Milwaukee, WI, April 11, 2012 – Imagine H2O, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that helps entrepreneurs to turn water challenges into business opportunities, and the Milwaukee Water Council, a leadership group that aims to make Milwaukee the World Water Hub for water research, economic development, and education, have signed an Memorandum of Understanding to provide entrepreneurs with tools and resources to build great water businesses.

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Annual Competition Recognizes World’s Most Promising Water Startups

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2012 – Imagine H2O, a nonprofit organization that supports entrepreneurs to turn water challenges into business opportunities, today announced the winners of its third annual prize competition. Bilexys (Brisbane, Australia) won the Prize’s Pre-Revenue track while Nexus eWater (Canberra, Australia), and Tusaar, Inc. (Lafayette, Colorado) were named runners up. New Sky Energy (Boulder, Colorado) won the Prize’s Early Revenue track.

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Meet the winners of Imagine H2O’s Wastewater Prize! Celebrate water entrepreneurship and innovation!

March 20 – San Francisco – 7:00pm

Networking, food, wine tasting and presentations from our winners

More information and  tickets available at http://2012showcase.eventbrite.com/

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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