Anne Mushow - Building a Utility Data Dragnet

The Fundamental Molecule

There is so much that is dumb in water, but easily one of the dumbest is that in the US - let alone the rest of the world - 60 percent of meters are offline and need to be read by hand in 2025. It is an insane state of affairs, and we have had our eyes out for teams to solve it for literally years. Anne Mushow is the driving force behind the solution to this problem at Subeca. Taking over from the exceptional Patrick Keaney, she is a superb leader: practical, experienced, thoughtful, and so determined to banish the schleppiest of schlep work that is meter reading to the past. She spent a lot of time in this market, both in water at Sensus and Xylem, as well as experiencing hypergrowth at Amazon. Please enjoy my conversation with Anne Mushow.

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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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Anne Mushow highlights the slow adoption of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in the water utility sector, attributing it to factors like risk aversion and capital intensity. She emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making and customer-centricity, sharing insights from her experiences at Sensus, Xylem, and Amazon. Anne also delves into Subeca's innovative approach, focusing on low-barrier adoption and leveraging technologies like Amazon Sidewalk to empower utilities with efficient and cost-effective solutions.

00:00 - Why Most Water Meters Still Require Manual Reads

02:43 - The Real Barriers to AMI Adoption in Utilities

08:41 - How Cloud and Managed Services Are Changing Water Tech

11:01 - Subeca’s Low-Friction Approach to Smart Metering

16:04 - Eliminating Manual Labor with Plug-and-Play Devices

20:15 - Building a Strong ROI Case Without Infrastructure Costs

24:05 - How to Successfully Sell Into Utility Markets

31:52 - Applying Amazon’s Culture to Water Tech Innovation

36:17 - The Future of Water Data as a Service

39:55 - Leadership Lessons from Stepping Into the CEO Role

45:50 - Anne’s advice for current and future water entrepreneurs

Links:

Burnt Island Ventures: https://www.burntislandventures.com/

Anne Mushow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-mushow-3108a65b/

Subeca: https://www.subeca.com/

SM Material

Key Takeaways:

"Water utilities are buyers, not builders. They need solutions, not just data."

"In the US, 60% of meters are offline and need manual reading in 2025. It's an insane state of affairs."

"Utilities are risk-averse. They need to see proof of concept before making big investments."

"Amazon Sidewalk's connectivity in challenging terrains is astonishing. It works where others fail."

"Focus on solving real customer problems. Product-market fit will follow."

"The market for water utilities is diverse. Tailor your approach to their unique needs."

"Documentation and working backwards are key. They transform ideas into actionable plans."

"Survive and advance. Find what's working and ride it to bring in revenue for innovation."

"The sky's the limit for networks. Managed services will drive utility transformation."

"Gut is the instant amalgamation of all your experience. Trust it, but verify with data."