Global Water First Pitch Deck (2021): 20-Slide Seed Deck

See all 20 slides of the Global Water First pitch deck — a 2021 deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

Global Water First (GWF) positions itself as a solution to the $118B annual funding gap in global water access by utilizing a decentralized, revenue-generating enterprise model rather than traditional philanthropy. The deck focuses on the 'Small Water Enterprise' (SWE), where GWF provides equipment via a 5-year lease to local operators. The model is highly detailed, providing per-liter unit economics ($0.09/liter sales price) and a clear transition from water services in Phase 1 to power and internet hubs in Phase 2. While the deck excels at operational transparency and impact forecasting—pro…

Key takeaways

Executive Summary: The Infrastructure-as-a-Service Approach to Social Impact

Global Water First (GWF) presents a compelling hybrid model that sits at the intersection of infrastructure development and social entrepreneurship. The deck, dated late 2021, argues that traditional philanthropy and NGO models are failing to scale due to a lack of operational and financial sustainability. Their solution is the Small Water Enterprise (SWE), a decentralized, locally-operated utility model that provides clean water, and eventually power and internet, to underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.

Slide 1: Title and Mission

The cover slide introduces Global Water First with a clear, descriptive subtitle: "Reducing generational poverty and health risks with sustainable, decentralized enterprises providing clean water, internet and nano-grid power services." The visual identity is established with a water-themed world map and the tagline "Investing in Self-Reliance," which signals to investors that this is a market-based solution rather than a charity.

Slide 3: Defining the $118B Problem

The problem slide uses data from the WHO, UNICEF, and the World Bank to frame the crisis. It notes that 1 out of 3 people globally lack access to clean water and highlights that nearly 40% of hand pump wells in Sub-Saharan Africa are non-functioning. Crucially, it identifies an "estimated $118B annual funding gap" to reach UN Sustainable Development Goal 6.1. By quantifying the gap, GWF justifies the need for a new, revenue-driven model that can attract private capital.

Slide 5: The Small Water Enterprise (SWE) Business Model

This is the most critical slide in the deck, detailing the "Phase 1" operational flow. GWF supplies and installs equipment under a 5-year lease. The revenue split is clearly visualized in a pie chart: 66% of income stays in the community (33% OpEx, 22% SWE Profit, 11% Local Partner), while 34% goes to GWF. The slide specifies that GWF debits $0.04/liter for the first three years, dropping to $0.03/liter thereafter. This level of granularity in unit economics is rare in early-stage decks and provides significant comfort regarding the project's viability.

Slide 7: SWE Business and Operations Overview

GWF provides a full Pro Forma Income Statement for a single SWE unit. Based on 50% system capacity (10,000 liters per day), the enterprise generates a monthly net income (EBIDTA) of $0.295 per liter, resulting in an annualized income of $46,020. After three years, as debt costs decrease, this rises to $77,220. The slide also includes a process matrix covering everything from "Bottle Cleaning" to "Data Collection," showing a well-thought-out operational plan.

Slide 9: Phase 2 Expansion - Nanogrids and Internet

The deck looks beyond water to total utility provision. Phase 2 involves installing "Smart Nanogrids" and internet services. A 3D architectural render shows a "Smart Water & Power Hub" connected to homes, schools, and business incubators. This expansion is intended to be funded by SWE profits and strategic partners, suggesting a long-term play to become a primary utility provider for rural regions.

Slide 11: Traction and Global Footprint

Traction is demonstrated through specific geographic milestones. The deck claims two active installations in Juba, South Sudan (August 2021) and Kabojja, Uganda (September 2021). It also details a partnership with Humanity Helping Sudan and the launch of "734 Water." The mention of an "enterprise in a box" shipping to Ethiopia in November 2021 shows a standardized, scalable deployment strategy.

Slide 13: Competitive Landscape

GWF categorizes competitors into four groups: NGO-supported kiosks, major bottled water providers (Pepsi, Coke, etc.), locally-treated bulk water, and free but unsafe local sources. Their stated advantage is providing water at "1/3 to 1/2 the cost of competitive, safe bottled water" while exceeding US EPA standards with 99.999% purity.

Slide 15: The Advisors

Interestingly, the deck lacks a management slide, opting instead for a list of seven high-profile advisors. These include Thomas Deng Mahmoud Schumann (Water Security expert), Jack Barker (inventor of the SunSpring technology used by GWF), and Manyang Kher (a former "Lost Boy" of Sudan and social entrepreneur). While the advisors are impressive, the absence of the core execution team—CEO, COO, CTO—is a notable omission that investors would likely flag.

Slide 17: The Ask and Use of Funds

The financial request is explicit: a $2 million Seed round via a SAFE, followed by a $7 million Series A at month 18. The use of funds for Year 1 is dominated by CapEx (38%) and Salaries/Benefits (18%). By Years 2 and 3, CapEx increases to 54%, indicating a shift from building the organization to deploying hardware. The milestones are clear: 6 SWE installs by month 12 and profitability by month 35.

Slide 19: Impact Forecasting

The final content slide quantifies the social return on investment. GWF projects scaling from 30,000 people served in Year 1 to 8,120,000 people by Year 5. Similarly, they forecast job creation growing from 48 to nearly 13,000 employees. These figures are massive and serve to appeal to impact-focused investors.

What Global Water First Does Well

The deck's greatest strength is its transparency regarding unit economics. By breaking down the cost per liter and the exact revenue share between the company and the local community, GWF moves the conversation from "doing good" to "running a business." The inclusion of a full Pro Forma for a single unit (Slide 7) allows investors to stress-test the assumptions immediately. Furthermore, the two-phase roadmap provides a clear path to increasing the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) by layering power and data services on top of the existing water infrastructure.

What is Missing from the Deck

The most glaring omission is the core management team. While the advisors are world-class, advisors do not run the day-to-day operations of a startup. Investors need to know who is responsible for the logistics of shipping containers to Ethiopia or managing the weekly debits from local operators. Additionally, there is very little information on the "IoT gateway" mentioned in Slide 5. For a decentralized model to work at the scale of 8 million people, the software layer for monitoring and payments is as important as the water filters, yet it receives minimal attention here.

Founder's Takeaway: Copy the Unit Economic Clarity

Founders building in the social impact or hardware space should study Slide 5 and Slide 7. Many impact decks fail because they are too vague about how the money actually moves. GWF avoids this by showing exactly how a $0.09 liter of water is divided. This level of detail transforms a "charitable idea" into an "investable infrastructure project." However, founders should ensure they don't hide their core team behind an advisor slide; investors back people, not just boards of directors.

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary revenue model for Global Water First?
GWF operates a lease-to-own model for Small Water Enterprises (SWEs). They install purification equipment and provide training under a 5-year lease. Revenue is generated through a weekly debit of $0.04 per liter produced for the first three years, which drops to $0.03 per liter in perpetuity thereafter. The local operator retains the remainder of the $0.09 per liter sales price to cover OpEx and profit.
How does the company plan to scale beyond water services?
The deck outlines a 'Phase 2' starting in Year 3 or later. Using profits from SWE operations and strategic partnerships, GWF intends to install decentralized Smart Nanogrids and internet services. This transforms the water kiosks into 'Water & Power Hubs' that can provide electricity to homes, schools, and business incubators.
What specific traction has Global Water First achieved?
As of late 2021, GWF had two active installations: one in Juba, South Sudan, and another in Kabojja, Uganda. They also detailed an 'enterprise in a box' configuration for Ethiopia, designed to fit into a 40-foot shipping container, with additional systems planned for Liberia, Guatemala, and Brazil for 2022.
What are the financial requirements and milestones for the current round?
GWF is raising a $2 million Seed round using a Y Combinator SAFE form. The primary milestones for this capital are to complete 6 SWE installations by month 12 and reach revenue generation by month 9. This is intended to lead into a $7 million Series A round at month 18.
Who is leading the company according to the deck?
The deck does not include a standard 'Founders' or 'Management Team' slide. Instead, it features an 'Advisors' slide with seven individuals, including water security experts, engineers, and social impact entrepreneurs. Notable figures include Jack Barker, inventor of the SunSpring purification system, and Manyang Kher, founder of 734 Coffee.
Cover slide of the Global Water First pitch deck — Seed 2021
Global Water First pitch deck, slide 1 (2021)

Global Water First pitch deck: the facts

Company
Global Water First
Year
2021
Stage
Seed
Slides
20
Sector
Infrastructure / Social Impact
Deck type
Investor Deck
Headquarters
United States (based on advisor locations and US EPA references)

Global Water First pitch deck PDF

The full Global Water First deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the Global Water First pitch deck was used for

This is a 20‑slide seed‑stage investor pitch deck from 2021 for Global Water First, a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation building decentralized infrastructure to deliver clean water, nano‑grid power, and internet services to underserved communities. The deck’s Phase 1 focuses on “Clean Water First” via Small Water Enterprises (SWEs) — community‑run water purification and bottling plants with defined unit economics and a commercial leasing model for institutional customers. It was used to raise early capital for scaling SWE installations in countries including South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia, and to support a multi‑phase roadmap that later expanded under the Global Water First brand as described on the company’s website and partner profiles.

Business model: Global Water First (GWF) is a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation that installs and oversees water purification and bottling enterprises in underserved communities, partnering with local municipalities and groups who operate the centers to provide clean drinking water at below-market prices. GWF focuses on decentralized, sustainable infrastructure delivering clean water and related services in bot

Founded
2019
Headquarters
United States (exact city not disclosed in available sources).
Industry
Water infrastructure / Beverages (clean drinking water provider).

Round: Debt financing (general debt deals) at a revenue‑generating stage; the 2021 deck itself was framed as a seed‑stage raise, but no public equity round details are disclosed.[deck]

Year: 2023 for at least one reported debt deal (December 31, 2023), with cumulative funding reported as of 2025.

Raised: $354,000 in total debt financing reported across multiple general debt deals; no publicly verified equity seed round amount was found.

Total funding: $354,000 in total debt financing raised as of the latest PitchBook profile update.

What happened after the Global Water First deck

Since the 2021 seed deck, Global Water First has continued operating as a private Delaware Public Benefit Corporation focused on decentralized water purification and bottling enterprises, securing multiple rounds of debt financing totaling around $354,000 and being described as revenue‑generating in recent private market data.

What the Global Water First deck got right

What could have been stronger

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

Risks that stand out

Questions this deck invites

What founders can take from the Global Water First deck

Global Water First pitch deck: common questions

What does Global Water First do?

Global Water First is a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation that installs and oversees decentralized water purification and bottling enterprises, partnering with local municipalities and community groups to operate them and provide clean drinking water at below‑market prices.

When was Global Water First founded and what stage was it at during this deck?

According to PitchBook, Global Water First was founded in 2019. The 2021 seed deck describes a Phase 1 focus on Small Water Enterprises (SWEs) and references planned installations in South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia, indicating that by 2021 the company had progressed to planning or executing field deployments.

What is the Small Water Enterprise (SWE) model presented in the deck?

The deck describes a Phase 1 “Clean Water First” model built around Small Water Enterprises (SWEs), which are local, for‑profit water purification and bottling plants staffed, operated, and partially owned by community members, selling 20‑liter bottles (around 500 per day) at below‑market prices, with cashless payments and a share of income retained in the community.[deck] This is complemented by a commercial leasing model in which GWF installs purification systems in facilities like hospitals and hotels under 5‑year non‑cancellable leases.[deck]

Does Global Water First only focus on water, or also energy and internet?

The deck states that GWF will start with water (Phase 1) and later expand to decentralized power and internet services, positioning SWEs as a first step toward broader nano‑grid power and connectivity infrastructure for underserved regions.[deck] The company’s website similarly emphasizes helping underserved communities attain self‑reliance through water purification and bottling enterprises as the foundation for broader self‑reliance.

How much did Global Water First raise in the seed round associated with this deck?

The 2021 deck describes this as a seed‑stage raise; however, no public disclosures were found specifying the exact seed amount, valuation, or named investors.[deck] PitchBook reports that GWF has raised approximately $354,000 in total debt financing, including at least one general debt deal dated December 31, 2023, but does not list a labeled seed equity round or investor names.

Sources

Funding and outcome facts on this page were researched on 2026-08-22 from the pages below.

Global Water First pitch deck slides

Global Water First pitch deck slide 1 of 20
Global Water First pitch deck — slide 1 of 20
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Global Water First pitch deck — slide 2 of 20
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Global Water First pitch deck — slide 3 of 20
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Global Water First pitch deck — slide 4 of 20
Global Water First pitch deck slide 5 of 20
Global Water First pitch deck — slide 5 of 20
Global Water First pitch deck slide 6 of 20
Global Water First pitch deck — slide 6 of 20

What each slide of the Global Water First pitch deck says

Slide 1

Global Water First Reducing generational poverty and health risks with sustainable, decentralized enterprises providing clean water, internet and nano-grid power services GLOBAL [ MEBAWATER investing in seif-Refionce. WOFIRST

Slide 2

' Company Overview b Clobal Water First (GWF) is a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to helping communities in the developing world attain self-reliance. We will achieve this through our long-term vision of creating localized sustainable water, energy and internet services. 4 GWF directly impacts three of the Un's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which provide a foundation for progress in the full slate of 17 goals. v Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy o Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all @ Siitomen GLIALS 4 GWF will impro…

Slide 3

[') The Problem 4 People suffer from lack of clean water. Globally, 1 out of 3 people lack access to clean water. 4 Accessibility to clean water is a prerequisite to education, economic development, and health. 4 Poor water supply disproportionately impacts women and girls, who traditionally collect water and care for family member stricken by water-borne diseases. 4 Conventional philanthropy-funded and NGO-executed models fail to deliver sustainable solutions at scale.2 Poor results are driven by insufficient attention given to the financial and operational management of water systems. 4 Current efforts to achieve SDG 6.1 by 2030 are unlikely to succeed, due (in part) to an estimated $118B…

Slide 4

' The Solution 4 GWF disrupts the current philanthropic model that has inadvertently perpetuated the cycle of poverty. With a for-profit model, GWF puts investors dollars to work building sustainable enterprises that break the cycle of dependence on donor dollars. 4 GWF will provide access to decentralized clean water, power, and internet infrastructure and services at scale to the developing world under a sustainable business model that encourages self-reliance and ongoing economic benefit to communities. 4 Phase 1: Start with Water First GWF has developed a sustainable model for installation and operation of for-profit, water purification plants called Small Water Enterprises (SWEs). The…

Slide 5

' Busi'ness Model Clean Water First (Phase 1): The Small Water Enterprise (SWE) Model Clean Water Plant Production Distribution Water Sales at $0.09/liter Cashless Payments Water Sales Income Distribution (Installed by GWF. Staffed, operated and owned (20 liter bottles, x500/day!) (customer convenience!) (below market rate for bottle water!) (debit prepaid accounts) (6% stays in community!) by community members) w» GWF Income: Botting w—— LRI 4100K /year L B » Lhwl <;:\I murw 2% per SWE installed ome deliveries - Y SWE income: ." - . $200K /year sunspring New Borehole Remote distribution 4 center deliveries 4 GWF will supply and install all necessary equipment for the operation of a robust…

Slide 6

Unit Economic Model for a Small Water Enterprise (SWE): + Total Installation Cost: $57,000 (average configuration and onetime costs paid by GWF) Includes equipment, well if nesded, instalation, shipping, dutes, taxes) * Ongoing SWE support, GWF OH, G&A: $10,000 (ongoing annual cost fo remote management and local support of SWE plus GWF OH, G8A allocation after startup period) Expenses Year0 Year! Year2 Year3 Yard Year5 Year6 Year7 Years Yeard Year10 One Time Installation Cost, CAPEX & Services $57,000 Annualized ongoing support, monitoring, GWF OH 8 G&A 10000 $10,000 $10,000 $10000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10000 $10000 §10000 $10,000 Total expense per installation $67,000 $10,000 $10000 §$1…

Slide 8

' Business Model Clean Water First (Phase 1): Commercial Model GWF will provide water purification technology to hospitals, hotels, condominium towers, shopping malls and government buildings so that they can provide safe water at all sinks, showers, kitchens and other vital points. These whole-facility commercial installations will be made possmle with an affordable lease agreement between GWF and the facility owners. Typical lease terms are as follows: 4 5-year non-cancellable lease. 4 First and last months lease payment due at signing of lease via check. 4 Monthly lease payments to be paid via ACH to bank designated by GWF. 4 Upon cancellation of Lease, GWF will arrange the removal of th…

Slide 12

' Go to Market Strategy 4 GWF has developed a robust installation site selection plan based on a set of criteria designed for maximum impact and commercial success. 4 GWF will engage with local communities in need and partner with local organizations for final selection and commercial agreement for SWE installation. 4 GWF will leverage existing relationships with equipment suppliers and construction services providers in targeted installation locations. 4 Country regional directors and managers help with site selection, manage installation and perform service as needed. 4 Year 1 will include a total of 6 clean water installations in South Sudan, Uganda and Ethiopia. GLOBAL {i""fifi'{g? RN ey…

Slide text above is read directly from the Global Water First deck PDF embedded on this page.

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