Water We Inherit: Entrepreneurship, AI, and Detroit’s Blue Economy with Brittany Vanderbeek

“The biggest word that inspired us to be here is grit.” From that charge, Brittany Vanderbeek of Aqua Action and host Khary Frazier dive into Detroit’s bluest truth: “the greatest asset in the world…water,” and how our city’s relationship to it will shape what comes next for Detroit. Brittany lays out Aqua Action’s mission to “build a water-secure future through entrepreneurship,” explaining how everyday residents—not just agencies—can be “the people with a voice in water innovation.” Why Detroit is the hub (“so many opportunities…for water entrepreneurs to pilot their technologies”), how municipalities and startups can partner, and why design thinking means “start with the people.” The episode also gets real about tech: AI’s thirst—“one simple prompt takes energy and water”—and the need for alternatives to water-cooled data centers. Brittany connects the global and the local—from a binational AquaHacking program (“anybody with an idea”) to Detroit River kayaking. If you care about Belle Isle, clean taps, and Detroit’s right to define and benefit from the Blue Economy, this one’s a listen.