FAV FOOD: Dim Sum. FAV COUNTRY: USA. FAV QUOTE: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” – Friedrich Nietzsche. PEOPLE DON’T KNOW: I listen to Japanese rock.
George Lee
Engineering the future of sustainability
SEEDS OF AMBITION. From a young age, George was captivated by the idea of creating something that would have a meaningful impact on the world. This spark was first ignited during a visit to his aunt’s manufacturing business in China. “I was ten years old, walking into this huge building with machines everywhere, and seeing my aunt at the center of it all,” George recalls. This experience planted the seeds for what would eventually become his own entrepreneurial path.
Raised in the Washington, D.C. area, George grew up surrounded by the rigid structures of government roles and regulations. Yet, his natural inclination was towards a more philosophical and creative outlook on life. “Everyone around me was involved in government contracting or something related, but I realized over time that I wanted more freedom to do something I personally cared about,” George explains. This desire for freedom and impact drove him to explore several ventures during his high school years, building small businesses in the online advertising space.
In college, George pursued finance and business, driven by curiosity about the broader world of economics and enterprise. However, he quickly realized that the conventional career paths in consulting and financial services weren’t fulfilling his deeper ambitions. “I wanted something where I could be the captain of the ship and have more flexibility in what I spent my time on,” he says. This realization led him to start his journey as a founder.
After working at a Fortune 500 consulting company, George identified a significant opportunity in the repetitive and manual processes that plagued large enterprises. “I started writing programs to automate repetitive work, and that’s when I saw the potential for building tools to simplify complex workflows,” George explains. This insight was the foundation for Hydrus.ai, a platform designed to revolutionize sustainability data management for large organizations. Hydrus.ai serves as an organization’s sustainability data operating system, enabling AI and machine learning-driven analytics to help sustainability professionals drive impactful outcomes.
George recalls the early days of building Hydrus were more challenging than he anticipated. “Sales, especially enterprise sales, was new to me. It took us about 16 to 18 months to get our first customer.” The process of refining the product to meet customer needs was arduous, but it taught George valuable lessons about persistence and problem-solving. “We had to figure out how to talk to customers, understand their pain points, and build a tool that truly solved their challenges.”
George’s experience as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community has also shaped his approach to building Hydrus. “A big part of my journey has been about proving that I can achieve something significant,” he says. This drive has been coupled with a relentless commitment to overcoming challenges. “Nothing is easy, but if it’s harder, it just means dedicating more time, energy, and grit,” George adds. This determination has been a cornerstone of his success in navigating the complex landscape of enterprise software sales and development.
DRIVEN BY IMPACT. George envisions a future where sustainability data management becomes increasingly automated, allowing companies to focus on high-value activities rather than manual processes. “We’re moving towards a future where the software will handle the heavy lifting, and users will simply review the results,” George predicts. Hydrus.ai aims to lead this transformation, expanding into areas like decarbonization, water usage reduction, and improving air quality, all while integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities.
After nearly five years at the helm of Hyrus.ai George advises new founders, especially those in the LGBTQIA+ community, to embrace challenges rather than shy away from them. “As a founder, you’re meant to be a jack of all trades. For anything you’re apprehensive about, spend more time learning and improving,” he says. This mindset has been instrumental in George’s success, and it’s a philosophy he continues to embody as he leads Hydrus.ai into the future.
