The Meter Podcast

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 UsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/?viewAsMember=trueSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform to stay updated on the innovations keeping our basic necessities running.#TheMeterPodcast #WaterInnovation #CleanTech #Desalination #ReverseOsmosis #ActiveMembranes #EngineeringFounders #SmartUtilities #WaterTech

Ulrich Hansen, APX10

In this episode of The Meter, host Andrew Dugan sits down with Ulrich Hansen, a commercial leader at Apex 10, 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.Featured in This EpisodeAPX10: A global SaaS platform specialized in helping water, wastewater, and storm water utilities prioritize maintenance and optimize reinvestment.The IXI Product: A new solution specifically designed to identify and tackle In-flow and Infiltration challenges in aging infrastructure.Connect With UsWebsite: waterwrites.coLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-meter-podcast/?viewAsMember=trueSubscribe: Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform to stay updated on the innovations keeping our basic necessities running.#TheMeterPodcast #Utilities #WaterSector #DigitalTransformation #DataAnalytics #Apex10 #TheMeterPodcast #Sustainability #AssetManagement #Infrastructure #SmartWater

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/ [https://www.aquagga.com/]

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/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismillerphdpe/] Fontus Blue website (now Usalco): https://www.usalco.com/technology/decision-blue [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

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.