MudWatt – Powerful Mud!

No, I would not invest in this venture because the usefulness of this product is very limited. As an EVA, I would invest in products that have a lot of educational value. Other than teaching students how to make a battery with microbes, and what factors increase microbial activity, what else can it do? The founders identify the pain point that students learn science from labs that already have prescribed outcomes or by reading a textbook, which is boring and does not let students experience true, hands on science. However, their product is not a solution to this problem. How do we suppose students will learn about these electricity producing microbes if not from a textbook? Other than filling a cup with mud, what else can students do to engage with this product? As an EVA for these West Vancouver school board, I am looking for products that are affordable for my district. Our schools are already equipped with materials to build a mud battery; we have beakers, soil, and circuitry materials. Why would we spend money on something that we can already build ourselves? I would rather spend the money on the numerous other toys out there that provide real, hands on learning. Due to the lack of Mudwatt's marketability and educational value, and much better products out there in the market, I would absolutely not invest in this venture.

No, I would not invest in this venture. Although the founders address the problems of climate change, sustainability, and energy security, offering this product as a way of preparing students to one day solve these problems seems a bit farfetched. The concept of MuddWatt is very unique and differentiates it from many of the other scientific skills development toys and products, but I worry that the messiness of mud and the connotations associated with bacteria (using microbes consistently may be better) may dissuade general consumers from wanting this product in their homes. Apart from obtaining and feeding the mud, this seems like a passive experience for kids since they have to wait a few days to generate enough electricity just to power an LED light and even longer to do anything more substantial. The founders Keegan and Kevin are engaging and seem genuinely excited about the possibilities of mud, but I worry that the venture’s specific focus on mud limits its future product potential and markets. The founders’ backgrounds in scientific research and product design add credibility to the venture, but an asking price of $48.00 US could make the product inaccessible to a larger market and suggests more market research is needed.

No, I would not invest in this venture. As a parent myself, I could not justify spending $40 on something that we can easily make from scratch or learn from a potato clock kit. I do not think the app adds much educational value either; children can benefit more by manually analyzing than letting the app track how much power the battery is producing. I agree with the founders that all students have potential to become brilliant scientists and engineers, but there are other great STEM technologies that enable kids to reach this potential. In addition, sometimes kids can learn more by making things themselves than by letting technology do most of the creative and scientific thinking.

The pitch for MudWatt is longer than your standard elevator pitch, but I found the information they provide necessary for making their case, intriguing me to invest in mud! Pain Point: 1) Global warming and energy security. 2) Limitations of mundane “textbook” scientific experimentation in schools, impeding the development of creative problem solving. Solution: Educating the next generation through innovative problem solving with the hands on MudWatt learning kit, producing “green” energy through resources we have in our backyard – mud (and the choice of other green fuel, like ketchup!). Differentiation and Competition: There are solar energy kits out there for kids, but I didn’t find any other kits that produce “clean energy” from mud, so if you’re looking to get muddy, this is it! Marketing: They showed the product in action at a local school; thereby demonstrating the larger potential market, but they also show how this can be used as a project at home as well. It is presented as realistic and feasible with growth potential. While the kit can stand alone offering a formative learning experience for children of all socio-economic backgrounds, the kit can be paired with an app to provide additional in-depth learning, including a comic book format. While wearing my MEVA hat (M=mom), I couldn’t help thinking that it would make for a great birthday present for nieces/nephews and my kids’ friends that are “science geeks”. And as an educator I keep thinking that we need to find ways to make the learning provided in the app accessible to all. CEO & Team and Championship: The entrepreneurs share their background and present themselves as having the right credentials, and through their merger, as knowledgeable in science, product design and engineering, and teaching. The dynamic between them instills a sense of trust in the viability of their partnership, collaboration and potential success of the venture. Exit Strategy: They have a vision as to where they are headed – creating a curriculum and upgrading the actual product so that even the packaging would be environmentally friendly and contribute educationally to the objective of creating green energy. Venture Concept: They tell a personal story with humor. Their passion and excitement are contagious. They make me want to become part of the story by culminating with the message that this project can contribute to making a better future.

The pitch for MudWatt is longer than your standard elevator pitch, but I found the information they provide necessary to build their case and intrigue me to invest in mud! The Pain Point: 1) Global warming and energy security. 2) Limitations of mundane “textbook” scientific experimentation in schools, impeding the development of creative problem solving. Solution: Educating the next generation through innovative problem solving with the hands on MudWatt learning kit, producing “green” energy through resources we have in our backyard – mud (and the choice of other green fuel, like ketchup!). Differentiation and Competition: There are solar energy kits out there for kids, but I didn’t find any other kits that produce “clean energy” from mud, so if you’re looking to get muddy, this is it! Marketing: They showed the product in action at a local school; thereby demonstrating the larger potential market, but they also show how this can be used as a project at home as well. It is presented as realistic and feasible with growth potential. While the kit can stand alone offering a formative learning experience for children of all socio-economic backgrounds, the kit can be paired with an app to provide additional in-depth learning, including a comic book format. While wearing my MEVA hat (M=mom), I couldn’t help thinking that it would make for a great birthday present for nieces/nephews and my kids’ friends that are “science geeks”. And as an educator I keep thinking that we need to find ways to make the learning provided in the app accessible to all. CEO & Team and Championship: The entrepreneurs share their background and present themselves as having the right credentialss. Tofether as a team, they are knowledgeable in science, product design and engineering, and teaching. The positive dynamic between them instills a sense of trust in the viability of their partnership, collaboration and potential success of the venture. Exit Strategy: They have a vision as to where they are headed – creating a curriculum and upgrading the actual product so that even the packaging would be environmentally friendly and contribute educationally to the objective of creating green energy. Venture Concept and Investor Affinity: They tell a personal story with humor. Their passion and excitement are contagious. They make me want to become part of the story by culminating with the message that this project can contribute to making a better future.