Since 2012, the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia) has partnered with BlueTech Research (Cork, Ireland) and Imagine H2O (San Francisco) to spotlight some of the water sector’s most promising innovators. Through this partnership, WEFTEC has become the epicenter of a unique platform for entrepreneurs, investors, customers, and regulators to highlight and access the newest technologies driving the water sector forward.
WEFTEC is known for being the gathering place the water sector’s most innovative companies. And the Innovation Neighborhood provides an area of the exhibition to focus on start-ups and newer companies.
The Innovation Neighborhood includes several areas.
- The Innovation Pavilion features companies hand-picked by BlueTech Research and Imagine H2O as some of the most innovative companies in water.
- The Discovery Zone is home to start-ups who are first time exhibitors to WEFTEC.
- Innovation Row is filled with award-winning companies and alumni of the Innovation Pavilion.
- The Distributed Infrastructure Zone, which is new for 2021, collects companies focused on treatment and disposal of reuse water.
A History of Accomplishments
During the past decade more than 180 companies have participated in the WEFTEC Innovation Neightborhood. Although not all the companies featured are start-ups, the WEFTEC Innovation Neighborhood gives many of these companies a unique opportunity to interact with not just consumers, but also investors, and mentors.
Astonishingly, 90% of Innovation Pavilion companies are still in business today. Their success reflects not only the quality of the companies featured, but also highlights the technological direction that the water sector is pursuing.
This Year’s Class
In total, around 40 innovative companies will be featured in the WEFTEC Innovation Neighborhood this year. This includes more than a dozen featured start-ups chosen by BlueTech Research and Imagine H2O as some of the most innovative companies in the water space. They include
- 2S Water Incorporated,
- 374Water,
- 3Rwater,
- BioBot Analytics,
- Clear Water Analytica,
- Digital Water Solutions,
- Excitcon Clean
- Fontus Blue,
- Gross-Wen Technologies,
- Gybe,
- KETOS,
- Pani Energy,
- Rapid Radicals Technology LLC, and
- StormSensor Inc.
Innovation Pavilion Theater
Central to the Innovation Neighborhood is the Innovation Pavilion theater. Sponsored this year by Fifth Third Bank, this theater offers programming throughout WEFTEC. Download the full Innovation Pavilion schedule to see the full slate of events.
Most notably, the popular CROC Tank sessions – Monday and Tuesday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. – give you the chance to hear Innovation Pavilion companies pitch their best ideas to a panel of judges. On Monday, stick around for the Innovation Pavilion Reception at 5:30 p.m., sponsored by ALTRA Proven Solutions.
Not sure where to start? Try Don’t Hate #Innovate: A Tour of the 2021 Innovation Pavilion to get yourself ready to explore.
