ReHive

With the onset of summer, several Indian cities and communities stand to be heavily water-stressed this year. While Bengaluru’s water shortage has made it to mainstream media, it is certainly not the only area that is facing a water crisis.  The space stands ripe for innovation and investment to bring about efficiency in usage and replenishment. ReHive published a report (link below) on Water from an Investment lens and here are 9 things that I learned from it: Statistics: 1) India ranks 120/122 in the Water Quality Index 2) In 2021, only 1% of climate-tech investments were in Water totaling $400 million.  3) Usually, a beverage travels 500 km before it reaches the consumer Tailwinds: 4) Water management is becoming increasingly privatised (players are demanding data and water efficiency)  5) The Center outlaid 30% more for water in FY 24 than in FY 23 Challenges of building in the Water space: 6) Water needs infrastructure such as pipes, reservoirs, plants, and distribution networks making it capital-intensive  7) Water infrastructure is mostly legacy systems that have been installed pre-independence, making it difficult to find compatible technologies  8) Water is a politically charged resource with at least 6 ministries involved in policy causing fragmented governance Investment Opportunities: 9) 3 areas of water could use innovation and investment: - Atmospheric water generation  - Monitoring water quality and quantity  - Recycle and reuse of water The report covers the landscape of startups globally that are building solutions in each of these innovation buckets and summarises the customer segments, business models, technologies leveraged, and white spaces for innovation - simplifying an otherwise broad topic. Kudos to Vedita and her team :) Shoutout to EarthFokus, a startup in Anthill Ventures's portfolio, that reduces and monitors water consumption via water-saving fixtures and a smart water management system. It's been a pleasure to be a part of their journey.   I look forward to hearing from startups building in the water space 🌊   Link to the Report - https://lnkd.in/g6A5Xep9

When Nishit and I started ReHive as an experimental passion project in the middle of the COVID pandemic to create positive climate impact, one fundamental question we always came back to was "How does what we do impact those who contribute least to the climate crisis but suffer most from it today?" The notion of climate injustice deeply troubled us then, as it does now. We were driven to empower the ecosystem to prioritize solutions for those most in need. Our journey began at the intersection of climate, justice, and innovation, initially focusing on providing strategy and fundraising guidance to startups dedicated to building products and services for climate resilience. Now, we're embarking on the next phase of our mission, where we equip capital providers with foundational insights on investing in sectors crucial for fostering climate resilience for all - Water, Climate-Resilient Agriculture, and Climate Risk. Our series of reports on 'Investing in a Climate-Resilient Future,' will kick off with the release of our report on the water sector titled 'Water - Insights on Investing in the Life Giving Resource' on March 5th. Although our efforts merely scratch the surface of the immense potential within the water sector, our aim is to spark crucial conversations about investment opportunities in this vital domain. We aspire to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders across the startup ecosystem, from those building solutions (such as universities and incubators) to those scaling them (such as capital providers and government bodies). Stay tuned and follow ReHive for more updates!