institute, a preeminent research and educational non-profit organization producing the bi-annual Halo report and educating angels, family offices, and high net worth individuals on the risks and rewards of angel investing. Gwen has been a leading voice supporting and funding women entrepreneurs creating health and well being and climate change innovations.
Thank you Gwen for sharing your passion, your expertise and your valuable industry knowledge with our WELL community!
Wildlife & Water
Penguin cam: watch an underwater penguin selfie video
For Penguin Awareness Day, the Wildlife Conservation Society released a selfie video of a penguin feeding underwater.
