About Us

Echo River Capital invests globally in early stage water technology companies to Digitize, Decarbonize and Decentralize the water cycle — the “Three D's of water tech.” Our vision for the future is living in freshwater harmony with nature, made easier through technology. Echo River is among the few investors with a narrow specialty in smart water technology solving global water challenges for human health, environment, and climate resilience. We admire and seek LPs who can actively participate in the Echo River Capital community of diverse founders, share our values, and work towards an enduring water future.

Peter Yolles, General Partner

Echo River's General Partner, Peter Yolles, is a groundbreaking water industry innovator, and a seasoned, successful entrepreneur at WaterSmart Software (acquired by Vertex One in 2020). WaterSmart now serves over 200 water utility customers reaching 20 million people to improve water efficiency with data analytics, billing and customer communications. After guiding WaterSmart from founding to exit, Peter authored the CREO Syndicate report on impact investment strategies in water. Previously, he invested at GE Capital, advocated for state and federal water policies with the Environmental Defense Fund, managed river restoration and water rights for The Nature Conservancy, and closed water trades between farms and cities. He earned a joint MBA in finance from Yale School of Management and MES in water science, management and policy from Yale School of the Environment. His BA in political science is from University of Colorado at Boulder. Peter is viewed as a strategic investor, advisor and partner to founders seeking his deep domain and operational expertise. He lives in Marin County, California, ancestral home of the Coast Miwok people.

Peter Yolles
General Partner
Echo River Capital

Recommendations

"Peter takes a focused, deep dive into all aspects of the business, developing a clear understanding of how it works, and then shares experienced-based insightful ideas on how to improve. His perspective looking from the outside in is invaluable."

Jean-Pierre Joly,

CEO & Founder

Waterworth

Sustainable
Impact

Echo River Capital invests only in companies that generate significant water-related benefits to the environment,
human health and/or climate resilience. Many of the goals of United Nations SDG 6 are addressed through the
investment thesis. Many companies are vetted by impact-focused accelerators and incubators such as Elemental
Excelerator, Imagine H2O or TechStars Sustainability. Echo River asks each company to report annually on
quantitative metrics that validate their impact progress. Echo River will collectively report on the impacts of these
companies to Limited Partners, stakeholders and to the public.

ERC Investment Criteria

Echo River seeks to deliver market-rate, non-concessionary returns. Extraordinary care is taken to ensure that
companies operate in a large, deep market; understand drivers of profitability and unit economics; and have
demonstrated proven, validated technology.

Echo River seeks to deliver market-rate, non-concessionary returns.

Alignment with Mission, Purpose and Values

Echo River believes that culture, meaning and purpose arises from composition of the people operating together.
We take care in selecting people on our team who share our values; who believe in our mission; and represent the
community in which we serve as capital providers and advisors. We take our role serious, while also finding the
joy and love in the relationships that naturally develop by working together on long-term, challenging goals.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is an inherent part of how we operate. We seek to include a range of diverse voices
across all our communities including founding teams, Limited Partners, Limited Partner Advisory Committee, and
Investment Committee. Echo River views its role beyond the portfolio, and we strive to support diverse, emerging
founders before investment; to identify potential benefits to, and actively bring in voices from under-represented,
indigenous, and emerging market communities.
Investment

Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6): Clean Water and Sanitation

Echo River Capital invests in companies that generate significant water-related benefits to the environment, human health and/or climate resilience. Many of the goals of United Nations SDG 6 are considered and addressed through the investment thesis. Many companies are vetted by impact-focused accelerators and incubators such as Elemental Excelerator, and Imagine H2O. Echo River asks each company to report annually on quantitative metrics that validate their customized impact progress. Echo River will collectively report on the impacts of these companies to Limited Partners, stakeholders and to the public.

Investment Criteria

Echo River seeks to deliver market-rate, non-concessionary returns: We prefer to partner with diverse teams that demonstrate founder-market fit, perseverance and prior success. Extraordinary care is taken to ensure that companies operate in a large, deep market; understand drivers of profitability and unit economics; and have demonstrated proven, validated technology.

Tackling a big problem
in water-related
climate resilience.

Technology that
digitizes, decentralizes
or decarbonizes water

Understanding of
how and what impact
to report annually

Shows early traction with
2-3 customers and $10K monthly recurring revenue

Alignment with Mission, Purpose and Values

In addition to targeting market-rate returns, Echo River is committed to the importance of “how” returns are created by, first, investing only in companies that have the intention, ability and know-how to deliver and measure on impact in the environment, human health and climate resilience.

Echo River believes that culture, meaning and purpose arises from composition of the people operating together: towards a common goal. We take care in selecting people on our team who share our values; who believe in our mission; and represent the community in which we serve as capital providers and advisors. We take our role seriously, while also finding joy and love in the relationships that naturally develop by working together on challenging goals.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is an inherent part of how we operate. We seek to include a range of diverse voices across all our communities including founding teams, Limited Partners, Limited Partner Advisory Committee, and Investment Committee. Echo River views its role beyond the portfolio, and we strive to support diverse, emerging founders before investment; to identify potential benefits to, and actively bring in voices from under-represented, indigenous, and emerging market communities.

SDG

Emerging
Tech

Investment Thesis

Massive water-related effects of climate change tipping points are being breached with deeper droughts and intensifying deluges. In order to address and manage these risks, Echo River Capital is focused on emerging technologies to digitize, decarbonize and decentralize the water cycle to improve human health, restore aquatic ecosystems and strengthen climate resilience. Solving and adapting to climate change is the biggest investment opportunity of our lifetime.

Land Acknowledgement

Echo River Capital acknowledges that we are located on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people of present-day Marin and southern Sonoma counties. We honor with gratitude the land itself, its flowing waters, and all of its ancestors and stewards: past, present, and emerging.. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude as guests and to thank the original and current stewards of this land.As we travel beyond Coast Miwok and Washoe territories, we are committed to acknowledging the First Peoples of every community we visit.