As climate change intensifies, California’s water supply continues to be under pressure. Frequent and severe droughts are leaving farmers with less water to grow crops, forcing difficult decisions about how to manage a highly limited resource. 

For California Polytechnic State University alumnus William Stevens (economics, ‘25), the solution lies not in finding more water, but in using existing supplies more efficiently. He developed his startup, AquaX, to help growers transfer water to its highest value use and maximize agricultural production during times of scarcity.

“Living in California, you’re constantly faced with droughts, and the more you learn about water,” he said. “Every year the impacts become greater. So we have to deal with that in a way that makes the most sense.”

Stevens pitched an early concept in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and  Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Elevator Pitch Competition in 2024. He then refined the idea and committed to AquaX full-time in September 2025 through joining The Residency, a global network of hacker houses. He spent four months at its Bangalore, India, chapter from September where he continued building AquaX.

“I moved to Bangalore for four months and hosted a few hackathons with some really talented young developers. I ended up hiring three of them to help build out AquaX,” Stevens said. “Being there was definitely eye-opening for me, and the experience that I had there I’ll take forward with me for the rest of my life.”

While in India, Stevens reached out and stayed connected to innovation and entrepreneurship faculty, including Thomas Katona, Cal Poly Professor and CIE academic programs director, to talk through ideas, receive feedback and stay connected to Cal Poly. 

“Sometimes when you’re building or starting a company, you don’t know the right direction to take, and there’s a lot of different paths,” Stevens said. “Having an extra person that has  more experience than you to just give you guidance, even if you don’t take it all the way, is still really helpful.”

This connection, along with hearing previous positive testimonials from friends, led Stevens to return to Cal Poly CIE for the Summer Accelerator.

AquaX founder, William Stevens

​The Summer Accelerator is a 10-week intensive program that provides Cal Poly students and recent graduates with resources to turn their innovative ideas into full-fledged startups. Participants receive $10,000 in seed funding, mentorship, entrepreneurial workshops and a dedicated workspace in the HotHouse, the CIE’s downtown San Luis Obispo office. 

“I always knew that I wanted to come back for the Summer Accelerator. There are so many connections that Cal Poly can give you, especially in this industry, so I knew that was something I wanted to do,” he said. 

Expanding this venture as a solo founder has allowed Stevens to find more confidence in leading his development team and making decisions for the company.

“You have to have confidence in yourself in order to move forward quickly,” he said. “You don’t really have specific times you’re supposed to work—it’s just you—so you have to hold yourself accountable. The biggest question is: Can you stay focused?”

During his time in the Accelerator, Stevens has been most surprised by the amount of support from mentors, guest speakers and opportunity for one-on-one meetings. He appreciates the support and freedom in developing a schedule that works for him.

“The CIE fosters curiosity, and they let you do your own thing,” Stevens said. “Having that freedom is incredibly helpful.”

To aspiring entrepreneurs, Stevens recommends focusing on the problem before immediately trying to find a solution.

“Water was a problem that I was looking at for a long time, and I didn’t know the best way to approach it,” Stevens said. “I just kept iterating, and then I eventually found my way.”