Imagine H2O’s 2011 Prize will focus on wastewater opportunities.  The Prize will open to entries on September 1 and close on November 15, 2011.

The Prize, which will be open to entrepreneurs from around the world, is divided into two tracks: pre-revenue and early revenue companies.  Finalists from both tracks will enter the Imagine H2O Accelerator Program – a recognized path-to-market platform featuring an advanced network of business service providers, industry mentors, investors, beta-customers and other strategic partners.  Once again, Imagine H2O’s Prize will feature a judging panel comprised of industry leaders, academic experts and seasoned investors.

See our the complete press release to learn more.

Additional details, including eligibility criteria and competition guidelines, will be posted on our 2011 Prize website prior to September 1.

Imagine H2O and the Claude Laval Water, Energy & Technology (WET) Incubator are partnering to provide entrepreneurs with the opportunities, tools and resources to build great water businesses.  Fresno’s WET Incubator becomes the first in a series of Imagine H2O hub partnerships around the country.  Entrepreneurs who successfully compete in the annual Imagine H2O Prize will benefit from this network of incubators in strategic communities.  The partnership in Fresno brings unique value to water entrepreneurs pursuing opportunities the food & agriculture sector.

The WET Incubator offers commercialization support, access to a state-of-the-art lab and testing facility as well as office space for emerging companies in the water, agriculture and energy sector.   Learn more about Fresno’s WET Incubator at: www.wet.cvbi.org.

Link to press release.

WaterSmart Software, a runner-up in Imagine H2O’s inaugural Water Efficiency Prize, closed its first rounding of financing this week.  The round includes $900,000 of seed financing led by Menlo Incubator and joined by Sand Hill Angels, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Physic Ventures.

Using the Imagine H2O prize program as a catalyst, WaterSmart’s founders developed a successful business plan and solicited market insight from IH2O’s judging panel of leading experts.  After receiving the Prize recognition, WaterSmart successfully leveraged the IH2O Accelerator program to develop a strong network of potential investors and customers.  Imagine H2O provides a path-to-market for new entrepreneurs in the water sector and we are proud of WaterSmart’s successes.

Related Media:

TechCrunch: WaterSmart Raises $900, 000 To Help Utilities Promote Efficiency

Greentech Media: WaterSmart Software Gets Its First Funding Round

PEHub: WaterSmart Software Seals $900,000

Imagine H2O is a supporting organization for the 2nd Annual BlueTech Forum being held at the San Francisco Airport on June 1st.

This year’s theme, Mapping the Innovation Landscape in Water Technologies, provides an in-depth look at what’s changing, who is innovating and where the opportunities are in the water technology space.  The program will include presentations from past IH2O winners, judges and mentors (see agenda).

Imagine H2O has just named the overall winner and two runners up for it’s Water Energy Nexus Prize.  The First Place winner, Hydrovolts, uses floating hydro-kinetic turbines to convert the flow of a canal into a distributed energy source. The two runners-up, Blackgold Biofuels and Fogbusters, are unlocking the energy resources found in fat, oil and grease (FOG), which are some of the most energy-intensive waste-streams in the water grid.

See press release on our media page for more information.

John Taft (L) CEO of RBC Wealth Management and Burt Hammer (R), CEO of Hydrovolts

Imagine H2O’s Water Entrepreneurs Showcase will honor the winners and finalists from the Water-Energy Nexus Prize.  Held at a warehouse space in San Francisco on the evening of March 16th, this event will be a unique opportunity to meet 10 promising water startups and celebrate entrepreneurship in the water sector.

Early bird tickets are available for a limited time.

Networking | Wine Tasting* | Appetizers | Water-inspired Art

*Wine tasting is 21 & over

10 Water Startups with Energy-Saving Innovations
Finalists selected from a global field of over 50 startups

Imagine H2O is pleased to introduce the finalists from our 2010 Water-Energy Nexus Prize.  Selected by a panel of expert judges, these water companies represent 10 innovative energy-saving solutions.  Read our complete press release here.

Join our online community to track the competition and learn more about these companies.

Agua Via develops a 1-atomic layer thick nanotech membrane that enables desalination at a 66% energy reduction and 50% cost reduction, providing energy efficient purification and wastewater remediation.

BlackGold Biofuels recovers energy from wastewater streams, creating lucrative renewable energy assets from pollution liabilities.

FogBusters treats petroleum, biofuel and food processing wastewater “better, faster, cheaper, cleaner and greener” while capturing the FOG (fat, oil and grease) to make into biodiesel.

Hydrovolts makes portable floating turbines that make renewable energy and clean water from an untapped global resource of hydrokinetic energy in water canals.

mOasis harnesses water on any land in the world so that plants grow and the planet can restore its ability to sustain life.

NLine Energy, Inc. converts wasted energy found in water transmission and distribution systems into renewable energy.

Pilus Energy harnesses genetically enhanced bacteria in scalable electrogenic bioreactor and harvests the electricity and biogases from their metabolism of organics like those found in wastewater.

Puralytics solves critical water contamination problems with environmentally superior products.

Solar Machines’ non-PV based technology directly and efficiently converts solar energy into mechanical work for water pumping applications.

Water Resources Management Co helps water utilities realize the full benefits of their investments in advanced meter reading, system control and asset management.

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William Sarni
CEO & Founder of DOMANI
Imagine H2O Guest Blogger

November 15, 2010

Investors not only drive innovation through direct investment in new technologies but also (and more importantly) by casting a light on risk and driving reporting and disclosure within the business community. For example, when companies have to assess risk from climate change and report on these risks it fosters the development and deployment of new technologies and new business opportunities.

I believe we are on the verge of water risk reporting and disclosure accelerating innovation in the water industry.

Let me explain why.

Last week the first Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Water Disclosure report was released. This comes on the heels of recent reports published by Ceres (Murky Waters? Corporate Reporting on Water Risk, February 2010 and The Ripple Effect: Water Risk in the Municipal Bond Market, October 2010) highlighting the role of investors in assessing water risk and business opportunities.

The CDP has been extremely successful in compelling companies to assess their carbon footprint, develop carbon strategies, set carbon reduction targets and reduce their carbon emissions. The CDP was launched in 2000 with the first questionnaire responses in 2003. Currently the CDP represents 534 institutional investors holding about $63 trillion in assets under management. In 2009, 2,456 businesses responded to the CDP questionnaire.

I am confidant CDP will have even greater success with the WD project as water is more readily understood as being a critical resource issue for businesses. Water scarcity is a showstopper for businesses – as a result this will drive technology development and new business and policy solutions.

The results of the first CDP WD report will highlight my rationale.

• This year the CDP WD questionnaire went to 302 of the world’s largest companies asking for information on their water use and other water-related business issues – an additional 25 companies responded on a voluntary basis. There was about a 50 percent response rate – 122 of the 302 companies responding publicly.

• Ninety six percent of responding companies were able to identify whether or not they are exposed to water risk with more than 50 percent classifying this risk as near-term (1-5 years). Thirty nine percent of the companies are currently experiencing impacts such as disruption to operations from drought or flooding, declining water quality, increases in water prices and fines and litigation relating to pollution incidents.

• Sixty seven percent of the companies report on water related issues to the board or executive committee level. Eighty nine percent of the companies have developed specific water policies, strategies and plans, and 60 percent have set water-related performance targets.

• Business engagement on water issues differs across industry sectors: 100 percent of companies in the chemicals sector responded compared with 29 percent in the oil & gas, and construction, infrastructure & real estate sectors.

• Fifty three percent of companies could identify whether they are exposed to water risks in their supply chains, as opposed to 96 percent of awareness of water risks in their direct operations.

• As expected, sectors reporting the greatest exposure to water risks were in the food, beverage & tobacco and metals & mining, with chemicals and technology and communications the least.

Where are the opportunities for entrepreneurs? All industry sectors with technologies ranging from data collection and analytics, water supply development, water efficiency, water reuse and treatment, low energy/carbon water treatment/reuse and new business models to highlight just a few.

Let the innovation begin.

Join Imagine H2O as we Turn on the Tap for Innovation

BLOG ACTION DAY 2010 – Everyday, new ideas are helping address our global challenges. We read and hear about innovative alternative energy sources that will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, path-breaking pharmaceuticals and medical technologies that will save lives, and revolutionary information technology that create unprecedented economic opportunity.

Unfortunately, despite our water problems, we are suffering from a drought of water innovations.  How are we going to solve tomorrow’s water challenges with today’s solutions?

Imagine H2O welcomes you to join the water innovation movement, an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, engineers, utilities, government officials and other leaders who are committed to addressing the global water crisis.  Our mission is to inspire and empower people to turn water problems into opportunities

Each year, Imagine H2O hosts an annual business plan competition to highlight promising innovations from around the world.  Our panel of judges selects winning startups that enter our incubator program; a platform that brings new ideas to market.  Last year, over 50 teams from around the world entered our Water Efficiency competition.  Together, these ideas are saving millions of gallons of water.

Today, water entrepreneurs with energy-saving concepts are preparing their entries for our 2010 Water-Energy Nexus competition.  We selected this topic because water transportation, treatment and usage is a major consumer of energy in communities and regions around the globe.  Thus, energy-efficient water solutions are essential to long-term sustainability.  We’re eager to present the most promising innovations when we announce our finalists in December and ask that you join us in our call to action.

Our request on Blog Action Day is that the global blogosphere help us crowd source entrants for this groundbreaking competition (entries due Nov 15^th).  Is your neighbor designing an energy efficient pump in their garage?  Is your campus designing an energy-efficient water treatment system?  Or perhaps you have an idea of your own that exists on a napkin?  We want to hear from you! Send us a message at Prize@ImagineH2O.org

Innovation and entrepreneurship are critical to creating a sustainable water future.  We hope that our competition inspires entrepreneurs to develop solutions that represent new economic opportunities.   Help us turn on the tap for innovation!

SAN FRANCISCO, OCTOBER 7, 2010 – Imagine H2O has announced the estimable judging panel for its second annual global business plan competition for water startups. This year, Imagine H2O is offering a $100,000 winning purse to promising entrepreneurs addressing The Water-Energy Nexus.  The global competition seeks to highlight businesses that reduce the energy needed to move and treat water and wastewater.

Complete Press Release (link)

List of Judges (link)

2010 Water-Energy Nexus Competition Website

Join IH2O on Blog Action Day