Jorge Richardson - Water Access, Reliability, and Selfies with Bono
Jorge Richardson - Water Access, Reliability, and Selfies with Bono
Sometimes businesses pop up that take a bit of time to make sense. HOPE Hydration is one of those businesses. When I first met Jorge Richardson in 2021, he was chock full of confidence, like a lot of entrepreneurs in 2021, with an admirably aggressive plan, but I couldn't quite see it. And, fortunately, I was wrong. Make no mistake, this is an exceptional early company with the potential to transform a very large legacy part of the water sector. Jorge is also exactly the right person to build it. A rare combination of smarts, charisma, and a down to earth way of looking at the journey that can only come from a very specific blend of experiences, both positive and negative. We think they can be a huge part of the solution to the public water access problem, and this is a fascinating look into the early stages of building that solution. Hopefully, you'll get it faster than I did because we are seriously excited. They were our second investment in BIV Fund 2. Please enjoy my conversation with Jorge Richardson.
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For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fundamental-molecule/id1714287205
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Jorge Richardson’s journey led him to create Hope Hydration, tackling the broken water access system with fresh ideas. In 2021, he pivoted to focus on event-based water stations, quickly learning how to make a big impact with limited resources. By combining a smart, ad-driven business model with B Corp principles, Hope Hydration is redefining what it means to offer free, high-quality water everywhere. For Jorge, success is all about having the right people, a clear mission, and staying true to your values.
00:00 Start
00:49 Introduction
01:53 Jorge's Unconventional Path to Water Sector
02:18 Mission and Vision of Hope Hydration
04:50 Problems with Traditional Water Access Models
08:00 Transforming Drinking Water Infrastructure
11:10 Key Learnings and Pivot from 2021 Onwards
16:46 Understanding the Ad Business Model in Water Tech
20:45 Balancing Ads with Mission as a B Corp
25:27 The Power of Networking and Partnerships
29:43 Scaling Across Multiple Vertical Markets
35:38 Building Sustainable Competitive Advantage
41:53 Global Impact and Scaling Hope Hydration
45:23 Advice for Future Water Entrepreneurs
Links:
Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/
Jorge Richardson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgerichardson/
HOPE Hydration: https://www.hopehydration.com/
The Fundamental Molecule
Welcome to The Fundamental Molecule. This show explores the intersection of water, technology and entrepreneurship. Each week, Tom Ferguson, Managing Partner of Burnt Island Ventures, interviews innovators, experts, entrepreneurs and investors in the world of water, to help us understand where this trillion dollar industry is headed. These are the stories of the people building the future of the world’s most valuable and fundamental resource.
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