Mason student to attend Clinton Global Initiative conference

Mason student takes strides in solving water crisis.

It is no secret that Mason is home to a wealth of opportunities for dreamers, future leaders and world-changers hoping to find the resources that they need in order to turn their dreams into reality. One student, sophomore and economics major Mayo Welch, is one of the 400 students across the world who was accepted into the Clinton Global Initiative University this year. Welch

Mayo Welch is the CEO of Project Blue, which aims to fight the global water crisis (photo courtesy of Mayo Welch).

came up with a project named Blue, which aims to help the global water crisis.

Blue is a brand of water that provides “drop for drop” to the developing world, meaning that for every bottle purchased in the United States, an equal or greater amount will be donated to those without clean water. 

“The idea is to keep the price of Blue water very competitive; the water will retail for about $5 per case (24 16.9oz bottles) which makes it very affordable, our price for 24 is less than 2 bottles of Ethos,” Welch said in an email. “We can get the prices that low because we aren't trying to make a killing selling the water, we are trying to make a living and help as many people as we can.”

Welch’s interest in solving the world’s water crisis inspired him to start Blue. He is disturbed by the fact that only 1 percent of the world’s water supply is fresh water and that 3.4 million people die each year from a lack of clean water.

“It is 2013 and it bothers me that 11% of this world lacks access to a basic necessity of life!” Welch wrote in an email.  

David Miller, an administrator of StartUp Mason, encouraged Welch to pursue the idea of Blue. StartUp Mason is a group that strives to provide student entrepreneurs with the resources or connections they need to succeed in their endeavors.

According to Welch, “even if you don't have a business idea, [StartUp Mason] is a wonderful place to learn about how you can develop a business. It is a hidden gem at Mason that I think puts us on par with some of the ivy leagues, who have similar organizations.”

Blue is currently negotiating a contract with an investment group in Los Angeles which will secure the business’s capital needs and allow them the right to use the domain name Blue.org for the company website. Welch says that the deal will open many doors for Blue on the west coast and hopes to close the deal at the end of March.

In April, Welch will travel to Washington University in St. Louis for the Clinton Global Initiative conference. This event will enable Blue to spread the word about its cause and gain interest from potential investors. Welch says he is hopeful for the opportunities that CGI U will provide and is looking forward to establishing a network that he can rely on to ensure that Blue does well.

Welch is thankful for the resources Mason has provided for his entrepreneurship endeavors.

“An education at Mason has given me the chance to present my business plan at such an event… I am now part of an exclusive network which includes investors, mentors and other entrepreneurs who are excited to work with me and get my project off the ground,” Welch wrote.

You can read more about his story and this ambitious project at www.hydratingtheworld.com.