In recent weeks, awareness has grown that water is becoming both a major challenge for data center developers and a major opportunity for water technology companies—suggesting the water theme could emerge as a derivative play on AI and further boost our portfolio performance (up 18% YTD, largely outperforming all water funds/ETFs). A clear example came…
Ecolab has announced plans to acquire Ovivo’s electronics division for $1.8 billion, a strategic move designed to bolster its position in the fast-growing semiconductor water technology market. The transaction will create a robust, integrated platform capable of delivering advanced circular water management solutions to microelectronics manufacturers—helping them significantly reduce freshwater usage while maintaining high output…
Synapse Invest was founded in 2019 with the mission of offering a diverse range of thematic investment products centered around innovation. Our journey began with the launch of our first Actively Managed Certificates (AMCs) in the closing weeks of 2019, and we are now proud to celebrate more than five years of consistent growth and…
There has been a lot of talk lately about the implications of surging AI usage. While the focus has been on electric power consumption, the water intensity of data centers should also emerge as a major challenge going forward. Indeed, AI is catalyzing a shift towards power-hungry “monster chips” that are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain…
If the narrative about water scarcity mainly focuses about the impact of shortages on our daily lives and key industries (agriculture, beverages…), a new kind of consumers is also affected and will have to treat and reuse increasing amounts of water: semiconductor companies and, more globally, the data center industry. Silicon wafers undergo multiple steps…
Since their development by Dupont in the 1930s and subsequent widespread manufacturing by 3M in the 1950s, Polyfluroalkyl substances (PFAS) – commonly known as forever chemicals – have raised significant concerns due to the alarming consequences associated with the accumulation of these chemicals in the human body. Notably, exposure to specific PFAS compounds has been…
Water scarcity is a growing concern in today’s world, with more than 3 billion people around the planet already living in water-stressed countries. Moreover, as the global population continues to expand and urbanization accelerates, the demand for clean water is rising rapidly. Consequently, the need for innovative water technologies is becoming more urgent than ever,…
Contrary to many innovative industries, water technology companies have been largely absent from the M&A scene in the last couple of years. This is quite surprising given that water technology represents, in our view, an attractive fit for industrial and testing/diagnostics companies seeking to find new avenues of growth and, potentially, to reduce their revenue…
As federal funding to modernize the US water infrastructure is gradually being rolled out and as extreme droughts hit most parts of the world last summer, water companies’ Q3 earnings were mostly overwhelming against a tough macro backdrop, a clear reminder that water is a secular theme will little macro sensitivity. On the infrastructure side…
If California has been a driving force behind the rise of clean energies and adoption of electric vehicles, it could soon take on the same role in the blue revolution. Governor Gavin Newsom recently released a plan called “California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” aimed at improving water supply amid…