Leading Water Innovation and Sustainability in Nevada and Worldwide 

Starting or relocating a business in Nevada comes with a long list of advantages, many of which have been helped by organizations such as Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance (LVGEA), Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN), Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), and others. These entities have fostered communities and influenced policies prioritizing our state’s needs, its residents, and the businesses that call Nevada home. However, amidst this backdrop of prosperity, one critical issue remains impossible to overlook – water. It’s a topic on everyone’s lips, complex in nature, and crucial for our survival and growth. Addressing the challenges posed by our water supply and its safety lies at the heart of WaterStart’s mission, not just within the borders of Nevada but also on a global scale.

Established in 2013, WaterStart is a non-profit organization that connects innovative technology companies with global water agencies and major water consumers in need of innovative solutions to enhance their operations. A Nevada-based company, WaterStart has been steadily building an exclusive membership community of water utility companies around the globe, reaching as far as Australia.

Our approach revolves around aligning the specific needs of pilot projects with innovative technology solutions through a rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) process. From project inception to execution and evaluation, WaterStart’s community is passionately committed to delivering safe and cost-effective water solutions.

Yet, innovation demands more than just passion. It requires an ecosystem that comprehensively addresses the diverse needs of all stakeholders involved in water management. WaterStart’s model places a strong emphasis on several key initiatives and practices that not only position Nevada as a leader in water conservation and innovation but also support the state’s economic development.

1. Partnerships: At WaterStart, we firmly believe that assembling the right entities and leaders is pivotal to fostering innovation. It’s a core element of our operational model. During our open RFP rounds, we work closely with utility agencies and technology companies to establish a clear understanding of the projects, their needs, and the stakeholders involved. WaterStart intimately comprehends the perspectives of both sides. Given the intricate nature of water management, any organization entering into a partnership must possess the right product and philosophical fit to promote innovation. By carefully selecting ideal partners for pilot projects through our programs, we ensure that needs, expectations, and visions align right from the outset.

2. Curating and Diversifying Funding: You have to fund progress. Many of the projects WaterStart leads with its utility members require equipment and labor budgets that need to be secured in order to start or complete the pilot. Our team stays hands-on with every pilot project throughout its duration; the intimate understanding of its complete needs allows us to support the curation of diverse funding sources aligned with the mission to innovate water management and sustainability. WaterStart is also able to co-invest in projects through its pilot fund, furthering our commitment to each project, member, and technology portfolio company.

3. Community-based Knowledge Sharing: Developing new technologies and methodologies necessitates the continuous sharing of experiences, breakthroughs, data, and fully operational programs with like-minded professionals. In collaboration with entities like GOED, WaterStart is actively working to build a framework of standards, practices, measurements, and more, integrating water conservation into economic development practices.

WaterStart’s most recent groundbreaking initiative with GOED seeks to align economic development with innovative water management techniques, offering a comprehensive and iterative model that incorporates proven water conservation practices. This unique initiative is informed by business needs and best practices in water innovation, providing a framework for integrating sustainable water management practices into existing economic development systems at the state and municipal levels.

Water management is incredibly complex and dependent on numerous factors; peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is essential not only for learning new ways to manage issues but also as proof of concept in action. To facilitate this, WaterStart has launched 47 pilot projects to date, including many in Nevada, and their successes and findings have been instrumental in driving innovation among our utility agency and technology company community. WaterStart has developed a knowledge-sharing community that serves as a valuable resource for paying members and technology companies aiming to meet their needs.

As WaterStart prepares to launch its 24th RFP round on October 16, 2023, which will feature a variety of water management projects in need of software and hardware technology solutions, we invite tech companies to submit their innovative solutions. WaterStart can guide these companies through the process, offer support for continued involvement in RFPs and knowledge sharing, and assist in securing project funding. Find out more about our organization and projects at www.waterstart.com.