The Xylem Institute - Pitch Deck
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The Xylem Institute

Translating Earth Observation and AI for Agricultural Resilience

Dr. Catherine Nakalembe

Founder

Director XylemLab | NASA Harvest Africa Lead | 2020 Africa Food Prize Winner

The Technology Gap Crisis

Earth observations, AI and computing capabilities have increased 1000x revolutionizing environmental monitoring and early warning. Yet human suffering continues to grow as climate extremes and conflict intensify, and the most vulnerable communities remain caught unaware of approaching threats.

783M

people face hunger

4-5x more

climate disasters in regions with no early warning

$50B

spent on humanitarian response

95%

remain technology takers, not makers

There's a fundamental disconnect: the communities that most urgently need these solutions are absent from the rooms where they're being designed.

The Xylem Institute (TXI)

User-Driven Earth Observation & AI Innovation

VISION

To create a world where every community has the power to predict, prepare for, and adapt to environmental challenges using Earth observation and artificial intelligence technologies they own, understand, and control.

MISSION

The Xylem Institute empowers communities and institutions worldwide to harness satellite data and AI for local solutions that matter. We bridge the gap between cutting-edge Earth observation technology and the people who need it most through collaborative innovation, comprehensive training, and community-led implementation that transforms how technology serves humanity's most pressing environmental challenges.

User-Driven Earth Observation/ AI Innovation

TXI transforms how EO and AI-enabled early warning and monitoring serves humanity by building for and from within communities, with approaches that prioritize what end users actually need.

Disaster Prediction and Early Warning - Adaptable, Scalable and Context Relevant
Precision Tools and Optimization - Context-specific approaches designed for real-world conditions and user workflows
Policy and Systems Integration - Frameworks that enable end-users to own, adapt, and evolve solutions over time
Local Expert Development - Comprehensive training programs that build sustainable capacity within communities

Imagine Earth observation and AI as a force for saving lives—where advanced technology amplifies local knowledge rather than replacing it.

Dr. Catherine Nakalembe

Founder/ PI XylemLab

NASA Harvest Africa Lead
Deployed systems across 6+ countries
2022 Al-Sumait Prize
$1M for transformative agricultural impact
2020 Africa Food Prize Winner
Dedication to improving food security through enhanced use of Earth observation
2022 Golden Jubilee Medal
Uganda's highest civilian honor
TED Fellow 2025
Selected for global innovation leadership
GEO Individual Excellence Award
Exceptional contributions to Earth observation applications

"We need innovative Africans like Dr. Bationo and Dr. Nakalembe to demonstrate the potential of new knowledge and technology together with practical technologies that help improve the value proposition for farmers. These two are indeed exceptional Africans," President Obasanjo said.

"Dr. Catherine Nakalembe was recognized in 2020 for her commitment to improving the lives of smallholder farmers by using satellite technology." — Eng. Dr. Dorothy Okello

Global Partnerships & Impact

370K+

Lives Directly Impacted

$11M

Saved in Food Aid

85+

Partner Organizations

12+

African Countries

5M+ Crop Images
Generated for AI training across multiple countries
2,000+ Experts
Trained in satellite technology & agricultural monitoring
National Systems
Deployed in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda & Zambia
Early Warning Systems
Protecting 2M+ people from food insecurity

Key Partnerships: NASA, ESA, IGAD, Makerere University, 15+ African governments

$12B+ Addressable Market

$8B

Government spending annually on agricultural development + disaster response

$3B+

Private sector in crop insurance, agricultural lending, humanitarian response

$1B+

Training market in capacity building and technical assistance

Market Timing:

• UN agencies prioritizing locally-led solutions

• 50+ climate disasters annually requiring rapid response

• Growing recognition that external solutions fail at scale

The market is ready—governments are actively seeking alternatives to failed technology transfer models.

Path to Sustainability by Year 3

Year 1: (pilot programs, initial contracts)
Year 2: (government partnerships, training revenue)
Year 3: (scaled operations, incubator returns)
Year 4: (regional expansion, consulting growth)
Year 5: (sustainable market leadership)

Revenue Drivers: Training programs ($2-5K per participant), Government contracts ($50-500K per national system), Rapid mapping services ($100-300K per emergency), Software management ($10-100K annually per organization)

$6.5M for 30-Month Strategic Runway

Team (60%)

$3.9M

Senior technical talent, regional coordinators

Infrastructure (25%)

$1.6M

Enterprise computing, satellite subscriptions

Operations (15%)

$1M

Uganda office, partnerships, deployment

Why 30 months? Eliminates fundraising distractions during critical market capture phase, enabling focus on execution and revenue generation.

Outcome: Market leadership position, $2M+ annual recurring revenue, operational sustainability

Thank You

For your time and consideration in developing EO and AI-enabled early warning and monitoring that serves our shared interests.

Contact:

Dr. Catherine Nakalembe

contact@xyleminstitute.org