If you didn’t read our extensive feature back in May, you might not be aware of Xatoms: a really interesting global story taking place right here in Canada.
“The 776 fellowship has connected us to so many opportunities that we would never be connected to [otherwise].”
The company is using quantum chemistry and AI to develop photocatalyst solutions to strip water sources of bacteria and other harmful pollutants. These molecules, powered by sunlight or any other light source, don’t make the water potable, but they can strip it of E. coli and cholera—which is a really big deal for many parts of this world, including ours.
Born in Slovakia, Xatoms co-founder Diana Virgovicova was inspired to tackle this problem on a backpacking trip to Mumbai after witnessing young women using polluted water to wash during their menstrual cycles, which can make them quite sick. Since then, her work has taken her all over the world: London, UK, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Sweden, Asia, SF, and yes, Toronto, Canada.
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Through this period, Xatoms has received a lot of support: Cansbridge fellowships, the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, AWS and UNESCO R&D support, and grant funding from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian’s 776 fellowship, which Diana called a “game changer” on the podcast—recorded live at Elevate Festival right after she had finished pitching her company on the main stage.
Diana’s pretty candid about how these relationships have helped Xatoms tap into an international network of concerned citizens: appearing at Goals House as part of the UN General Assembly and meeting Water.org co-founder Matt Damon. The photo ops are great but Diana explains how getting accepted into the clean water crew is helping her raise awareness and necessary funding.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t real tech innovation here, or a business—Xatoms has already secured $2.5 million in pilot project contracts, at a 70 percent margin.
Again, a very interesting story with global connections taking place right here in Canada.
So, what the hell is quantum chemistry and how is Xatoms using it to clean water? Let’s dig in.
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The BetaKit Podcast is hosted by Douglas Soltys & Rob Kenedi. Produced & edited by Darian MacDonald. Feature image courtesy Diana Virgovicova via Instagram. Episode recording courtesy Elevate Festival.
The post Alexis Ohanian and Matt Damon can help Xatoms clean water around the world first appeared on BetaKit.