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Sarah Pomeranz DRC’20: The Business of Sustainability

Sarah Pomeranz DRC’20: The Business of Sustainability

Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of the global population and is projected to rise. To tackle this pressing issue, Sarah Pomeranz DRC’20 will spend this summer using her business expertise to help develop an innovative solution.

Sulis is a device that generates potable water. The device is sustainably produced and can sanitize 12 liters of water in seven hours. Sarah, a Leadership and Management major with a concentration in Social Justice, is responsible for developing business opportunities, and managing operations and sales. The other team members include Anurag Modak SAS'20 who is responsible for strategy and financial planning; Yuki Osumi SAS'20 who is handling the research and development; and Ari Mendelow ENG'18 who’s in charge of branding and product design.

To promote their project, this team of social entrepreneurs entered several competitions at Rutgers and beyond. They have been on a winning streak recently, earning first-place finishes at the Rutgers Innovation & Entrepreneurship Summit, the Hult Prize Rutgers Competition, and Hult Prize at Boston Regional Competition.

Later this summer, they will head to England for the eight-week Hult Accelerator, which provides coaching, mentorship, workshops, and networking to aspiring social entrepreneurs. “We’re currently in the lab testing a prototype and making sure it is up to the standards of the World Health Organization,” said Sarah. “Later this summer, we’re going to India to continue working on the model with two universities there, before going to the Hult Accelerator.”

The original concept for the device was developed through the “Honors College Forum” at Rutgers University Honors College. Afterward, the team was accepted into the Honors College Innovation Lab Fellowship, where they received mentoring and access to venture start-up funds.

“I have a passion for applying business skills to solving global issues,” said Sarah. “This is a great intersection of my interests of tackling large issues and having a positive impact on lives.”

For more information about Sulis, please visit www.suliswater.org