Containerized Water Systems

Pitch Deck

Team Rehydrate didn’t come out of a science lab—they came out of law school, the Kennedy School, and a deep concern that the U.S. military is dangerously over-leveraged on one of the most basic human requirements: water. Transporting potable water to remote or contested environments has long been one of DoD’s heaviest logistical burdens. But what if clean water could be produced on-site from existing waste streams—without requiring massive energy inputs or expensive filtration systems?

That’s what Rehydrate set out to answer. Their mission: design and deploy a containerized water system that runs on low-grade waste heat or electricity, enabling point-of-need water generation at the tactical edge. The goal was clear—reduce reliance on convoys, eliminate infrastructure dependencies, and enable operational continuity in a world increasingly shaped by resource competition.

What Was at Stake 

In forward operations, water isn’t just a consumable—it’s a liability. Every gallon shipped is a vehicle on the road, a fuel demand, and a target. And as climate instability spreads, humanitarian and military deployments are increasingly defined by their ability to operate in water-stressed environments. Current solutions—reverse osmosis, desalination—are energy-intensive, fragile, and often impractical outside fixed bases.

Rehydrate’s solution had to be different. It had to work in remote outposts, mobile operations, and places where infrastructure doesn’t exist. Their system had to be compact, rugged, and capable of producing high-purity water from brackish or industrial wastewater using energy sources already available on site.

Bridging National Security and Industrial Demand 

The team secured CMP Innovation Fund support to help develop and test their membrane distillation system, built specifically to operate at ~80°C—an energy band largely untapped by existing systems. That’s a breakthrough: it means the system can run on ambient waste heat or modest electricity, opening new deployment models across defense, disaster relief, and commercial use.

But Rehydrate didn’t stop at defense. They identified use cases in semiconductors, data centers, and pharmaceuticals—industries under pressure to reduce water use and improve sustainability under ESG mandates. One of the team’s biggest insights: defense and industry share the same pain point—clean water, off-grid, at scale.

With $100K in early-stage capital already raised, and backing from high-profile accelerators, the team has real traction. Their CTO is a globally recognized water-tech expert. And their roadmap is ambitious: complete their second-generation build, scale production, and close a $4.2M seed round.

Operators of Another Kind 

• Jake Sortor, a Harvard Law student with prior defense sector experience, led strategy and partner engagement. 

• John Kan, from the Kennedy School, helped bridge the gap between public-sector procurement and private-sector implementation.

Together, they’ve navigated both dual-use product development and early-stage startup milestones.

The team’s understanding of water logistics, systems-level integration, and energy markets positioned them as credible founders in both national security and industrial sustainability ecosystems.

Next Moves and Lasting Impact 

Rehydrate’s next six months are focused on securing a commercial pilot partner and proving field-grade reliability under operational conditions. With momentum building and the national security water footprint under greater scrutiny, Rehydrate is positioned to become a foundational solution provider in the DoD’s climate and resilience strategy.