…Technology isn’t the blocker to innovation: Even if your technology works flawlessly, solves significant pain points, and delivers measurable improvements, the real challenge lies in convincing people to adopt it at scale. For example, in the water sector, the timescale for widespread implementation of new technology is estimated to be 12 to 15 years. This means that despite having a groundbreaking solution, your start-up might not survive long enough to see it fully adopted. The key is to focus on making sure you are solving a real pain point for real people who are willing to pay real money for your solution…
As a part of our series about Women Founders, we had the pleasure of interviewing Sivan Zamir. Sivan is an entrepreneur and Vice President of Innovation & Corporate Venture for Xylem, a Fortune 500 company. An alum of UC Berkeley and Stanford, Sivan draws on her background in engineering and tech start-ups to advance solutions to global water challenges. Passionate about sustainability, she also serves on the Research Advisory Council of the National Alliance for Water Innovation, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) consortium to advance water reuse technologies.
Thank you so much for doing this with us Sivan! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
Thank you for having me! It’s fair to say I haven’t had the most linear career to date but the throughline for me has always been about building things — whether actual buildings, products, teams or companies.
I started my professional life as a construction manager on large commercial projects across California. It was during that time that I discovered how challenging it can be to get buy-in for change and innovation, even when it comes with huge potential upsides. That experience was formative. I realized that technology was rarely the blocker to change — it’s about convincing traditional sectors to adopt at scale.
The opportunity came for me to be on the innovators’ side of the equation when I moved to Israel, a place known for its start-up ecosystem and innovative water management practices. I started creating solutions that, through my infrastructure background, I recognized were sorely needed, and in sequence was on the founding team of two early-stage digital start-ups. The first company developed a remote monitoring solution for the industrial and infrastructure markets. The second created a machine-learning based digital twin and operator decision support system for the water sector. It’s a mouthful, I know, but these data-based solutions are revolutionizing water management by providing real-time information to those who oversee the infrastructure we rely on daily.
Going from start-ups to Xylem, a leading global water technology and solutions company, was a step-change, but I was confident that my experiences as a founder would allow me to help get other start-ups off the ground. I was passionate about joining a global company that was open to leveraging its resources and network to help deliver real impact across the water sector by scaling not one, but dozens of innovative solutions simultaneously.
Now, as the leader of Xylem Innovation Labs, the corporate innovation and venture arm of Xylem, I lead a phenomenal team that seeks to uncover innovations and technologies that address some of the world’s most critical water challenges and supports them in scaling. One of the unique approaches that we take is being founder-friendly, helping bridge the gap between corporates and start-ups. This relies on relationship building, radical transparency, and a dose of risk-taking.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?
People are what make things happen. All the technology and innovation in the world doesn’t get you far if no one uses it. One of the most interesting things to me about being at Xylem is how there is a platform to bring people together to help build a more water-secure world. And there is real support across the company’s leadership to operationalize this purpose.
At Xylem Innovation Labs, we’ve created a founder-friendly program to teach start-ups how to work with a big company to scale, and in turn, those in Xylem learn how to collaborate with start-ups. Together, we approach and work with customers to solve their biggest water-related challenges.
Recently, Xylem launched an exciting partnership with a start-up company based in Europe called EOMap that uses satellite data to give a picture of watershed water quality. This data enables utilities, government agencies, and researchers to figure out how to best manage and conserve natural ecosystems — including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Coupled with Xylem’s network, we can bring EOMap’s technology to customers all over the world and make an impact that is bigger than the sum of its parts.
That’s just one example. On a daily basis, we are working hand-in-hand with people to drive new solutions to market. These include AI-based software and augmented reality tools to train water treatment plant operators, technology that harvests water from the air in water-scarce regions, and processes that extract metals and nutrients from wastewater to create products like batteries and fertilizer.
What I always think about is how, at the end of the day, it’s the people who made it all happen. It’s a real privilege to be a part of that.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I’ve made so many mistakes! It’s a rite of passage as an entrepreneur. You make a mistake, you learn, you try again.
One of my lessons early on was the importance of being overprepared and never taking anything for granted. After founding my second start-up in the U.S., we won a significant contract with a large desalination plant to install a digital twin to help operators make real-time decisions.
At one point during the project, we attended a site visit with the client and needed to access our system. The only problem was, the system was in a protective casing, secured by a specific type of screw — and we didn’t have the right screwdriver to open it. We assumed they’d have it onsite!
It was typical — we had all this advanced technology performing perfectly, but it was the lack of a simple screwdriver that was the stumbling block. It’s often the small, overlooked details that can cause issues.
A quick dash to Home Depot followed, but it wasn’t the smoothest process to go through with our client and taught me the importance of contingency planning — from then on, I made sure to map out the nearest hardware stores for every site visit I attended just in case.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’ve always believed in admitting you don’t know something, being curious and asking questions. As a young engineer on construction sites, I would seek out the most experienced site foremen and ask them to share their expertise. They were always thrilled to be asked, and I’m grateful to so many people over the years for the time spent helping me.
While scaling my first start-up into the North American market, I met Bob Musselman, Executive in Residence at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). With a 40-year career in building companies and working in sales and distribution, he took me under his wing. Bob would spend hours explaining how sales channel networks worked in the U.S., which was key to building both of my businesses. Today, I’m grateful to call him a friend.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. According to this EY report, only about 20 percent of funded companies have women founders. This reflects great historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women to create companies. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from founding companies?
You’re right, things have improved overall but there continues to be significant imbalance in the tech sector. In the U.S., for example, 2.1% of venture capital funding is awarded to female founders and in Europe that figure drops to just 0.9%.
If we look at climate tech, only 6.6% of funding rounds went to female-founded companies. This is particularly concerning given that climate change impacts women disproportionately more than men. This disparity highlights the urgent need for more inclusive funding practices, especially in sectors where women are most affected.
I think there is a lot that can be done in the venture capital and broader entrepreneurial ecosystems to systematically support women. But if I were to speak directly to women founders, or a woman thinking of starting a business but feeling unsure — why not you? National Hockey League Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky’s phrase, ‘you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,’ is one of my favorite motivators.
Women are excellent problem-solvers, systems-thinkers, relationship-builders, multi-taskers, and so much more — all skills critical to starting and building a company. One of the best things I’ve done for myself as a woman founder is to surround myself with a support network of friends, family, and colleagues that believe in me and encourage me to pursue what others might think is impossible — but to me, impossible is just a starting point.
Can you help articulate a few things that can be done as individuals, as a society, or by the government, to help overcome those obstacles?
On an individual level, I’d encourage anyone within the start-up sphere to recognize and challenge their own unconscious biases and actively support women entrepreneurs. Advocating for the inclusion of women-led ventures across all sectors is crucial.
As a society, celebrating the successes of women entrepreneurs and providing them with visibility can inspire the next generation and shift cultural perceptions. Building and supporting inclusive networks, something we’re particularly conscious of in our innovation work, can further empower women entrepreneurs to thrive in competitive markets.
Ultimately, successful start-ups need funding. It would be great to see more women at senior levels within VC funds, as having more women making investment decisions would help level the playing field and also see a more diverse funnel of investable start-ups. The European Innovation Council (EIC) is an interesting example of a public agency addressing this issue, by attempting to eliminate all gender bias from its decisions and directing funding to female-led start-ups. I’d love to see other grant-giving bodies adopt a similar approach.
This might be intuitive to you as a woman founder but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become founders?
We should be striving for equality as an end goal in itself but, beyond that, there are two key aspects to consider. The first is economics. Recent research from Wells Fargo shows that women-owned businesses in the U.S. are top-performing, leading to increased employment and prosperity. This is something we absolutely need to encourage.
Additionally, women bring unique perspectives and experiences that drive creative solutions, resulting in positive environmental and social change. These diverse viewpoints can lead to innovations that make a significant difference in people’s lives.
What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a founder? Can you explain what you mean?
I think the main myth I’d like to dispel is that founders work alone and don’t have a boss to answer to. When you build your own business, you have many stakeholders — your customers, team, and investors. Innovation is a team sport: there’s no way for a good idea to go from concept to commercialization without an entire ecosystem of people working together throughout the journey.
Is everyone cut out to be a founder? In your opinion, which specific traits increase the likelihood that a person will be a successful founder and what type of person should perhaps seek a “regular job” as an employee? Can you explain what you mean?
Everyone has a different motivation for what they want to achieve professionally, and anyone can be entrepreneurial in whatever system and size of organization they work with.
I often find that founders are people who have identified a problem, and when they look around to see if anyone else is solving that problem and realize the answer is ‘no’ — they feel called to do something about it.
To take that leap definitely requires a mix of audacity and self-confidence. Once you’ve gone the founder route, other traits critical to success are an appetite for risk, people skills, and you must be a great communicator. It’s a founder’s job to always be recruiting employees, customers, and investors, which is going to require telling and refining your story thousands of times at a minimum.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)
1 . Technology isn’t the blocker to innovation: Even if your technology works flawlessly, solves significant pain points, and delivers measurable improvements, the real challenge lies in convincing people to adopt it at scale. For example, in the water sector, the timescale for widespread implementation of new technology is estimated to be 12 to 15 years. This means that despite having a groundbreaking solution, your start-up might not survive long enough to see it fully adopted. The key is to focus on making sure you are solving a real pain point for real people who are willing to pay real money for your solution.
2 . Innovating at scale requires collaboration: To truly make an impact, you need more than just one person with one great idea. A rising tide lifts all boats — see your competitors as collaborators. Reach out beyond your sector and learn from others. Where there are actionable opportunities for radical collaboration, seize them. Building a network of allies can amplify your efforts and drive broader change.
3 . Do your homework: As a founder looking to align with a strategic partner, before you reach out, start by truly understanding the company’s technologies and markets, and whether your offering is complementary or disruptive to its operations. Try to understand who within the company is a champion of technology and who experiences the pain points your technology addresses. Then collaborate to demonstrate the value of your technology through a pilot project, which leads me onto my next point …
4 . Stand your ground: Your commercial pilot project shouldn’t be a research project. Potential adopters and investors often want to see how far a new technology can be pushed. It’s essential to agree on clear metrics and objectives before starting. This ensures that the pilot project remains focused on demonstrating commercial viability rather than becoming an open-ended exploration.
5 . Embrace failure as a learning opportunity: Not every idea will succeed, but each failure offers valuable insights. Viewing setbacks as learning experiences can make you more resilient and better equipped for future challenges.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
This is a big question! The short answer is: I hope so.
I believe in making a difference through both small and big actions. One small way I contribute is by dedicating time to mentoring. I benefited greatly from my mentors, so I make it a priority to pass that on. I have a weekly slot in my diary for mentoring calls that never moves or gets cancelled — it’s a non-negotiable for me.
On a larger scale, I believe in finding new solutions to mitigate climate change, especially because climate change often presents as a water emergency in the form of too much or not enough water. In Europe, only 37% of surface water is in good ecological condition. Globally, the world’s rivers have been drying up at the fastest rate for 30 years. We need to reduce our use of water, increase our reuse, and make sure that the water we put back into our rivers and lakes is clean.
As a founder, I was able to develop and commercialize one technology at a time. Now I’m using that experience to inform my mission at Xylem, where we can help commercialize dozens of new technologies to improve environmental and social outcomes simultaneously, which is a significant impact.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
It builds off my last point. Water is essential for life, but we’re facing growing challenges like water scarcity and aging infrastructure, impacting people’s access to water the world over. By leveraging technology, we can provide cost-effective solutions to these pressing issues.
Through Xylem Innovation Labs, my aim is to unite VC funds, start-ups, customers, and other stakeholders to empower the development and commercialization of cutting-edge technologies. By fostering these collaborations, we can accelerate innovations that contribute to a more water-secure world for everyone.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
This is easy — Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo. I read her autobiography a couple of years ago when a member of my team recommended it and I’ve been a huge admirer ever since. She founded Pepsi’s transformative “Performance with Purpose” initiative to drive business performance through sustainability in the early days of global companies beginning to focus on societal and environmental impact. To meet her would be an honor …
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Sivan Zamir Of Xylem On Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman Founder was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.