Imagine H2O Finalists Announced

Water Infrastructure Challenge12 Finalists Selected to Advance to Its Water Tech Accelerator Program

Imagine H2OTM (IH2O), the leading accelerator for water technology, today announced 12 finalists selected to advance to its water tech Accelerator Program. These 12 startups competed in IH2O's 6th annual Business Innovations Competition to receive mentorship from industry leaders, introduction to investors and a global network of beta customers and utilities. These companies join IH2O's portfolio of water startups, which represents over $1 in every $10 of early-stage water financing.

An estimated $20 trillion investment is needed to meet the water needs of the global population, according to a recent McKinsey report. The critical need for innovation and investment in water and wastewater infrastructure has become evident in light of recent high-profile events including the California drought and a series of recent water system failures in major cities. IH2O's proven path-to-market opportunity advances emerging businesses with scalable solutions to these growing water and wastewater infrastructure challenges.

"We're optimistic about the number of entrepreneurs who seek to address the challenges associated with our crumbling water infrastructure," said IH2O COO Scott Bryan. "This year's dramatic growth in applications reflects a growing interest in water innovation and our program's effectiveness in connecting entrepreneurs to market opportunities."

The global competition attracted entrants from 20 countries, including the United States. Smart infrastructure solutions represented over a third of the entrants. The competition also received a significant number of entrants presenting green and capital efficient solutions to improving water and wastewater infrastructure. Competition winners and finalists will be honored at Water Gala'15 on March 18, sponsored by Levi Strauss & Co. in San Francisco.

"Our team is very excited about many of the ideas not selected as a finalist and look forward to engaging with these teams in future programs," IH2O Director of Strategy Brian Matthay said. "Over half of participating companies were founded in the last 18 months, indicating growth in Imagine H2O's water innovation ecosystem. We look forward to seeing these companies evolve and welcoming them into future Accelerator Programs."

Imagine H2O's judging panel, which includes leading industry experts from venture capital firms, water utilities, and engineering businesses, based its selection of the finalists on their market viability, value proposition, and go-to market strategy. The program's major financial supporters include Wells Fargo (Headline Sponsor), Grundfos, Tetra Tech, and the California Water Foundation.

Read about the finalists here

Source: Finance Yahoo

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Taxonomy

• Water Management
• Infrastructure