In episode 46 of the Investing in Impact podcast, I speak with
Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner at
Burnt Island Ventures, on the future of water investments and water technologies.
Tom brings a decade of experience in water and startups to lead BIV. His start in water came as the lead author on the first CDP Water Disclosure Report in 2010, and he joined Imagine H2O in 2015 to build out the organization’s programming portfolio, which now encompasses 3 global programs vetting 500+ startups per year.
Companies selected under Tom’s tenure have raised $600m+ and achieved 5 exits. He holds an MA from the University of Edinburgh, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
About Burnt Island Ventures
Burnt Island Ventures is not a cleantech fund, because in cleantech water is a $900 billion afterthought. You can’t be good at water unless you only do water. Burnt Island Ventures funds the best entrepreneurs in water, worldwide. That’s it. This is a giant, esoteric, and foundational market for the entire global economy.
We are at a turning point. From the wildfires of the Western US to flooding in Niger, climate change is here. Water resources across the world will be under increasing stress as the world warms. Products and services that allow individuals, governments and companies to navigate this change will see more and more demand.
Entrepreneurs are emerging with the skill and insight to meet that demand, developing solutions to water problems at scale. Burnt Island Ventures exists to find, fund and support the best of these founders.