Who we are
Every Drop Does Double Duty
We turn waste heat and ambient humidity into reliable water + better cooling efficiency, more value from the same energy.
Radical Clarity
We build trust with transparent performance data, honest timelines, and clear accountability, especially when it’s uncomfortable.
Built to Endure
Designed for real deployments: harsh climates, imperfect maintenance, nonstop operation, robust, serviceable, and dependable.
Scale Through Partnership
We move faster by building with customers and partners, field feedback, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and shared execution that turns pilots into deployments.
Our Story
WattAir was founded on a simple belief: water and energy are inseparable, and the future depends on managing them together. Across agriculture, industry, and data infrastructure, these resources are increasingly scarce, tightly linked, and often wasted in parallel.
We focus on bridging clean water access and efficient energy use through thoughtful design and deep scientific insight. Guided by the principle that every unit of energy and water should do more than one job, WattAir works at the intersection of sustainability, resilience, and real-world impact.
WattAir stands for innovation with purpose, building solutions that help water and energy work together to support people, progress, and the planet.
Our mission is to turn that shared challenge into a shared opportunity.
Our vision is a world where communities and industries can meet essential water and cooling needs using the resources already around them. By rethinking how systems are designed and deployed, we aim to make water, energy resilience practical, scalable, and accessible.
The Team
Dr. Joseph P. Mooney
Co-Founder & CEO
Business, Innovation & Pilot
Prof. Bachir El Fil
Co-Founder & CSO Science, Innovation and Collaboration
Matthew Nagy
Sales & Vision
Customer Pipeline, Sales & Pilot
Art Gibney
Innovation Intern
Scaling & Development
Mentors
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Startup funding and supply chain
Brings 30+ years of experience in energy markets, infrastructure development, and cleantech commercialization, with leadership roles spanning startups, utilities, and Fortune 500 firms.
Co-founded multiple successful startups, including Merit Sustainable Infrastructure, and led over 4,000 MW of solar and wind projects nationwide, totaling ~$4B in capital deployment.
Former VP of Project Development at First Solar and a key contributor to ERCOT and energy policy implementation in regulated and competitive markets.
Currently leads cleantech startup formation and ecosystem growth at Georgia Tech, where he launched ATL Cleantech Connect to catalyze partnerships, funding, and innovation in the Southeast.
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Talent and Ecosystem
Entrepreneur and startup leader with 20+ years of experience, including 5+ years as a C-level executive and co-founder at MIT spinout C2Sense.
Deep expertise in commercializing interdisciplinary technologies spanning chemistry, materials, engineering, and data science, backed by 14 publications and 8 patents.
Passionate team builder and mentor, known for empowering leadership and creating high-performing, people-first startup cultures.
Actively contributes to the Boston innovation ecosystem through advising founders, judging startup competitions, and bridging startups with established businesses
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Community and Innovation
Award-winning engineer and entrepreneur recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and JCI Top Outstanding Young Person, with deep expertise in mechanical, energy, and biomedical engineering.
Founder and CEO of The Rapid Foundation, enabling global access to 3D printing and advanced technologies for education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship in underserved communities.
Leads cutting-edge research at UCD in energy systems, additive manufacturing, and inclusive design, with a focus on innovation policy, medical devices, and social impact applications.
Passionate advocate for accessible innovation, combining technical expertise with a strong track record in consulting, public engagement, and international development.
Student researchers
Malhar Kamat
Undergraduate Georgia Tech
Yasha Jeltuhin
Undergraduate Georgia Tech
Leah Crespo
Undergraduate Georgia Tech
Vladislav Stolbennikov
Undergraduate Georgia Tech
Quan Le
Undergraduate Georgia Tech
"This technology could save mine and many other businesses, it's amazing!"
- John
Farm Manager
California
“Our agriculture is more than an industry, it is heritage and identity passed down for generations. Yet three years of falling yields and scarce rainfall have made survival uncertain.
WattAir’s technology offers a precious opportunity: to capture and reuse the rare humidity and turn it into water to sustain our farm. Partnering with WattAir is not just about science and technology, it is about preserving a way of life.”
- Mihalis
Recent News
06/13/2026
WattAir wins the Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Award for cohort-selected investible start-up!
03/20/2026
WattAir Selected for Sage Impact Entrepreneurship Program by Village Capital!
01/15/2026
Keynote: WattAir at the Third Annual International Atmospheric Water Harvesting Summit
07/29/2025
WattAir Founders supported a winning Georgia Insitute of Technology Final Year Capstone research Group, “The Desicats”. Their work dove into the aspects of dessicant dehumidification and the impacts on energy efficiency. Congrats Desicats!!