Liquid Assets

Ravi Kurani

5.0 (2)
BUSINESS
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

From policy to profit, Liquid Assets uncovers the business and technological implications of water in a changing world.

6D AGO

Beyond the Flush: Using Particle Accelerators and ‘Bugs’ to Save Millions

Most of us don’t think twice about what happens after we flush, but Jay Bernas spends every waking hour thinking about it. As the CEO of the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), Jay oversees a "quasi-state" regional powerhouse that treats wastewater for nearly 2 million people. But this isn't your grandfather’s utility—HRSD is a world-class R&D incubator that holds global patents and collects royalties on its innovations. In this episode, Ravi and Jay pull back the curtain on the "invisible" infrastructure that keeps our communities safe. They dive into how HRSD is using Anammox bacteria and hydrocyclones to save hundreds of millions of dollars in construction costs, and why they are currently partnering with a National Particle Accelerator Lab to destroy "forever chemicals" (PFAS) using electron beams. Whether you’re a tech investor or just curious about the massive machine running beneath your feet, this conversation proves that wastewater is one of the most exciting frontiers in climate tech. In this episode, we discuss: The "Quasi-State" Advantage: Why independent governance is the secret sauce for innovation. Process Intensification: How to grow a utility's capacity without pouring more concrete. The Silver Tsunami: Why we need a new generation of "Engineer MBAs" to lead the sector. PFAS Destruction: Using particle physics to solve the world’s toughest chemical problem. Connect with the Guest: Jay Bernas: LinkedIn HRSD: hrsd.com Follow Liquid Assets: Website: liquidassets.cc Host: Ravi Kurani This episode is sponsored by Hasa, the leader in water treatment solutions for over 60 years. Learn more at hasa.com.

35 min
JAN 14

Xylem’s Sivan Zamir: The "Silver Tsunami" & The Thirsty Cloud

Sivan Zamir is the VP of Innovation & Venture at Xylem, a Fortune 500 leader in water technology. In this episode, Ravi Kurani and Sivan pulls back the curtain on the massive, invisible machine that keeps the modern world running. Sivan challenges the abstract concept of "the cloud," revealing that every data center, semiconductor chip, and cup of coffee relies on a complex, physical water infrastructure that operates "behind the fence." Her mission is to transform water from a silent, overlooked utility into a visible, investable asset, proving that the resilience of the Fortune 1000 depends entirely on the management of this finite resource. The conversation dives deep into the cultural psychology of water, contrasting the "scarcity mindset" of Israel, where Sivan witnessed traumatic drought campaigns, with the "invisibility" of water in the US. They explore the critical "Silver Tsunami" facing the industry as experts retire, and how Xylem is turning to Augmented Reality (AR) and AI to download "tribal knowledge" to a new generation. From the struggles of pitching water tech to VCs to the future of flood prediction, Sivan and Ravi map out why water is the ultimate unpriced asset in business resilience. Key Takeaways: The Invisible Backbone of Tech: Sivan dispels the myth of a purely digital economy. She explains that the "cloud" is actually a physical infrastructure of data centers requiring massive amounts of water for cooling and power, arguing that tech companies are just as water-dependent as agriculture. The 3% Investment Gap: Despite water being essential for life, only ~3% of climate tech venture capital flows into the sector. Sivan shares her past struggles as a founder having to rebrand water startups as "IoT" or "Climate Tech" just to get meetings, and how funds like Burnt Island Ventures are finally changing that landscape. Bridging the "Silver Tsunami": The industry faces a massive vacuum as operators with decades of experience retire. Sivan discusses using AI and AR tools—like smart glasses—to capture this institutional knowledge and guide Gen Z workers through complex, dangerous repairs in real-time. Cultural Visceralism: Sivan contrasts the American experience of water (out of sight, out of mind) with the Israeli experience, where drought awareness is culturally ingrained. She argues that to solve our water crisis, we must make infrastructure "visible" again. Innovation for Extremes: Xylem’s innovation strategy is categorized into "Too Much Water" (using AI for flood prediction) and "Too Little Water" (advanced reuse and digital twins), highlighting how extreme weather patterns are forcing utilities to become proactive rather than reactive.

37 min
12/31/2025

Bottling the Breath of the Amazon

Would you swap your fine wine for a bottle of water? In this episode, Ravi Kurani sits down with Ana Livi, Partner at O Amazon Air Water, to discuss a water source you’ve likely never heard of: the "breath" of the Amazon trees. Deep in the rainforest, O Amazon uses Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG) to harvest humidity from the "Flying Rivers" of the Amazon, creating a luxury water that sells for over €100 a bottle. Ana explains how this unique business model allows them to operate off-grid without cutting down a single tree, turning the preservation of the forest into a high-end asset. We also dive into Ana’s unique role as an "Energy Consultant" for the company, where she uses her background in humanitarian aid and spirituality to align business decisions with the invisible "energetics" of the rainforest. We cover: The Technology: How to make water from air in the middle of the jungle. The Design: The rescue jaguar that inspired their iconic bottle. The Market: Why water sommeliers call this the "celebration" water. The Energy: Managing a company through spiritual alignment and "corporate energetics". Movie Recommendation:Ana recommends Symphony of the Soil (referenced as the film about the "30cm layer of soil") for anyone interested in the fragility of our planet’s life support systems. LiquidAssets: liquidassets.cc Amazon Air: https://www.oamazonairwater.com/

34 min
12/10/2025

Net Zero is Not a Burden: AI & Smart Water with Xylem

Is climate mitigation just an expensive burden for water utilities? Alexis de Kerchove (Senior Director, Client Sustainability at Xylem) argues the opposite: the path to Net Zero is actually the key to operational efficiency and cost savings. In this episode, Ravi Kurani and Alexis de Kerchove break down how digital tools and machine learning are revolutionizing the water sector. We explore the "invisible" emissions of wastewater, fugitive nitrous oxide and energy-intensive pumping, and how AI is solving these problems without requiring massive new infrastructure. We discuss: The "Burden" Myth: Why sustainability is actually an efficiency strategy. Sponge Cities: Using data to optimize existing networks instead of building concrete. Fugitive Emissions: Tackling the silent climate impact of biological treatment. Smart Assets: How self-cleaning pumps and digital twins prevent failure. The Silver Tsunami: Turning the workforce shortage into a recruiting advantage. Sponsored by HASA: The leader in eco-friendly water treatment. Learn more at hasa.com. Links: Connect with Alexis de Kerchove on LinkedIn Visit Xylem.com Subscribe to the Liquid Assets Newsletter at liquidassets.cc

38 min
11/25/2025

The Trillion-Dollar Toxin: Navigating the New Regulations on PFAS

Is there a safe level of "forever chemicals" in your water? PFAS are everywhere: from the non-stick pans in your kitchen to the contact lenses in your eyes, and even 92% of strawberries. They are the "super chemistry" that modern society relies on, but they are also a toxic legacy that refuses to break down. In this episode, Ravi Kurani sits down with Henrik Hagemann, the potato farmer turned deep-tech entrepreneur who is solving this crisis at the molecular level. As the CEO and Co-founder of Puraffinity, Henrik is engineering smart materials that target and capture PFAS with sniper-like precision, preventing them from entering our waterways and bloodstreams. In this episode, we cover: The PFAS Reality Check: Why "forever chemicals" are found in everything from pesticides to waterproof jackets. Beyond Activated Carbon: How Puraffinity’s "Lego-like" material science outperforms traditional filtration by 7x. From Farm to Founder: Henrik’s journey from processing potatoes in Denmark to leading a Series A deep tech company in London. The Business of Water: Navigating the "Valley of Death" in hardware and selling to risk-averse industries. Diversity as a Superpower: Why international, diverse teams are statistically safer and more profitable in engineering. 🔗 Links & Resources: Learn more about Puraffinity: https://www.puraffinity.com/ Connect with Henrik on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrikhagemann/ Read the "Engine Plus" Report: https://raeng.org.uk/policy-and-resources/equity-diversity-and-inclusion-research-and-resources/edi-engine-benefits-of-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-engineering/ Liked this episode? Hit the "Follow" button so you never miss a drop.

37 min
11/11/2025

Turning 50 Liters into 500: Rethinking How We Use Water

Ravi Kurani sits down with Gregory Holliday, Director of the 50 Liter Home Coalition, to explore how global brands and cities are redesigning the way we live — creating homes that use just 50 liters of water a day, yet feel like 500. Gregory unpacks how companies like Procter & Gamble, Kohler, IKEA, and Electrolux are uniting to make sustainability invisible — embedding efficiency into every shower, dishwasher, and faucet without asking people to sacrifice comfort. He shares the coalition’s origins in the wake of Cape Town’s “Day Zero,” his own journey from U.S. diplomat to water advocate, and how behavior, design, and technology intersect to make conservation intuitive. The conversation dives into the data behind 50L’s pilot homes in Los Angeles, the lessons from real families living efficiently, and the long-term vision for water- and energy-smart homes worldwide. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠⁠HASA⁠⁠⁠⁠ (hasa.com).⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Liquid Assets

39 min
10/29/2025

The Internet of Water: Making Every Drop Smart

Ravi Kurani sits down with Ramzi Bouzerda, founder and CEO of Droople, to explore how the Internet of Water is turning everyday plumbing into a data-driven network. Ramzi explains how sensors measuring flow, temperature, and pressure can map “water signatures” for toilets, faucets, and filters, revealing human behavior, maintenance needs, and efficiency opportunities. He shares Droople’s origin story, born at 3 a.m. while preparing a baby bottle, and his journey from banking and IT to building a company tackling global water scarcity. The conversation dives into how data transforms buildings into living systems, why the water industry is slow but lucrative, and how Droople’s vision could make “water inside” as common as “Intel Inside.” This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠⁠HASA⁠⁠⁠ (hasa.com). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Liquid Assets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

31 min
09/03/2025

Rethinking Compliance: Faster, Smarter Testing for Safer Water with Jose Roberto Castro

In this episode of Liquid Assets, host Ravi Kurani sits down with Jose Castro, founder and CEO of Segura, to unpack how rapid diagnostics complement (not replace) lab confirmation, where multi-analyte testing pays off first—Lead & Copper Rule triage, treatment optimization, remote mining, beverage networks—and what validation and manufacturing at scale will take to make field diagnostics the new default. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠HASA⁠⁠ (hasa.com). ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Liquid Assets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

40 min

TRAILER

Liquid Assets: The Business of Water (Trailer)

Welcome to Liquid Assets, a unique podcast that explores water in the context of business, technology, and policy. Your host, Ravi Kurani, navigates the vast expanse of water-related issues, highlighting its impact on various industries and our everyday lives. Ravi brings a diverse lineup of guests to the table, ranging from innovative startup entrepreneurs to influential policy experts, progressive mayors to visionary CEOs of water sanitation and wastewater companies. Each episode takes listeners on a deep dive into the business of water, exploring the bleeding-edge technologies shaping its future, and dissecting the policies that govern this invaluable resource. Our discussions take a deep dive into the business of water, explore the innovations shaping the future of water sustainability, and unpack the policies that govern this vital resource. With Liquid Assets, you'll get a behind-the-scenes view of the challenges, triumphs, and intricacies of working with the lifeblood of our planet. Liquid Assets is more than just a podcast; it's an exploration into the waves of change in the water sector. Whether you're a seasoned professional, a budding entrepreneur, or a curious listener interested in the nexus of business, technology, policy, and water, join us as we chart a course through these vast and dynamic waters.

06/03/2023

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2 min

5

out of 5

2 Ratings

So interesting and diverse!

04/05/2024

Jonathan Steers

I have loved listening to Liquid Assets every couple weeks and learning so much about this interesting resource... The Sky Water episode blew me away! Really good Host as well!

From policy to profit, Liquid Assets uncovers the business and technological implications of water in a changing world.

Creator

Ravi Kurani
Years Active

2023 - 2026
Episodes

54
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Ravi Kurani
Show Website

Liquid Assets