Water Tech Competition Finalists Set To Do Battle

Six Finalists Selected from 32 Applicants; Winner to Be Selected at Judged Competition in Tel Aviv This Month

A diverse group of 32 water tech companies applied to enter the first-ever Israeli water technology business competition, sponsored by a delegation of industry executives from Massachusetts, USA, home to one of the world’s largest water industry clusters. The Water Export Technology (W.E.T) Revolution Competition, taking place in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Dec 18, features an expert panel of reviewers and judges, a rapid round of finalist presentations, awards, prominent industry speakers, and audience networking opportunities to highlight companies with the greatest promise for global expansion in helping to deliver clean and abundant water.

“The other judges and I were astounded at the number and the quality of companies who applied to enter this competition,” said Carmichael Roberts, a partner at North Bridge Venture Partners. “Israel is a world-class leader in water technology innovation, so we are eager to hear the best pitches, and help these companies jump-start their expansion from Israel to global markets.”

A wide range of technologies were represented among the 32 applicants, include leak detection, bio-security, nano-materials, hydro-power, SaaS, business intelligence, microbial fuel cells, acoustics, hydraulics, and membranes and filters. Six finalists were chosen by a panel of expert reviewers:

• Atlantium Technologies makes UV disinfection of water safe, effective, and sustainable by recycling photons, reducing energy consumption, assuring uniform dose distribution, and providing real-time measurement and documentation.  
• Blue I Water Technologies provides online real-time water quality instrumentation, based on revolutionary electro-optic IP technology, unique control algorithms, and cellular communications, to assure water quality near the consumer.
• Emefcy develops simple, low-cost, modular and scalable wastewater treatment solutions for small communities, remote areas, and reuse. Emefcy’s systems require no energy for aeration, have low sludge yield, are noiseless and odorless, and perform simultaneous nitrification and de-nitrification.
• Curapipe is a pioneering developer of a breakthrough leak-curing solution for buried pipe infrastructure from within. Focused primarily on urban water distribution networks that constantly leak, Curapipe is positioning its solution as a low cost alternative to water mains replacement/renewal.
• Peak-Dynamics provides energy-efficient management systems for water delivery networks, by selecting energy portfolios and optimizing pumping schedules. The system allows real-time computation of the least-expensive pumps activation schedule, while fulfilling all other operational requirements.
• TACount provides real-time microbiology solutions for the water, food and beverage, electronics, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, and its proprietary technologies for bacteria detection, identification and counting enable it to deliver results in minutes rather than days or weeks.

In addition, seven companies were named as semi-finalists.  One of these companies was selected by the application reviewers as the most promising, and will be named “Top Prospect” at the Competition event award ceremony on Dec. 18.  The semi-finalists are:

• Advanced Mem-Tech produces water filtration membranes with breakthrough high flux. Mem-Tech membranes can process the same amount of water with a smaller footprint at lower pressure, translating into savings on capital and operating expenses.
• AMS Technologies offers a complete product line of extreme acid-, solvent-, thermal-, pressure-, and alkaline-stable membranes which are applicable to various industries by delivering cost savings, improved recovery rates, greater acid supply reliability, and clear environmental benefits.
• Filtoflex has developed an innovative synthetic polymer filtering media that offers an efficient, low-cost, and safe water filtering solution for industrial, municipal, commercial, and agricultural applications.
• HydroSpin has developed a unique power solution for smart water networks that generates micro-energy from the flow of water inside distribution pipes, and is backed by Kinrot Ventures, the largest water-related seed investor in the world.
• IOSight has been deploying business-intelligence value-added solutions for the water and energy facilities markets since 2007. 
• NanoSpun Technologies uses proprietary nano-technology to make water and wastewater bioremediation more effective, efficient, and easy-to-use.
• nLeak Technologies offers a DSP-based, wireless, acoustic water metering and termination solution for active detection, alerting, and reporting of leaks in commercial and residential settings. 

The winner of the W.E.T. Revolution Competition will enjoy a prize package that includes airfare and five days’ hotel accommodations for the company’s CEO to visit Massachusetts in the spring of 2013. While in the Commonwealth, the CEO will be introduced to potential channel partners, customers, investors, government officials, and business partners who can help the company make Massachusetts its home-away-from-home as it enters the U.S. market and leverages the state’s water industry cluster for global market access.  Additional prizes for the winner and/or finalists includes free office space at MassChallenge, free legal services from Goodwin Procter LLP and GKH Law Offices, and reduced rate executive search from Green Search Partner.

The Competitors will gather at a special invitation-only event in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, December 18, hosted by the American delegation, known as the Massachusetts Water Innovation Mission to Israel. Each company will pitch its company proposition and technology to the judges, who will decide the ultimate winner, and an audience of 150 senior water industry executives.  The Competition event also includes company exhibits, opportunities for networking, notable guest speakers, and the awarding of prizes.  For details about the judges and application reviewers, visit www.wet-revolution.com/judges.

Special Guest Speakers

As the keynote speaker during the program, Dr. Orna Berry, Corporate VP & General Manager of the EMC Israel Center of Excellence, and former Chief Scientist of Israel, will make a presentation about “Going Global with Israeli Technology.”

Immediately following the program, Avi Hasson, current Chief Scientist of Israel, is expected to make an important announcement with Alicia Barton McDevitt, CEO of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, regarding a grant program for Israel-Massachusetts partnerships.

Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors of the Competition include Cleantech Open Northeast, GKH Law Offices, Goodwin Procter LLP, Green Search Partner, Item-Media, MassChallenge, Ozzy Properties, and Xylem.  Partners include the Consulate General of Israel to New England, Israel-America Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Office of International Trade & Investment, Mekorot WaTech, New England Israel Business Council, and Rainier Communications. 

About the Massachusetts Water Innovation Mission to Israel

The trade delegation, which is the organizer of the Competition, is a group of 47 executives from the Massachusetts water industry cluster who are traveling to Israel December Dec. 16-19 to develop partnerships that can help satisfy the world’s thirst for water. For a two-page overview about the delegation, see goo.gl/Y5yaa.  For more information, contact the New England-Israel Business Council, and its Executive Director, Adi Golani, (adi@neibc.org).

About the Massachusetts Water Industry

The Massachusetts water industry encompasses the entire value chain of the $522B global industry, including companies and organizations involved with drinking water, wastewater, storm water, industrial and produced water, agricultural water, and coastal water applications.  In Massachusetts, some of the key entities in these sectors are research institutions, graduate degree programs, engineering firms, start-ups, goods and services companies, investors, and professional services firms that support them.

For a poster-sized representation of the Massachusetts water industry, see goo.gl/ybSSd.  For a TEDx Boston video about the Massachusetts water industry, see goo.gl/3m5Mm.  The industry convenes online at LinkedIn (Massachusetts Water Industry).

About NEIBC

The New England-Israel Business Council (NEIBC) is a nonprofit, member-based organization dedicated to increasing economic development opportunities in Israel and New England by connecting people and businesses, supporting investment opportunities and promoting a vibrant collaborative business community which will produce long term sustainable growth. NEIBC provides a diverse program of activities and events and offers advice on doing business in these two regions.  See www.neibc.org for more information.