About Us
Our Mission
Add 1 Million AF (1.2 billion m³) of affordable, environmentally sustainable fresh water to the global supply within a decade. Our ambitious goal is to significantly increase the availability of fresh water worldwide, ensuring that this vital resource is both accessible and affordable for all.
Climate and Water
The climate challenge is a water challenge, and we can help address it by creating more fresh water. By generating additional sources of clean water, we combat the impacts of climate change and help create a more resilient environment.
Development
OceanWell provides a sustainable freshwater source for industry and agriculture, reducing reliance on traditional supplies. Its low-impact technology supports growth, strengthens water security, and encourages sustainable use in water-scarce regions.

Engineers, Water Experts, and Business Builders

Our core team merges a passion for ending water scarcity and pollution with over 85 years of seasoned experience in water, engineering, and innovation. Our engineers bring advanced technical skills, our water experts provide deep insights into water management, and our business builders drive strategic growth. Together, we are committed to creating sustainable solutions and ensuring clean, abundant water is accessible to all.

25-year veteran in the water industry, who founded Seven Seas Water, (“NYSE:Waas”) a $500m, 500-person, desalination company
recently sold by Morgan Stanley to EQT. Retired early. The water crisis and the fresh concept of deep-sea RO as the solution reactivated him to found OceanWell.

Robert Bergstrom
Chief Executive Officer

An Ex-Goldman Sachs Partner and financial engineer. He has held leadership positions in two fintech startups, including one unicorn. He now divides his time between Altis Partners, a commodities trading firm, and OceanWell. His financial expertise fuels his environmental passion.

An Ex-Goldman Sachs Partner and financial engineer. He has held leadership positions in two fintech startups, including one unicorn. He now divides his time between Altis Partners, a commodities trading firm, and OceanWell. His financial expertise fuels his environmental passion.

Charlie McGarraugh
Chairman & Lead investor

A multidisciplinary scientist and engineering professor. Left academia to lead the development of OceanWell, successfully transitioning it from theory to validated technology, driven by a strong commitment to environmental health and sustainable adaptation.

Michael Porter, PhD
Chief Technology Officer

Seasoned founder and startup leader who has led large technical teams in gaming, motorsport, and autonomous vehicles. He sold his last business in 2020 and joined OceanWell to scale the business and lead BD, operations and capital raising.

Jonathan Haswell
Chief Operating Officer

Formerly Executive Director at the Association of California Water Agencies and Deputy General Manager at Metropolitan Water District of Los Angeles. Tim is an economist and a Visiting Fellow at Stanford University who’s spent over 40 years of his career in water in California, bringing invaluable expertise to OceanWell.

Tim Quinn, PhD
Water Policy Strategist

Formerly a Subsea Projects Manager at Chevron specializing in subsea well intervention systems, he also worked as a design engineer at NOV and Baker Hughes. A Mechanical Engineer, he brings extensive offshore energy expertise to OceanWell.

Michael Gerdes, PE
Director of Engineering Operations

Mechanical engineer with 15 years’ experience in engineering, construction, and project management. Served six years as an engineering in the US Army and later as a project manager in the US Army Corps of Engineers, specializing in coastal planning.

Mark Golay, PE
Director of Engineering Projects

A London-based ex-investment banker with 8 years in corporate finance and 2 years at a hedge fund. He saw the transformative potential of OceanWell’s solution and joined full-time in 2022 to help accelerate its growth and impact.

Jamie Spotswood
Senior Director of Business Development

A longtime member of the environmental community and fierce advocate for environmental & social justice issues. She has been the long-time Chair of Sierra Club's Water Committee in California.

Charming P. Evelyn
Director of Outreach | Environment, Community & Tribal Affairs

A mechanical engineer looking to drive innovation with his decade of hands-on experience in mechanics, automation, and precision fabrication.

Jaden Gilliam
Project Engineer

Electrical engineer with over a decade of experience designing and integrating subsea inspection systems, ROV tooling, and control solutions. Specializes in non-destructive testing and automation for extreme environments, with a focus on sustainable subsea infrastructure and advanced sensing technologies.

Grant Richter
Electrical Engineer

Ocean technology innovator with many years of deep-ocean hardware development and deployment experience. Former CEO of an automated underwater habitat restoration company. Jon is passionate about minimizing ocean impacts while increasing fresh water production to meet humanity’s growing needs.

Jon Pompa
Senior Scientist

I am an environmental and utility professional committed to advancing sustainability, water conservation, and green technology. I focus on implementing smart, practical solutions that promote long-term environmental health and resilience.

Samantha Disch
Lead Research Associate

Advisory Board

Dr. Hoek is a UCLA professor specializing in nano-materials, membrane technology, and electro-chemistry for environmental applications. He is the Faculty Director of UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge and has founded several companies, including NanoH2O and Water Planet. He holds a Ph.D. from Yale, an M.S. from UCLA, and a B.S. from Penn State.

Eric M. V. Hoek
Adviser

Jay is a Global Futures Professor at Arizona State University and a hydrologist with extensive experience in water and climate change research. He is the former Executive Director of the Global Institute for Water Security and co-founded Waterplan. Jay has also worked with NASA and the California State Water Boards.

Jay Famiglietti
Advisor

Shaun is the President of Chargelab, a leading EV charger software company. He was previously CEO of New Lab and held senior roles at Waymo, Airbnb, and Expedia. Shaun has been instrumental in advancing technology and business development in the EV and autonomous vehicle sectors.

Shaun Stewart
Advisor

Torsten is an expert in ocean governance and sustainable blue finance, with over 20 years in finance and ocean research. He founded Global Ocean Trust and advises several international organizations. Torsten holds degrees from Cambridge, Bonn, and Harvard and is affiliated with research institutes in Germany and the UK.

Torsten Thiele
Advisor
OceanWell Team at Las Virgenes, California
Collaboration & Transparency
Transparency and collaboration are central to our company's mission and growth strategy. We believe that by working together with all stakeholders—whether communities, partners, or investors—we can achieve meaningful progress. Our commitment to transparency ensures that we communicate openly at every step of our journey.
Partners & Accolades
Trusted by global leaders in water, innovation, and sustainability
We’re proud to collaborate with visionary partners across industries, governments, and research institutions. Their support accelerates our mission to deliver clean, sustainable water at scale—while validating the impact, potential, and trust behind OceanWell’s technology.