Market Focus
Investment Criteria
MAZARINE LABS
Quietly skunkworking the next generation of solutions that address water/wastewater inefficiencies and risks
We are more focused on asking the right questions than having all the clever answers
Not an accelerator, but an incubator
Before you get on stage
There is no shortage of creativity in addressing water/ wastewater challenges; however, there is a need for a 'skunkworks' where inventors, entrepreneurs, corporates, and investors can explore their vision by working with experienced Mazarine, and our network of subject matter experts. Mazarine Labs is a safe place for being maverick about something before it's introduced to the world.
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Let's get the business model right
Technology is only part of the equation; finding the right business model, positioning, and go-to-market strategy are also critical to achieving success. Mazarine Labs is a place to refine business models that are uniquely suited to address water/wastewater challenges in the beachhead market(s) deemed most attractive.
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Address the elephant in the room
Before building a website, participating in demo days, or raising money, Mazarine Labs' guiding philosophy is that it is critical to understand and validate the customers' unmet needs, their buying process, and how to effectively displace the incumbent solution. We refer to it as 'getting a PhD in the customer'.
...and a launchpad
Get ready to compete
While we do value creative brainstorming, unpacking competing hypotheses, and 'whiteboarding', sooner or later the company needs to soft and hard launch. If pre-launch planning and the launch are done right, incumbent players and customers will immediately take notice.
Sometimes a re-launch makes sense
As an early-stage investor Mazarine sees more than our fair share of young companies who are already in-market, but not quite getting the traction they envisioned. Mazarine Labs is where such companies will find the resources needed to 'catch the wind' and re-launch with more momentum.
Perhaps creating NewCo is the way to go
Informed by market trends, the competitive landscape, and a network of partners, Mazarine Labs is able to take science projects (eg: university, garage, or dorm room) and launch businesses from scratch (ie: a NewCo) with the inventor/ founder and Mazarine's syndicate of early-stage investors.
MAZARINE LABS
Active Workbenches
Each virtual workbench is focused on either a specific submarket, a particularly complex challenge, or an area of need we believe warrants time in our skunkworks.
Suburban & Rural Utilities
Exploring innovations that address the unique needs and objetives of smaller water utilities
Water in 'Industry 4.0'
Incubating innovations in ML, AI, edge computing, synthetic data, NLP, decision sciences, and other digital tools
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
Supporting the 'FIRE' sector (Finance, Insurance, Real Estate) incubate solutions to manage water-related risks
Agriculture & Aquaculture
Incubating innovations that support growers improve water-related efficiencies and mitigate risks
Surface Water & Watershed
Contaminant Removal
& Destruction
Supporting the commercialization efforts of innovations that address complex contamination like PFAS
Testing & Monitoring
Water in the Smart Home & Smart Building
Incubating innovations that support building owners, operators, and occupiers manage water-related risks
International Impact
Skunkworking innovations that enable enhanced visibility and management of aquatic ecosystems, more here
Tools for understanding water quality are a big focus for Mazarine, spanning lab, field, and earth observation technologies
Focused on innovations to help world's most vulnerable communities, mostly in Base-of-the-Pyramid populations
MAZARINE LABS
Private Workbenches
Mazarine maintains workbenches with partners who approach us with specific areas of interest, which results in a private workbench.
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Public workbenches have members from Mazarine’s investor network, venture partners, portfolio companies, and subject matter experts. During workbench workshops, we collectively engage in brainstorming, challenging, and exchanging ideas.
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Private workbenches are confidential, have a more limited scope, and are created jointly with investment syndicate partners or corporates to address a specific need or interest.
If you are interested in participating in a workbench workshop, have ideas for other workbenches, or would like to explore setting up a private workbench, please contact us here.