Water & Wastewater

Building The Pipeline: Corporate Engagement with Industrial Water Innovation

Josh Gilbert
Posted on by Josh Gilbert
Earth may be the blue planet, but both growing population and climate change are creating freshwater scarcity in many geographies. Industrial activities come second only to agriculture in the use of water resources, responsible for 16% of global freshwater withdrawals. Industrial wastewater volumes are predicted to double by 2025, and there is increasingly strict regulation regarding treatment and reuse. This should create incentives for technologies and services, but changes to create or capture this value have been slow. The expertise... Read More »

What’s ailing water?

Troy Ault
Posted on by Troy Ault
Contributions from: Nikhila Krishnan, Summer Analyst  While other clean technology sectors including energy, transportation, and agriculture experience stable or growing investment, it appears investors are not as bullish on disrupting or improving water markets with new technology as they once were (note that, for purposes of this analysis we’ve included smart irrigation technologies in our water category). Five years ago, water innovation accounted for 9-10% of the annual deal volume in clean technology venture capital, and 5-6% of invested dollars, as tracked... Read More »

Technological edge means business: why we’re adding patents to i3

Jules Besnainou
Posted on by Jules Besnainou
Each investor, innovation executive or business unit manager has their unique process to discover and evaluate companies in a technology area. However, they all share one key criterion to set companies apart: technological edge and the ability to protect it. With that in mind, we have been hard at work on a feature that would allow you to easily navigate a company's IP portfolio. And it is now ready! Here's what we just launched on i3 Connect: A tile showing US and... Read More »

California Drought Leaves Water Sector Thirsty For Innovation

Sheeraz Haji
Posted on by Sheeraz Haji
I live in Berkeley and can’t remember the last time we used our raincoats and umbrellas. Even if you don’t live here, you probably know that California has a big water problem as the drought enters its fourth year. Lawmakers and large corporations recognize the gravity of the situation and have implemented mandatory water cuts and launched water saving campaigns. Never before has there been this much attention focused on water and the urgent need for innovative solutions. However, investments... Read More »

Water Efficiency Innovations in Agriculture

Leo Zhang
Posted on by Leo Zhang
California Governor Jerry Brown recently issued an executive order for mandatory water restrictions in order to deal with the state’s worst drought in history. The initiative mostly focuses on urban water use, with the goal of reducing water usage by 25%. Meanwhile, in California, agriculture activities make up more than 75% of the state’s total water consumption. Although the executive order focuses more on urban consumption, improvements in agriculture water efficiency can lead to significant water savings as well. Through... Read More »

Water Innovation Summit 2014: Key Takeaways

Samanta Jovanovic
Posted on by Samanta Jovanovic
From September 23- 24, Cleantech Group hosted its third annual Water Innovation Summit at the historic Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, convening a group of 100+ attendees active in the water industry and interested in exploring ways to create smarter, better water. The event brought together leading corporate executives, utilities, industry influencers, investors, and entrepreneurs through a highly participatory format. Four discussions involved attendees in rich dialogue on (1) The Oil & Gas industry, (2) The Agriculture, Food & Beverage Industry,... Read More »

Digitizing the Shower Experience: An Interview with SmarTap CEO Asaf Shaltiel

Eric Vermeiren
Posted on by Eric Vermeiren
Israeli company SmarTap has developed a smart shower system that stands to revolutionize personal and commercial water use by monitoring and controlling the temperature and flow of water in a household, hotel, or commercial building. We spoke with Asaf Shaltiel, CEO and founder of SmarTap, about the future of electronic smart shower systems. What initially gave you the idea to pursue smart shower systems? (Did the idea come to you while you were in the shower?) My initial idea for SmarTap came... Read More »

Replenishing California’s Investments in Water Technology

Rosanna Ren
Posted on by Rosanna Ren
Here in Cleantech Group's San Francisco office, we are acutely aware of California’s climate problem—that is, the worst drought on record in the state’s history. What’s alarming is that, despite the two drought emergency issuances by Gov. Jerry Brown to reduce water use by 20%, statewide water consumption has in fact increased by at least 1%, up to 8% in some areas. One might predict greater investments in Water and Wastewater to expedite solutions that address this current and real problem.  The 1Q2014... Read More »

How Behavioral Water Efficiency Can Change Our Relationship with H2O: an Interview w/ WaterSmart CEO Peter Yolles

M Paschich
Posted on by M Paschich
WaterSmart Software recently raised nearly $5 million in Series A round of funding: we chat with Peter Yolles, Co-Founder and CEO, about the company, its growing team, the value of data-driven water management, and the future of the water system.     Hi Peter… Can you walk us back to the beginning of WaterSmart Software? Yes, I’d be glad to tell that story. I’ve been in the water sector for over 20 years, and so when I moved to my first... Read More »

Organica Water, Innovation in Wastewater Treatment, and Good Neighbors

Posted on by Felix Talvard
Matthew Kuzma, Vice President – Technical Solutions & Global Business Development of Organica Water, talks about change in wastewater treatment and being a good neighbour. One of our sessions during the Cleantech Forum Europe that will be held in Stockholm (May 19-21) is titled the 10 Year Track – How we (can have) Impact.  The theme is about how European companies are tackling environmental and resource challenges in some of the most populous and impoverished regions of the world. One... Read More »