About Us

OceanWell set out to solve the question:
How can fresh water be produced from the ocean at scale, without hurting it.

We believe in working with nature, not against it. Every design decision was made with an “environment first” philosophy, driven by our dedicated engineering team in California. By adopting this approach, we have completely redesigned desalination from the ground up. The result is a simple, elegantly designed solution that effectively addresses every challenge posed by traditional desalination methods. Our innovative system not only provides high-quality fresh water but also serves as a net positive to Earth’s water cycle.

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’s innovative desalination technology provides a sustainable freshwater source for industry and agriculture, reducing dependence on traditional water supplies. By delivering clean water with minimal environmental impact, it supports growth, enhances water security, and promotes sustainable practices in water-scarce regions.
The Team

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.

Robert Bergstrom
Chief Executive Officer

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

Charlie McGarraugh
Chairman & Lead investor

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.

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Robert Bergstrom
Chief Executive Officer

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

Charlie McGarraugh
Chairman & Lead investor

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.

Full name
Job title

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

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Robert Bergstrom
Chief Executive Officer

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

Charlie McGarraugh
Chairman & Lead investor

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.

Michael Porter, PhD
Chief Technology Officer

A multidisciplinary engineer with a PhD in engineering and a passion for environmentalism, left academia to lead the development of OceanWell, successfully transitioning it from theory to validated technology, driven by a strong commitment to the company's mission.

Jonathan Haswell
Chief Business 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.

Tim Quinn, PhD
Water Policy Strategist

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.

Michael Gerdes, PE
Director of Engineering Operations

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.

Mark Golay, PE
Director of Engineering Projects

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.

Jamie Spotswood
Director of Business Development

A London-based former investment banking professional with 8 years in corporate finance followed by 2 years at a hedge fund. He recognized the potential scale of OceanWell’s solution and joined full-time in 2022 to help drive its growth and impact.

Advisory Board

Robert Bergstrom
Chief Executive Officer

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

Charlie McGarraugh
Chairman & Lead investor

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.

Full name
Job title

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Eric M. V. Hoek
Adviser

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.

Jay Famiglietti
Advisor

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.

Shaun Stewart
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.

Torsten Thiele
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.

Collaboration

Collaboration and 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. As we continue to grow, we remain dedicated to engaging with the communities we serve, fostering trust, and building long-lasting relationships. We are also passionate about educating people on our technology, empowering them with the knowledge to understand its benefits and contribute to a sustainable future. Together, we can make a lasting impact.

Partners and Accolades
News

Latest Updates

More info
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The new pilot project will be the first to use OceanWell’s state-of-the-art technology. A technology to source a new supply of drinking water.
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OceanWell develops subsea desalination technology to reduce environmental impact and costs using natural ocean pressures and renewable energy. They aim for full commercialization within five years.
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Las Virgenes Water District partners with OceanWell to pilot subsea desalination technology, aiming to produce 10 million gallons of freshwater daily, reducing environmental impact and energy costs.
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OceanWell and LVMWD partner to pilot California’s first Blue Water farm, testing sustainable desalination technology to produce clean drinking water with minimal environmental impact.
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OceanWell partners with Las Virgenes to pilot desalination pods on the ocean floor, aiming to produce 10 million gallons of freshwater daily using 40% less energy, operational by 2028.
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Las Virgenes teams with OceanWell to pilot energy-efficient desalination using subsea water pods, aiming to diversify water sources while minimizing environmental impact.