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The Water Council
The Water Council launched in 2007 as an industry cluster initiative backed by Milwaukee-area business and civic leaders including the Bradley Foundation...
The Water Council
The Water Council launched in 2007 as an industry cluster initiative backed by Milwaukee-area business and civic leaders including the Bradley Foundation (public record). Its original mandate was to leverage the region's concentration of water-tech firms—Xylem, Badger Meter, A.O. Smith—and academic resources at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences. The council does not manage investable capital directly. The council's core programming includes the BREW (Business. Research. Entrepreneurship. Water) corporate accelerator, which since 2014 has supported early-stage water startups through mentorship and pilot partnerships (per the council's own materials). It also administers the U.S. Water Prize and convenes annual events such as Water Week. Membership spans 150+ companies, universities, and government entities. Geographic focus remains overwhelmingly North America, with members concentrated in the Great Lakes region. The council does not disclose fundraising or deployment figures. In October 2023, the council launched a digital Water Data Platform to centralize water-quality data for researchers and utilities. The council's structural differentiator is its public-private cluster model: it is neither a family office nor a venture fund but a membership organization that facilitates deal flow between water-tech startups and corporate or government partners. Its governance includes a board drawn from member organizations and the Milwaukee business community.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
2007
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Milwaukee
Corporate office
Milwaukee, WI, United States
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Does The Water Council invest capital directly or operate as a fund?
No. The Water Council is a nonprofit membership association, not a fund or family office. It does not manage capital or make direct investments. Its role is to connect water-tech startups with corporate partners, academic researchers, and potential investors through programs like the BREW accelerator.
How does The Water Council source water-tech startups?
Startups apply to the BREW accelerator on a competitive basis. The council also networks through academic partnerships, particularly the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, and through its global membership base of 150+ organizations.
What is the BREW accelerator's track record?
Since 2014, the BREW accelerator has supported dozens of early-stage water technology companies, offering mentorship, lab space, and introductions to pilot partners. The council publicly highlights alumni such as a water data analytics startup, but does not report aggregated metrics like total capital raised or valuation outcomes.
Who funds The Water Council's operations?
The council is funded through membership dues from corporations, universities, and government entities, sponsorship of its programs and events, and philanthropic grants. Specific donors or annual budget figures are not made public.
Is The Water Council a family office or philanthropy?
It is neither. The Water Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit industry cluster organization. It has no affiliation with a single family or endowment. Its founding was supported by the Bradley Foundation, a Milwaukee-based philanthropic foundation, among others.
What sectors within water technology does the council focus on?
The council's programs cover the full water value chain: water treatment and filtration, stormwater management, wastewater monitoring, digital water analytics, agricultural water efficiency, and industrial water reuse.
Does The Water Council help startups connect with investors?
Yes, but indirectly. The council provides matchmaking with corporate members and hosts pitch events during its annual Water Week conference. It does not arrange direct funding or manage an investor database.
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