SONOBE STRATEGIC
A CONSULTING FIRM
SERVING CLIENTS IN THE WATER TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
Advanced technologies are redefining every facet of the water industry. Whether your company aims to disrupt the market or is simply trying to navigate challenges and embrace opportunities, we are here to help.
SONOBE
Sonobe Strategic draws its name and philosophy from modular origami.
A Sonobe module is a single piece of folded paper that is used as a building block in modular origami. Sonobe modules are simple to fold and can be combined in infinite ways to create strong, complex origami structures. The integrity of each modular origami structure depends entirely on the attention given to constructing precise Sonobe modules and assembling those modules in the right order.
At Sonobe Strategic, we understand the complexity of thriving in the water industry. We believe that success requires careful attention to business fundamentals followed by creation and implementation of sound strategy. We excel at helping clients identify and deconstruct unsound strategies and build new ones.
CONSULTING SERVICES
We advise large industrial manufacturers, engineering firms, investors, NGOs, early-stage companies, and government entities on a wide variety of water-related challenges.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
We help our clients find strategic clarity. Drawing from lessons learned through a degree in counselling and 25 years of facilitation experience, we help clients define strategic priorities and build actionable strategic plans. We help clients redefine strategy during times of organizational stress, often involving economic crisis, executive leadership change and internal disfunction.
WATER MARKET INTELLIGENCE
We have been tracking and compiling a database of water technology companies and advanced technologies with applications in the water industry for a decade and stand ready to provide clients with extensive water market intelligence to help guide decisions.
BUSINESS MODEL AND GO-TO-MARKET ASSISTANCE
We help our clients launch successful and award-winning businesses, programs and products. We have particular expertise with providing advice on business models and go-to-market strategies to early-stage water technology companies that are poised to disrupt the market.
DUE DILIGENCE
When clients need to make high stakes business decisions, such as in the M&A context, we help determine the most effective and efficient way to scope due diligence efforts to provide the clarity needed to make sound decisions. We help our clients throughout the entire due diligence process, including report preparation and executive leadership briefings.
INVESTOR RELATIONS
We help clients cultivate, deepen, and manage relationships with individual and institutional investors.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
We help our clients make valuable connections between people, ideas and opportunities.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND INDUSTRY RELATIONS
On behalf of governmental, educational and non-profit entity clients, we help engage industry partners and build public-private coalitions.
EXECUTIVE COACHING AND FRACTIONAL CEO
We provide executive coaching and can help our clients during times of leadership transition by offering fractional CEO or other executive leadership services.
REPRESENTATIVE WORK
STANLEY CONSULTANTS INC.
Created a stage gate due diligence process and used it to surface and evaluate over 650 water and wastewater technology companies. Facilitated innovation focus groups to review technologies to identify the best digital water partner to help achieve SCI goals. Prepared and presented business case for establishing joint marketing agreement with recommended smart water utility partner, GoAigua, and helped negotiate teaming agreement.
EVOQUA WATER TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
An architect of Evoqua’s three-year strategy to grow the company by $90-100M through adoption of digital and smart water solutions in specific business units using organic and inorganic growth options. Worked directly with the Digital Water VP to develop a digital water strategy and roadmap including roll-out of Water One product line, a water-as-a-service subscription offering. Created vision, authored technology and product roadmaps, supported creation of IoT model and Cloud platform, conducted M&A due diligence, and supported marketing, sales, and product implementation. The following year Evoqua was awarded the Global Water Institute’s 2019 Digital Water Technology Company of the Year Award and the Water One product offering won 2019 industry “Digital Edge 50 Award for IoT.”
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
Designed and launched a $175M public/private water conservation fund with The Nature Conservancy, a $1B international non-profit organization. The fund was launched by $500,000 investment from the Ecolab Foundation and required ecosystem development and stakeholder analysis.
MEET JEREMY LENZ
Jeremy is the President and CEO of Sonobe Strategic. He has been advising clients in the water industry for 10 years. He has over 25 years of experience in business strategy, executive management, new venture creation, and business incubation.
Jeremy is known as a gregarious connector, effective catalyst, trusted advisor, and driven leader with high ethical standards, equally effective behind the scenes, in front of a microphone, and chairing a board.
Jeremy has reviewed and evaluated thousands of business plans as a judge for various entrepreneurship competitions, including during his ten years serving as a judge for the Minnesota Cup, the nation’s largest statewide business plan competition.
Jeremy currently serves on the Board of the Freshwater Society. He is a former Board Member and two-term Board Chair of University Enterprise Laboratories, Minnesota's premier bioscience incubator.
Jeremy has a B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of Minnesota. He lives in Northfield, Minnesota with his wife and three daughters.
Jeremy is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters. He enjoys cooking global foods from scratch, especially Asian street food, and is steadfast in his effort to stretch the food palates of his young daughters. He is an origami artist, and carries origami paper with him wherever he goes.
