You don't often meet someone that you immediately know you'll remember where and when you met them for a very long time. That happened to me with my guest today, Alex Rappaport, CEO of ZwitterCo, at a conference in 2018. I was minding my own business when a coiled ball of energy introduced himself to me, and it was clear that this was a very talented founder indeed. Alex and his co-founder Chris have made remarkable strides in the last four years, and since we invested in April 2021, the pace of development has been remarkable. Alex represents a lot of good things that we look for in founders, but particularly the importance of entrepreneurial process, the thought process that goes into the systematic retirement of risk, the allocation of investment, the sequence of hiring. As an investor, what you're looking for is someone who makes structurally good decisions under conditions of uncertainty. Now, not all of those are going to pan out, of course, but if you have a good decision-maker at the heart of a company, it's a great position to be in, because at its core, building a company is just an endless sequence of decisions. That's why the person driving the bus matters so much. This episode covers a lot of ground and I think gives good insight as to how he thinks about company building and the development of a complex and highly impactful product. And it's insight that all entrepreneurs can draw on, particularly his observation in the final question about the cadence of learning. So please enjoy my conversation with Alex Rappaport.

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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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Alex Rappaport, CEO of ZwitterCo, shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of data-driven decision-making and adaptability in the business world. He highlights ZwitterCo's groundbreaking technology, addressing membrane fouling issues in water treatment, and the significance of strategic partnerships in the industry. Throughout the conversation, Alex shares valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurs in the water technology sector, offering a unique perspective on building meaningful relationships and scaling solutions.

Episode Highlights:

• Water-related challenges are complex, with each water source having unique characteristics, making sales processes challenging.
• Alex recommends creating standardized templates and building blocks for various applications
• Entrepreneurs should maintain adaptability, focus on specific markets where their technology fits, build a scrappy sales organization, and collaborate with partners who understand new processes.
• Entrepreneurs should start with manual processes, learn from patterns, and gradually automate and outsource tasks as the company grows.
• Collaborating with channel partners to integrate technology into new solutions is critical for expansion and growth, reducing the need for linear project-based growth.
• Fundraising is about building relationships based on trust, chemistry, mutual respect, and shared values, not just transactions.
• Despite limited climate tech investment, water-related solutions are essential.
• Alex’s advice for the next generation of water technology entrepreneurs

Links:

Burton Island Ventures

ZwitterCo