gener8tor Founder Series Spotlight: Rich Sloan, WAVR
In this episode, we’re featuring Rich Sloan, Co-Founder and CEO of WAVR Technologies, a Las Vegas-based water technology company developing atmospheric water harvesting systems that generate water from air. Inspired by natural processes observed in Australian tree frogs, WAVR is addressing one of the most urgent challenges facing water-stressed regions and industries.
As part of the gener8tor Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator, Rich highlights how the program helped sharpen how he communicates WAVR’s value and accelerate early customer conversations. Through hands-on sessions and mentor engagement, he refined his pitch and tapped into a network that opened critical doors for the business.
Today, WAVR is building early commercial momentum, approaching $1M in first-year booked revenue while deploying pilot units across industrial applications including data centers and semiconductor manufacturing. As the company scales, its mission is to provide a resilient and decentralized water source for industries facing increasing water constraints.
Founder insight: “Customer discovery is critical early on. Sometimes that’s a slow process, though, and can delay crucial clarity about your go-to-market. Do everything you can to get dialogue with prospective customers as quickly as you can. The insights mean everything to your strategy.”
Founder’s ask:
Connect with companies in the data center and semiconductor manufacturing industries
Explore pilot deployments for innovative water solutions
Build partnerships with organizations addressing industrial water challenges
Rich’s journey is a strong reminder that even with breakthrough technology, success depends on how quickly founders can learn from the market. His experience reinforces the importance of continuous customer dialogue, especially in complex industries where clarity around go-to-market can take time but ultimately defines the path to scale.
