#11 Pilots Never Fail—but Also Never Scale

DescriptionWhy do so many promising water and sanitation pilots succeed in small settings yet fail to reach millions? In this episode, we unpack the paradox that “pilots never fail—but also never scale,” drawing on research across 19 organizations working in low-income countries.We explore how early success is built on tightly aligned business model dimensions—value creation, customer engagement, value capture, and customer identification—and why these alignments often break apart during scaling. The episode highlights three dynamic consistencies essential for overcoming the scale barrier: externalization & internalization, novel customization, and organizational ambidexterity.This conversation offers fresh insights for development practitioners, social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and business model innovators seeking to bring transformative water and sanitation services to scale in some of the world’s most challenging markets.Key Words: Scaling-Up, Transformative Services, Business Models, Innovation, Water & Sanitation, Growth Challenges