Groups name popular well-building startup as sustainability winner

The StartupCincy ecosystem named a well-building firm, co-founded by a newly graduated Xavier University student, as its first winner in a new collaboration.

Ripple Water combines the sale of high-quality water bottles for the purpose of solving the global water crisis. For every 1,000 water bottles sold, Ripple builds a well that provides clean water to communities in need, giving them the gift of life. Ripple is a for-profit, but is awaiting federal tax-exempt status for the nonprofit it has set up to help it build wells, the 10th now happening in Uganda.

“All four of the ‘Green Room’ startup competitors have creative products that solve real-world problems,” said volunteer coach Brian Tibbs, vice president of finance and business intelligence at Monti Inc.
“This was a close competition with Ripple winning by just two points. Ripple set themselves apart with their unique business concept and funding potential. They have a solid presentation and backed that up
with well-prepared answers to the judges’ questions.”

Alloy Growth Lab, formerly the Hamilton County Development Co., and partners Cintrifuse, Flywheel, the University of Cincinnati, Sustainable Cincy and Green Umbrella hosted the pitch competition highlighting cutting-edge startups in the sustainability space. The pitches and voting took place April 28 at MadTreet Brewery.

The other three startups competing were:

• Inland Shrimp is an indoor shrimp farm that provides premium fresh, never frozen shrimp, locally through the use of patented technology and a proprietary high growth, high nutrient feed formula.
• Clean Earth Rovers tackle the problem of marine debris. Its Plastics Piranha is engineered to skim marinas and collect 300 lbs. of waste per trip.
• Micronic Technologies is developing revolutionary wastewater cleaning technologies. Its water purification system, the Tornadic One-Pass, harnesses the science and power of a tornado to clean toxic water.

As winner, Ripple Water receives six months of complimentary membership to space at Alloy Growth Lab, a one-year membership to Cintrifuse, 100% paid scholarship to the Queen City Angel Bootcamp, consultation and document preparation from Ulmer & Berne, a one-year membership to Green Umbrella and a ticket to the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit. Ripple (we are the ripple | official website) was co-founded by new Xavier alumni Zach Kane. Just a few months ago, Ripple won the top prize at the Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s national pitch competition.

The “Green Room” collaboration brought together startup ecosystem partners to focus on sustainability
in the Cincinnati marketplace. Ripple is among a host of credits — Sustainability Innovation in Cincinnati – Cintrifuse — Cincinnati is taking for its sustanability economy.