EPISODE 17

Water‑tech pioneer Ravi Kurani explains how a floating pool‑chemistry robot became the ultimate hardware moat, why proprietary water data unlocks service marketplaces, and where trillion‑dollar opportunities lie at the water‑energy nexus. He recounts two years on Shenzhen factory floors perfecting Sutro, selling the startup before mass production, and now plotting to buy it back to tackle agriculture, cooling towers, and AI data centers. Hosts Jason Shafton and Kevin Henrikson unpack story‑driven design, founder persistence, and the future of “smart” water.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – From Pools to Robotics: Ravi’s origin story

03:44 – Hardware Moats & Proprietary Water Data

07:11 – Sutro as the “Nest Cam” for Your Pool

09:01 – Water as Tech’s Next Trillion‑Dollar Frontier

16:36 – Founder Mode in China: Two Years on the Factory Floor

LINKS

Connect with Ravi

Sutro • Liquid Assets Podcast • LinkedIn • X/Twitter

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Connect with Kevin

LinkedIn • X/Twitter

Connect with Jason

LinkedIn • X/Twitter