NSF Convergence Accelerator — Reverse Site Visit Agenda
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U.S. National Science Foundation
Convergence Accelerator 2023 Cohort
Phase 2, Year 1 Reverse Site Visit

Measuring and Mitigating Land Management Impacts on In-Stream Water Quality with Sensor-Informed Data Fusion and Community-Led, Climate-Financed Riparian Restoration

April 14, 2026 — 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET
Track: Future Water Systems  |  Award: 24C0011  |  PI: Evan Thomas
Virridy

Virridy develops an integrated convergence framework combining continuous environmental sensing (the Lume platform), machine learning analytics, carbon-finance mechanisms, and regulatory co-design to accelerate adoption of nature-based watershed solutions. The project operates across nine countries with programs spanning drinking water treatment, precision irrigation, and watershed restoration. The Lume sensor—the first single-unit fluorimetric sensor for continuous microbial water quality monitoring using Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) technology—provides real-time E. coli risk estimation with 75%+ accuracy and >94% categorical accuracy with site calibration. Carbon credits are generated under Gold Standard, Verra VCS, and Regen Registry methodologies, with approximately $17M minimum (with upside sharing and option agreements) in credit sales contracts executed, 78,103 tCO2e verified credits to date, and projections of over 680,000 credits annually by 2030.

Time (ET)Presentation TopicPresenter(s)
10:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Introductions
 Program Director
10:15 – 10:30 a.m.
I. Overview
  • Project vision and convergence approach
  • Three integrated components: sensing, carbon finance, policy
  • Intellectual merit: SiPM detector advantage (12,000x responsivity over photodiode competitors), sensor validation results, life-cycle accounting frameworks
  • Team composition and multi-sector partnership network
 Evan Thomas
(PI / CEO)
10:30 – 10:45 a.m.
Q&A
 Panel
10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
II. Project Accomplishments & Plan for Year 2
  • Sensing: 200 Lume v1.2 units produced, 60 contracted; 500+ field validations, ML models (>90% balanced accuracy on Seine), global E. coli dataset (10M+ observations), submitted manuscript
  • Carbon finance: $17M minimum contracts (with upside sharing and option agreements), 78,103 tCO2e verified credits to date (Rwanda 41,576, Kenya 12,384, Wisconsin 24,143 per Johnson et al.), Water Mission Tanzania ~100K credits (purchased credits + developing/managing future credits), VM0042 Turkey/Mexico expansion, $557K Lume revenue 2026 YTD, $3M forecast carbon revenue 2026
  • Policy: SB24-037 enacted in Colorado, CDPHE 3-year pilot framework approved, national WQT comparative analysis (95%)
  • Deployments: Suez/Paris, BGS/Thames, EPA/SDSU Imperial Beach, NASA/MRC Indian River Lagoon, Current/Chicago, Charles River/Boston, Bow River/Banff, MWA/Kenya, Amazi Meza/Rwanda, City of Boulder (paying customer), Denver Water, City of Denver; USAF procurement (1–2 Lume v1.2); Veralto strategic partnership under negotiation
  • Competitive: Only direct competitor Proteus ($30K sonde, larger, lower performance, $561K revenue) displaced on H2NOW Chicago; market consolidation (In-Situ/Veralto $435M, Chelsea/Kraken $615M); Geospace Technologies $20M verbal acquisition offer
  • Year 2: Scale to 10,000+ hectares, move pilots from concept to motion, complete USAF modifications, close $20M fund ($12M verbal commitments, led by Bridges Outcomes Partnerships)
 Evan Thomas
Danny Wilson
(CTO)
Alex Johnson
(CSO)
11:30 – 11:50 a.m.
Q&A
 Panel
11:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Break
12:05 – 12:30 p.m.
III. Broader Impacts
  • Public health: 29–49% diarrhea reduction (peer-reviewed RCTs), 5.6x cost-benefit ratio
  • Global reach: 9 countries, 300K+ children in Rwanda schools, 3M+ students in Kenya, $35M USAID DRIP initiative (repair time 214 → 26 days)
  • Scientific infrastructure: 13 publications since 2023 (Nature Communications, Lancet, STOTEN, Water Research, ES&T Water), 4 patents + 5 pending, global E. coli database (10M+ observations)
  • Economic: 180x more data points at comparable cost vs. grab sampling; complements IDEXX Colilert ($201M market)
  • Cross-track: Daniel Yeh / NASA-KSC algae water treatment collaboration — Lume chlorophyll-a and TLF sensing for real-time treatment efficacy monitoring
 Evan Thomas
Laura MacDonald
(Int'l Carbon Programs)
12:30 – 12:45 p.m.
Q&A
 Panel
12:45 – 1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 – 1:20 p.m.
IV. Sustainability Plan
  • Dual revenue: Lume SaaS ($200/mo/site) + carbon credit generation and sales
  • Competitive moat: Only SiPM-based TLF sensor; replaced Proteus ($30K sonde, larger, lower performance) on H2NOW Chicago platform
  • Market: $5.7B → $9.1B by 2030 (8.1% CAGR); sector consolidation validates commercial value
  • Veralto partnership: Under negotiation with owner of In-Situ ($435M), Hach, and OTT HydroMet — potential global distribution channel
  • Blended capital: NSF + $8.5M equity + $17M minimum credit contracts + $20M fund in development with Total Impact Capital ($12M verbal, led by Bridges Outcomes Partnerships)
  • Revenue traction: $557K Lume revenue 2026 YTD (200 units produced, 60 contracted), $3M forecast carbon revenue 2026; Geospace Technologies $20M verbal acquisition offer
  • Self-reinforcing model: Policy frameworks → monitoring demand → carbon market financing → sustained scaling without grant dependence
 Evan Thomas
Alex Johnson
1:20 – 1:35 p.m.
Q&A
 Panel
1:35 – 1:40 p.m. Break
1:40 – 2:00 p.m.
V. Partner Testimonials
  • Sam Malloy — NSF ASCEND Engine: Lume deployment partnership and collaborative water quality monitoring
  • Christel Valentine — Veralto Corporation: Strategic partnership discussions and market alignment (In-Situ, Hach, OTT HydroMet)
  • John Simon — Total Impact Capital: $20M investment fund development and carbon-credit financing strategy
 Sam Malloy
Christel Valentine
John Simon