I first got to know Imagine H2O as an intern during grad school, so when they asked me to be a guest judge for their 2024 Accelerator, it was an easy yes.
Imagine H2O runs one of the more respected accelerator programs in the water space. This cycle had nearly 400 registrants and 185 applications, which the judges narrowed down to a top 20 cohort. I sat on the Infrastructure Management panel with folks from utilities, insurers, and venture funds, so there was a good mix of perspectives in the room.
A few things stuck with me from the day:
Differentiation. A lot of these companies had impressive tech, but the best teams could clearly answer "why not just use what already exists?"
Water experience on the team. Founders coming from other industries sometimes had great technology but less experience working with utilities and municipalities, which are notoriously slow buyers that run on relationships.
A clear business model. The strongest applicants weren't always the most technically advanced, but they could explain simply how they made money and who was paying.
Judging as a group. Having six other judges defend or challenge my take on a company was humbling, and a good reminder to hold my opinions a little more loosely.
It was a long day, but a fun one. Thanks to the Imagine H2O team for the invite, and to the founders for pitching in front of a room full of strangers with opinions. If you're building something in water tech, I'd encourage you to apply!