Cleveland Water Alliance

What Cleveland Water Alliance does

Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, that operates as the principal connector of the Great Lakes regional water innovation ecosystem. Its core technical asset is the Smart Lake Erie Watershed Initiative, a 7,750+ square mile LoRaWAN telecommunications network that hosts smart sensor buoys collecting approximately 10 million water quality data points annually across wave height, water temperature, wind speed, pH, toxins, and dissolved oxygen, with text-message accessible real-time queries. The organization layers on this network a portfolio of programs: the Water Accelerator Testbeds (real-world testing environments including offshore Lake Erie, inland waters, and a buried Lead Service Line Research Facility), the Freshwater Innovation Fund (early-stage direct investment, capitalized via an EDA Build To Scale grant), an Open Innovation challenge program, and the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (16 standardized volunteer monitoring programs).

The business model is nonprofit, with revenue derived from federal and state grants (EDA, NSF, DOE, EPA, Great Lakes Protection Fund), membership and partnership fees, and sponsorship rather than commercial product sales; the $6M+ in regional water technology investment CWA has attracted and the $500k+ in direct early-stage investments position the organization as a regional economic development catalyst. CWA centrally connects a network comprising 200+ water industry partners, 30+ utility partners, and 23 research institutions. Customer/stakeholder segments span municipal water utilities (Cleveland Water, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Avon Lake Regional Water), universities (Case Western Reserve, University of Toledo, Baldwin Wallace, Cleveland State, Wayne State, Drexel, Heidelberg), federal and state agencies (US EPA, Ohio EPA, NSF, DOE, EDA), international technology providers (Techwin from South Korea, CSignum from Scotland), and a portfolio of water technology startups (CLEANR, CoreWater, Blues, Solinas Technologies). Distribution and go-to-market operate through direct partnership engagement, hosted and attended industry events (AWWA ACE, IAGLR, WEFTEC, IFAT Munich, Singapore International Water Week, SXSW), the Pilot Partner Circular newsletter, and structured programs such as the Gener8tor Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator ($13.4M).

Productized capabilities include the Smart Buoys, LoRaWAN connectivity infrastructure, Lead Service Line Research Facility, Freshwater Innovation Fund, Open Innovation challenges, and LEVSN standards. AI features are deployed at the sensor level (ML-driven HAB species identification, AI-enabled continuous microbial monitoring, predictive trend analysis) but are sourced primarily through partner sensor vendors rather than in-house model development. The company is led by President & CEO Bryan Stubbs, who was appointed shortly after inception and has driven the organization's growth into a recognized Great Lakes water innovation hub, supported by recent governance additions (board members Abhishek Sharda and Maria Bocanegra) and external recognition including Crain's Power 150 (2024) and The Guardian coverage (2025).

Name

Cleveland Water Alliance

Legal name

Cleveland Water Alliance

Website

https://clevelandwateralliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cleveland Water Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit economic development organization that operates a 7,750+ square mile LoRaWAN smart buoy network on Lake Erie and a Water Accelerator Testbed program, connecting water technology startups, utilities, universities, and government agencies across the Great Lakes region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Innovation Ecosystem Services

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Network Monitoring & Smart Water Sensors (Pressure/Flow/Noise Loggers, IoT) (EUANAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water & Wastewater Utility IoT (SCADA, Leak/Quality Monitoring) (EUADAPAK), Online Monitoring, Sensors & Instrumentation (SCADA-integrated analyzers, probes, samplers) (EUANAJAC), Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water) (EUAHACAC), Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Freshwater monitoring infrastructure
• Water technology testbeds
• Water quality sensors
• Nonprofit water innovation
• Smart buoy networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Nonprofit/Economic Development: CWA operates as a 501(c)(3) economic development nonprofit organization. Revenue appears to come from grants, federal and state funding, membership/partnership fees, and sponsorship. The organization focuses on regional economic development through water innovation rather than commercial product revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cleveland Water Alliance operates the Smart Lake Erie Watershed, a 7,750+ square mile LoRaWAN telecommunications network with smart sensor buoys that generate 10 million data points annually for real-time water quality monitoring across Lake Erie. It runs the Water Accelerator Testbeds, providing real-world testing environments for water technology innovators, including the Lead Service Line Research Facility. The organization manages the Freshwater Innovation Fund for early-stage water technology investment and convenes an ecosystem of 200+ water industry partners, 30+ utility partners, and 23 research institutions.

Product overview

Cleveland Water Alliance is a nonprofit economic development organization that accelerates water innovation in the Great Lakes region. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs anchored by the Smart Lake Erie Watershed Initiative - a 7,750+ square mile telecommunications network with smart buoys - and the Water Accelerator Testbeds network that provides real-world testing environments for water technologies. These core offerings are supplemented by the Freshwater Innovation Fund for direct investment, an Open Innovation challenge program, and the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network for standardized citizen science data collection. The ecosystem enables water technology companies to develop, test, and commercialize solutions using CWA's infrastructure including smart buoys, sensor networks, the Lead Service Line Research Facility, and LoRaWAN connectivity. CWA centrally connects 200+ water industry partners, 30+ utility partners, and 23 research institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Smart Lake Erie Watershed Initiative A 7,750+ square mile LoRaWAN telecommunications network with smart buoys providing real-time water quality monitoring across Lake Erie — generating 10 million data points annually on E. coli, algal blooms, turbidity, water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, toxins, wind speed, and wave height. Accessible via Text-a-Buoy SMS. Targets utilities, researchers, and water managers.
• Water Accelerator Testbeds A network of real-world testing environments including offshore buoy platforms, inland lakes, streams, and the Lead Service Line Research Facility, enabling water technology innovators to trial and validate technologies with deployment site matching, connectivity infrastructure, and end-user introductions. Targets water technology startups and innovators.
• Freshwater Innovation Fund An early-stage investment fund providing direct funding to water technology startups. The fund has directly invested nearly $500k in early-stage innovation. Targets water technology startups and innovators seeking commercialization capital.
• Open Innovation Program A challenge-based innovation program identifying critical market gaps in water technology and seeking solutions from the global market. Past challenges have focused on lead service line detection without excavation. Targets global water technology innovators.
• Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN) A collaboration of 16 local water quality monitoring programs that publishes standards for volunteer-collected data to build credible, regional datasets for monitoring water quality across the Lake Erie Basin. Targets researchers, community organizations, and government agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ technology trials completed or underway demonstrating commercial readiness of water innovations
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered featured partner, core partner, flagship and minor.

• Moenfeatured partnerTechnology or IntegrationFeatured partner logo displayed on CWA website; Moen is a leading brand in water technology for residential and commercial applications.
• YSI (Xylem brand)featured partnerTechnology or IntegrationFeatured partner logo displayed on CWA website; YSI is a manufacturer of water quality sensors and monitoring equipment.
• Kineticofeatured partnerTechnology or IntegrationFeatured partner logo displayed on CWA website; Kinetico manufactures water softeners and filtration systems.
• Xylemfeatured partnerTechnology or IntegrationFeatured partner logo displayed on CWA website; Xylem is a global water technology company providing water and wastewater solutions.
• Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer Districtcore partnerTechnology or IntegrationFeatured partner logo displayed on CWA website; regional sewer district focused on water quality protection.
• Freeboard Technology (subsidiary of LimnoTech)core partnerTechnology or IntegrationOhio-based company responsible for maintaining portions of the telecommunications network and offshore buoys. Ed Verhamme serves as Principal at LimnoTech and President of Freeboard Technology. Freeboard handles deployment, maintenance, and troubleshooting of monitoring technology.
• Case Western Reserve Universitycore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWRU hosts gateway radios on their Cleveland campus and partners through ISSACS (Institute for Smart, Secure, and Connected Systems) Professional Services Group for network testing. CWRU alumni launched CLEANR microplastic filtration technology with CWA support.
• University of Toledo Lake Erie Centercore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGateway radio installation site for the Smart Lake Erie Wireless Network, extending telecommunications coverage along Lake Erie.
• Great Lakes RENEW (NSF Regional Innovation Engine)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix-state collaboration including CWA as key technology pilot partner in NSF-funded project. CWA's testbed assets contribute to creating a connected testbed network for water technology innovation. Project secured up to $160 million in NSF funding.
• Gener8tor (Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator)core partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWA serves as key partner in Gener8tor's $13.4M Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator, connecting startups with testing facilities, industry networks, and resources across the Great Lakes region.
• Avon Lake Regional Watercore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner site for piloting cutting-edge water treatment technologies. Avon Lake Regional Water is testing the first electrochemical water treatment process in North America through partnership with South Korean company Techwin.
• Techwin (South Korea)core partnerTechnology or IntegrationSouth Korean technology company partnered with CWA and Avon Lake Regional Water to bring electrochemical water treatment technology to North America for the first time.
• Wayne State Universitycore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution for $1.1M microplastics monitoring project with CWA as team member. Partnership funded by Great Lakes Protection Fund to develop microplastic testing tools.
• Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reservecore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal-world testbed for stress-testing and advancing innovative water quality monitoring technologies. Host site for winter water monitoring technology deployments including CSignum trials.
• Cleveland Watercore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic utility owning the Lead Service Line Research Facility where CWA facilitates testing of non-invasive lead pipe detection technologies. Cleveland Water maintains over 400,000 service lines.
• Cleveland Metroparkscore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner host site for technology deployments including Cleveland State University's E. coli monitoring sensor at Garfield Park Pond.
• Baldwin Wallace Universitycore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering students provided CWA buoy data for Marine Energy Collegiate Competition prototype design. Won 2025 national competition. Ongoing collaboration on interdisciplinary water quality studies.
• CLEANR (Case Western Reserve University startup)core partnerTechnology or IntegrationCWA connected CLEANR with partners to help advance their microplastic filtration technology for washing machines, achieving over 90% efficiency in removing microplastics. CLEANR launched consumer filters with CWA support.
• CoreWatercore partnerTechnology or IntegrationOberlin startup developing Core+ technology to remove PFAS 'forever chemicals' from drinking water. CWA helped secure $1.3M in investment through strategic connections with industry partners.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agencycore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Electric Cell Lysis field trials to treat manure lagoons and reduce phosphorus losses contributing to harmful algal blooms. EPA partnered with Ohio EPA through H2Ohio Technology Assessment Program.
• Ohio EPAcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on field trials of innovative technologies to reduce phosphorus losses. Collaborates through H2Ohio Technology Assessment Program established in 2020.
• Heidelberg University National Center for Water Quality Researchcore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Electric Cell Lysis project providing water quality expertise and analysis.
• Blues (IoT connectivity provider)core partnerTechnology or IntegrationInnovator in CWA's network providing IoT connectivity solutions. Blues utilized CWA's testbed network to trial and advance their technology, and subsequently secured $25 million funding round led by Sequoia Capital.
• Drexel Universitycore partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for stress wave propagation technology to detect lead service lines without excavation. CWA connected Drexel with Prodigy Product Development for prototyping support.
• Solinas Technologiescore partnerTechnology or IntegrationPartner developing acoustic vibration signature technology for lead service line detection. CWA supported through Open Innovation Challenge and access to Lead Service Line Research Facility.
• Current (Chicago water hub)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead technology pilot partner in Current's NSF-funded Great Lakes RENEW Water Innovation Partnership securing up to $45 million. CWA named key partner in this six-state collaboration.
• Love Windermere Partnership (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based partnership meeting with CWA for exchange on innovation, community priorities, and shared challenges faced by freshwater ecosystems.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• US Water Alliance: National nonprofit focused on advancing U.S. water policy and innovation through cross-sector collaboration. Highly comparable to CWA as both are nonprofit water alliances that convene utilities, industry, and government to drive water sector transformation.
• Current (Chicago Water Hub): Chicago-based water innovation hub that leads the NSF-funded Great Lakes RENEW partnership. Directly comparable as a regional water innovation accelerator and a direct collaborator/competitor for federal water tech funding and corporate partnerships.
• Imagine H2O: Global water innovation accelerator that supports water startups from pilot to scale. Closely comparable business model — connecting innovators with utilities for testing, validation, and commercialization — but operating at a broader geographic scope.
• WaterStart: Nevada-based water innovation cluster that connects technology companies with water utilities for testing and adoption. Comparable as a regional testbed-and-accelerator model targeting utility end-users for emerging water technologies.
• BLUE Tech Valley Cluster: California-based cluster advancing blue-technology innovation including water and ocean economy startups. Comparable in function as a regional water innovation cluster but focused on the West Coast and ocean-related opportunities.

Broad incumbents

• The Water Research Foundation: Large, established water research nonprofit that funds and manages collaborative water research for utilities globally. Comparable in the research/utility-convening space but at significantly greater scale and with a global research mandate rather than regional testbed focus.
• Xylem: Global water technology leader providing smart metering, network monitoring, and water quality solutions. Directly comparable in smart water sensors and utility IoT but at massive global scale; CWA's featured partner YSI is an Xylem brand.
• SUEZ / Veolia Water Technologies: Global water and wastewater utility services and technology giant. Comparable as a comprehensive water monitoring and treatment provider but with a much broader utility-services portfolio than CWA's innovation-focused nonprofit model.

Emerging players

• LimnoTech: Water quality science and engineering firm that maintains portions of CWA's telecom network via its Freeboard Technology subsidiary. Comparable as a water monitoring and sensor technology firm, though operating as a commercial consulting/services business rather than a nonprofit convener.

Regional players

• WaterAid: International nonprofit focused on water access and sanitation in developing countries. Comparable as a water-focused nonprofit ecosystem builder, but operates internationally on WASH access rather than U.S. freshwater innovation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CLEH2OAlliance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@clevelandwateralliance
• Facebookfacebook.com/clevelandwateralliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleveland-water-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cleveland Water Alliance