<![CDATA[The Meter Podcast]]>WaterWrites.coRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Sat, 10 Oct 2026 06:59:41 GMTMon, 17 Nov 2025 21:43:42 GMT60Andrew DuganThe Meter's host, Andrew Dugan, interviews founders whose technologies focus on public utilities and the environment. The podcast digs into the discovery of their technologies and the journey they take to commercialize them. We cover the twists and turns of entrepreneurship in the utility industry.episodicAndrew Duganandrew.dugan@waterwrites.cono<![CDATA[Bringing AI to sewer inspections with Amanda Siqueira]]>Amanda Siqueira shares her journey from civil engineering to founding VAPAR, a company revolutionizing sewer infrastructure assessment with AI. She discusses the challenges of startup life, navigating global markets, and the future of AI in infrastructure management.

Topics

  • Amanda's transition from civil engineering to startup founder
  • The role of accelerator programs like Startmate in growth
  • Challenges of remote team management and culture
  • AI's potential in infrastructure assessment and decision-making
  • Global market entry strategies for tech startups

Keywords: startup journey, AI in infrastructure, Vapor, entrepreneurship, global markets, remote work, company culture, accelerator experience, AI decision-making, water industry innovation

Find Vapar online: https://www.vapar.co/

]]>cf303fe2-dd04-413d-83c9-08dc8395785eMon, 21 Sep 2026 14:15:00 GMT<p>Amanda Siqueira shares her journey from civil engineering to founding VAPAR, a company revolutionizing sewer infrastructure assessment with AI. She discusses the challenges of startup life, navigating global markets, and the future of AI in infrastructure management.</p><p></p><p>Topics</p><ul><li>Amanda's transition from civil engineering to startup founder</li><li>The role of accelerator programs like Startmate in growth</li><li>Challenges of remote team management and culture</li><li>AI's potential in infrastructure assessment and decision-making</li><li>Global market entry strategies for tech startups</li></ul><p></p><p>Keywords: startup journey, AI in infrastructure, Vapor, entrepreneurship, global markets, remote work, company culture, accelerator experience, AI decision-making, water industry innovation</p><p></p><p>Find Vapar online: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.vapar.co/" target="_blank">https://www.vapar.co/</a></p><p></p>no00:31:24Bringing AI to sewer inspections with Amanda Siqueirafull<![CDATA[Growing Companies to Acquisition with Corey Williams]]>Corey Williams shares his journey from civil engineering to leading software companies in the water industry, highlighting key moments of strategic growth, acquisitions, and industry insights. Discover how happy accidents and timing shaped his impactful career in the water industry.

Follow Corey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-williams-1a4a481/

]]>1da7f737-45a8-4ef9-bd14-24c7bf362bbdMon, 17 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT<p>Corey Williams shares his journey from civil engineering to leading software companies in the water industry, highlighting key moments of strategic growth, acquisitions, and industry insights. Discover how happy accidents and timing shaped his impactful career in the water industry.</p><p></p><p>Follow Corey on LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-williams-1a4a481/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-williams-1a4a481/</a></p>no00:46:3022Growing Companies to Acquisition with Corey Williamsfull<![CDATA[Optimizing Industrial Water Use with Prakash Govindan]]>Prakash Govindan shares the inspiring journey of Gradiant, from its founding at MIT to becoming a leader in water treatment and AI-driven solutions. Discover how resilience, innovation, and strategic decisions have propelled the company to a $2 billion valuation and impactful environmental achievements.

]]>d706a72e-243e-414d-a6e1-01f66816ec99Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:58:23 GMT<p>Prakash Govindan shares the inspiring journey of Gradiant, from its founding at MIT to becoming a leader in water treatment and AI-driven solutions. Discover how resilience, innovation, and strategic decisions have propelled the company to a $2 billion valuation and impactful environmental achievements.</p>no00:45:5321Optimizing Industrial Water Use with Prakash Govindanfull<![CDATA[Stopping Membrane Fouling Once and For All with Arian Edalat]]>In this episode of The Meter Podcast, host Andrew Dugan sits down with Arian Edalat, the cofounder and CEO of Active Membranes. This UCLA spin-off is shaking up the water desalination world by shifting from traditional passive filters to smart, electro-active membrane technology that actively repels mineral scaling and organic fouling. Arian shares the entire entrepreneurial journey of commercializing a hard-tech product born in academia, breaking through the typical scaling bottlenecks, and driving global impact in the water space.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

- Moving from passive filtration to active separation, challenging forty years of traditional reverse osmosis system design.

- The mechanics of the "Active Box", a proprietary, tunable power unit that extends membrane lifespans and slows fouling by up to 70%.

- Transitioning out of the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and setting up shop inside the Magnify incubator at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).

- Designing drop-in, non-invasive retrofit elements to make adoption frictionless for existing desalination plants.

- Moving past the lab scale to complete field pilot testing supported by the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI).

- Securing high profile commercial milestones, including a five year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) contract for produced water recycling in the industrial sector.

- Winning major global accolades, such as the Global Water Intelligence (GWI) Water Tech Idol Award in Berlin.

About the Guest: Arian Edalat (https://idwsc.com/speakers/arian-edalat) is a chemical engineer and award-winning water tech entrepreneur. He cofounded [Active Membranes](https://www.activemembrane.com/) to address global freshwater scarcity by introducing active electrical control to nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technology, radically lowering the lifecycle cost and environmental footprint of water production.

 

Connect With Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify.

]]>1fd72da6-c757-4f7a-8678-af1b4069b0caFri, 31 Jul 2026 18:53:51 GMT<p>In this episode of The Meter Podcast, host Andrew Dugan sits down with Arian Edalat, the cofounder and CEO of Active Membranes. This UCLA spin-off is shaking up the water desalination world by shifting from traditional passive filters to smart, electro-active membrane technology that actively repels mineral scaling and organic fouling. Arian shares the entire entrepreneurial journey of commercializing a hard-tech product born in academia, breaking through the typical scaling bottlenecks, and driving global impact in the water space.</p><p></p><p>Topics Covered in This Episode:</p><p>- Moving from passive filtration to active separation, challenging forty years of traditional reverse osmosis system design.</p><p>- The mechanics of the "Active Box", a proprietary, tunable power unit that extends membrane lifespans and slows fouling by up to 70%.</p><p>- Transitioning out of the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and setting up shop inside the Magnify incubator at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).</p><p>- Designing drop-in, non-invasive retrofit elements to make adoption frictionless for existing desalination plants.</p><p>- Moving past the lab scale to complete field pilot testing supported by the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI).</p><p>- Securing high profile commercial milestones, including a five year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) contract for produced water recycling in the industrial sector.</p><p>- Winning major global accolades, such as the Global Water Intelligence (GWI) Water Tech Idol Award in Berlin.</p><p></p><p>About the Guest: Arian Edalat (<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://idwsc.com/speakers/arian-edalat" target="_blank">https://idwsc.com/speakers/arian-edalat</a>) is a chemical engineer and award-winning water tech entrepreneur. He cofounded [Active Membranes](<a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.activemembrane.com/" target="_blank">https://www.activemembrane.com/</a>) to address global freshwater scarcity by introducing active electrical control to nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technology, radically lowering the lifecycle cost and environmental footprint of water production.</p><p> </p><p>Connect With Us on LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/</a></p><p>Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify.</p>no00:39:07111Stopping Membrane Fouling Once and For All with Arian Edalatfull<![CDATA[Ulrich Hansen, APX10]]>In this episode of The Meter, host Andrew Dugan sits down with Ulrich Hansen, a commercial leader at APX10, to discuss the digital transformation of the global water and utility sector. They explore how the company evolved from a "skunkworks" project within a Nordic engineering firm into a standalone SaaS platform that helps utilities move from simply collecting data to making actionable decisions.

Key Discussion Points

- The Data Onslaught: Why utilities around the world are drowning in data but struggling to use it for operational insights and strategic planning.

- The Nordic Advantage: How heavy regulation in Denmark and neighboring countries forced early innovation, allowing Apex 10 to "leapfrog" utilities in other regions into modern digital practices.

- Scaling Globally: The strategic choice to target the U.S. and German markets, including the decision to set up shop in the water industry hub of Milwaukee.

- Building Community: The importance of user conferences and peer networking in driving software adoption and product development.

- The Future of Utilities: How digitization is helping solve the "talent cliff" by attracting a younger, tech-savvy workforce to the utility sector.

Connect With Us

Website: waterwrites.co

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/

Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify

]]>ba95ba6f-2683-4a03-a0fc-8aa192c06b2dFri, 31 Jul 2026 18:46:19 GMT<p>In this episode of The Meter, host Andrew Dugan sits down with Ulrich Hansen, a commercial leader at APX10, to discuss the digital transformation of the global water and utility sector. They explore how the company evolved from a "skunkworks" project within a Nordic engineering firm into a standalone SaaS platform that helps utilities move from simply collecting data to making actionable decisions. </p><p></p><p>Key Discussion Points</p><p>- The Data Onslaught: Why utilities around the world are drowning in data but struggling to use it for operational insights and strategic planning.</p><p>- The Nordic Advantage: How heavy regulation in Denmark and neighboring countries forced early innovation, allowing Apex 10 to "leapfrog" utilities in other regions into modern digital practices.</p><p>- Scaling Globally: The strategic choice to target the U.S. and German markets, including the decision to set up shop in the water industry hub of Milwaukee.</p><p>- Building Community: The importance of user conferences and peer networking in driving software adoption and product development.</p><p>- The Future of Utilities: How digitization is helping solve the "talent cliff" by attracting a younger, tech-savvy workforce to the utility sector.</p><p></p><p>Connect With Us </p><p>Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://waterwrites.co" target="_blank">waterwrites.co</a></p><p>LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/</a></p><p>Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify</p>no00:39:14110Ulrich Hansen, APX10full<![CDATA[Chris Woodruff, Aquagga]]>Andrew Dugan interviews Chris Woodruff, co-founder and COO of Aquaga, a company focused on developing innovative solutions for PFAS treatment. Chris shares the journey of Aquaga from its inception shortly after their graduation from the University of Washington to navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses the importance of early traction through pilot projects and the role of various accelerators in shaping the company’s strategy and growth. Chris also highlights the significance of their HALT system, which has shown promising results in destroying PFAS contaminants, and the company’s plans for scaling up their technology to meet increasing demand in various industries.

Aquagga website: https://www.aquagga.com/

]]>5c1ec6e2-411e-4fdc-a8c1-836c103f3fadTue, 21 Apr 2026 15:30:00 GMT<p>Andrew Dugan interviews Chris Woodruff, co-founder and COO of Aquaga, a company focused on developing innovative solutions for PFAS treatment. Chris shares the journey of Aquaga from its inception shortly after their graduation from the University of Washington to navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses the importance of early traction through pilot projects and the role of various accelerators in shaping the company’s strategy and growth. Chris also highlights the significance of their HALT system, which has shown promising results in destroying PFAS contaminants, and the company’s plans for scaling up their technology to meet increasing demand in various industries.</p><p></p><p>Aquagga website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.aquagga.com/" target="_blank">https://www.aquagga.com/</a></p><p></p>no00:33:33Chris Woodruff, Aquaggafull<![CDATA[Chris Miller, Fontus Blue]]>This conversation explores the journey of Fontus Blue founder Chris Miller, from his early experiences with water quality as an environmental engineering professor to founding a water tech company. It delves into the challenges faced in launching a tech-driven water treatment company, the integration of AI in utility decision-making processes, and the impact of COVID-19 on business growth.

The discussion also covers Miller's transition from entrepreneur to employee after selling Fontus Blue to Usalco and his future aspirations.

Chris Miller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismillerphdpe/

Fontus Blue website (now Usalco): https://www.usalco.com/technology/decision-blue

Chapters

00:00 The Role of Akron in Product Development

02:05 Lessons from the Akron Pilot

04:06 The Evolution of Fontus Blue

10:49 Balancing Academia and Entrepreneurship

15:38 Overcoming Initial Sales Challenges

19:18 Navigating Financial Hurdles

21:36 Seizing Opportunities During COVID-19

23:32 Health Challenges and Leadership Growth

26:35 Transitioning to USALCO

33:11 Future Aspirations and Legacy

]]>8cfec1c3-d34f-45a2-bf89-c25c03a149d0Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:40 GMT<p>This conversation explores the journey of Fontus Blue founder Chris Miller, from his early experiences with water quality as an environmental engineering professor to founding a water tech company. It delves into the challenges faced in launching a tech-driven water treatment company, the integration of AI in utility decision-making processes, and the impact of COVID-19 on business growth.</p><p></p><p>The discussion also covers Miller's transition from entrepreneur to employee after selling Fontus Blue to Usalco and his future aspirations.</p><p></p><p>Chris Miller LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismillerphdpe/" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismillerphdpe/</a></p><p>Fontus Blue website (now Usalco): <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.usalco.com/technology/decision-blue" target="_blank">https://www.usalco.com/technology/decision-blue</a></p><p></p><p>Chapters</p><p>00:00 The Role of Akron in Product Development</p><p>02:05 Lessons from the Akron Pilot</p><p>04:06 The Evolution of Fontus Blue</p><p>10:49 Balancing Academia and Entrepreneurship</p><p>15:38 Overcoming Initial Sales Challenges</p><p>19:18 Navigating Financial Hurdles</p><p>21:36 Seizing Opportunities During COVID-19</p><p>23:32 Health Challenges and Leadership Growth</p><p>26:35 Transitioning to USALCO</p><p>33:11 Future Aspirations and Legacy</p><p></p>no00:38:48Chris Miller, Fontus Bluefull<![CDATA[Drs. Marty Matlock and Scott Osborn, Blue In Green]]>The conversation delves into the journey of BlueInGreen, from its inception to its commercialization and eventual sale. It explores the challenges of innovating for the utilities industry, the complexities of venture capital and intellectual property, the transition from concept to commercialization, and the lessons learned from new ventures and business experiences.

]]>9cb9ba49-2078-4897-8dc1-2c138a952ca2Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:30:00 GMT<p>The conversation delves into the journey of BlueInGreen, from its inception to its commercialization and eventual sale. It explores the challenges of innovating for the utilities industry, the complexities of venture capital and intellectual property, the transition from concept to commercialization, and the lessons learned from new ventures and business experiences.</p>no00:35:14Drs. Marty Matlock and Scott Osborn, Blue In Greenfull<![CDATA[Johnny Pujol, SimpleLab]]>Johnny Pujol shares his journey from an economics graduate to the founder of SimpleLab, a company focused on providing accessible water testing and diagnostics. He discusses his experiences in India, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the evolution of SimpleLab from a water testing company to a broader diagnostics provider.

Pujol emphasizes the importance of pragmatism, independence, and the need for reliable testing solutions in today's world, aiming to make diagnostics as convenient as ordering food through an app.

]]>ee99ead2-ff2e-4a3c-8198-2895c1c83c09Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:15:00 GMT<p>Johnny Pujol shares his journey from an economics graduate to the founder of SimpleLab, a company focused on providing accessible water testing and diagnostics. He discusses his experiences in India, the challenges of entrepreneurship, and the evolution of SimpleLab from a water testing company to a broader diagnostics provider.</p><p></p><p>Pujol emphasizes the importance of pragmatism, independence, and the need for reliable testing solutions in today's world, aiming to make diagnostics as convenient as ordering food through an app.</p>no00:30:38Johnny Pujol, SimpleLabfull<![CDATA[Martin Gross, Gross Wen Technologies]]>Summary

This conversation explores the journey of Martin Gross and his company GWT, focusing on the innovative use of algae in wastewater treatment. Martin shares insights into his academic background, the challenges of scaling up technology, and the importance of partnerships in the industry. He discusses the unique business model of buying back algae from customers and the potential for future applications in agriculture and other markets. The conversation also touches on personal insights regarding work-life balance and aspirations for the future.

]]>99782ed8-9684-4b0d-b960-be1f2a5e0502Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:00:00 GMT<p>Summary</p><p>This conversation explores the journey of Martin Gross and his company GWT, focusing on the innovative use of algae in wastewater treatment. Martin shares insights into his academic background, the challenges of scaling up technology, and the importance of partnerships in the industry. He discusses the unique business model of buying back algae from customers and the potential for future applications in agriculture and other markets. The conversation also touches on personal insights regarding work-life balance and aspirations for the future.</p>no00:38:3716Martin Gross, Gross Wen Technologiesfull<![CDATA[Adam Tank, Transcend]]>Adam Tank shares his journey of founding Transcend, a company focused on automating engineering processes in water and wastewater design engineering. He discusses the challenges and successes of his entrepreneurial ventures, including winning a pitch competition at GE, the development of innovative technologies, and the importance of partnerships in driving growth. Adam also reflects on the impact of AI on engineering, the global reach of Transcend's software, and the balance between personal life and entrepreneurship.

]]>e18eba30-7933-43bc-a9f7-62975dedf2b5Tue, 13 Jan 2026 19:30:00 GMT<p>Adam Tank shares his journey of founding Transcend, a company focused on automating engineering processes in water and wastewater design engineering. He discusses the challenges and successes of his entrepreneurial ventures, including winning a pitch competition at GE, the development of innovative technologies, and the importance of partnerships in driving growth. Adam also reflects on the impact of AI on engineering, the global reach of Transcend's software, and the balance between personal life and entrepreneurship.</p>no00:37:31Adam Tank, Transcendfull<![CDATA[Gregg Semler, InPipe Energy]]>Gregg Semler shares his extensive journey as an entrepreneur in the clean energy and water utility sectors. He discusses his transition from medical devices to clean energy, the challenges faced in the water industry, and the founding of InPipe Energy. Semler emphasizes the importance of customer relationships, innovation, and the intersection of water and energy in driving sustainable solutions. He reflects on the personal toll of entrepreneurship and the excitement of building impactful technologies.

InPipe's website: https://inpipeenergy.com/

Gregg's LinkedIn: Gregg Semler | LinkedIn

]]>8b27ff25-24a5-4b03-8d17-256eaaf015b3Tue, 02 Dec 2025 20:00:00 GMT<p>Gregg Semler shares his extensive journey as an entrepreneur in the clean energy and water utility sectors. He discusses his transition from medical devices to clean energy, the challenges faced in the water industry, and the founding of InPipe Energy. Semler emphasizes the importance of customer relationships, innovation, and the intersection of water and energy in driving sustainable solutions. He reflects on the personal toll of entrepreneurship and the excitement of building impactful technologies.</p><p></p><p>InPipe's website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://inpipeenergy.com/" target="_blank">https://inpipeenergy.com/</a></p><p>Gregg's LinkedIn: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggsemler/" target="_blank">Gregg Semler | LinkedIn</a></p>no00:29:1713Gregg Semler, InPipe Energyfull<![CDATA[Orianna Bretschger, Aquacycl]]>Orianna Bretschger shares her journey from academia to founding Aquacycl, a company focused on innovative wastewater treatment solutions. She discusses her early career, the pivotal moments that led to the creation of Aquacycl, and the challenges of transitioning from research to entrepreneurship.


Aquacycl's website: https://aquacycl.com/

Orianna's LinkedIn: Orianna Bretschger | LinkedIn


]]>https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themeterpod/episodes/Orianna-Bretschger-of-Aquacycl-e3a0kak20c25d23-c6d6-44b6-bbbc-b1854af7af3eWed, 12 Nov 2025 20:00:00 GMT<p>Orianna Bretschger shares her journey from academia to founding Aquacycl, a company focused on innovative wastewater treatment solutions. She discusses her early career, the pivotal moments that led to the creation of Aquacycl, and the challenges of transitioning from research to entrepreneurship. </p><p><br /></p><p>Aquacycl's website: https://aquacycl.com/</p><p>Orianna's LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/orianna-bretschger-149628118/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Orianna Bretschger | LinkedIn</a></p><p><br /></p> no00:45:1412Orianna Bretschger, Aquacyclfull<![CDATA[Joseph Blackman, Vitendo Training Solutions]]>Joseph Blackman shares his journey from being a college football player to finding his place in the public works industry. He discusses the importance of sales skills in everyday life, the lessons learned from his entrepreneurial ventures, and the impact of networking through podcasting.

Joseph emphasizes the value of building relationships, learning from failures, and creating valuable content to establish authority in his field. He also shares his vision for Vitendo, a training solutions company aimed at enhancing knowledge in the public works sector.


Follow Joseph on LinkedIn: Joseph Blackman | LinkedIn

Vitendo Training Solutions' website: https://www.vitendo.us/

]]>https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themeterpod/episodes/Vitendo-Training-Solutions_Joseph-Blackman-e3a0lkm71f82ab6-9886-4abf-9d53-9080d5dc50f2Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:09:04 GMT<p>Joseph Blackman shares his journey from being a college football player to finding his place in the public works industry. He discusses the importance of sales skills in everyday life, the lessons learned from his entrepreneurial ventures, and the impact of networking through podcasting.</p><p> Joseph emphasizes the value of building relationships, learning from failures, and creating valuable content to establish authority in his field. He also shares his vision for Vitendo, a training solutions company aimed at enhancing knowledge in the public works sector.</p><p><br /></p><p>Follow Joseph on LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephblackman/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Joseph Blackman | LinkedIn</a> </p><p>Vitendo Training Solutions' website: https://www.vitendo.us/</p> no00:35:2911Joseph Blackman, Vitendo Training Solutionsfull