LimnoTech
LimnoTech is a 100% employee-owned, Ann Arbor-based water science and engineering consulting firm that delivers surface water quality assessment, environmental modeling, and ecosystem management services to government, municipal, utility, energy, and NGO clients across the US and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LimnoTech does
LimnoTech is a water science and engineering consulting firm founded around 1976 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with a regional office in Oakdale, Minnesota. The firm provides surface water quality assessment, environmental modeling, water resource management, and ecosystem restoration services to federal, state, regional, and municipal government agencies; utilities; energy providers; engineering and consulting firms; environmental attorneys; non-governmental organizations; and education and research institutions. It is 100% employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), with no external parent or private equity ownership indicated.
The company's core offerings span 24 service areas including water quality monitoring, environmental observing and sensing, ecosystem modeling, water resources modeling, hydraulics and computational fluid dynamics, harmful algal bloom management, emerging contaminants/PFAS, contaminated sediments and sites, climate change resiliency, urban wet weather, and litigation support. Underlying technology includes proprietary and co-developed models and frameworks — notably the 3-Dimensional Lake Erie Ecosystem Model (LEEM), the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting 2.0 (VWBA 2.0) methodology developed with the World Resources Institute, and the Water Quality Benefit Accounting (WQBA) framework — together with custom environmental software development, wireless sensor/buoy networks, and decision-support tools such as the Water Prism Tool and NBS Benefits Explorer. In 2022, the firm spun out Freeboard Technology as a separate water-tech venture to commercialize water technology beyond the core practice.
LimnoTech operates as a project-based professional services business, generating revenue through multi-year contract engagements priced per scope with government, municipal, utility, and private-sector clients. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed through direct client engagement, RFP responses, conference presence (WEFTEC, IAGLR, World Water Week, SER), peer-reviewed publications, and long-standing institutional relationships with bodies such as USACE, the International Joint Commission, Alliance for Water Stewardship, and major universities. Leadership transitioned in 2022-2025 with Tim Dekker as CEO, Paul Freedman as Board Chairman, and Scott Bell as COO, positioning the firm for its 50th anniversary and continued expansion into adjacent verticals including data centers and corporate water stewardship.
LimnoTech firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LimnoTech
- Legal name
- LimnoTech
- Website
- https://limno.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- LimnoTech is a 100% employee-owned, Ann Arbor-based water science and engineering consulting firm that delivers surface water quality assessment, environmental modeling, and ecosystem management services to government, municipal, utility, energy, and NGO clients across the US and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LimnoTech industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Consulting
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Management Services (8741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation) (EUANAJAE), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ), Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)
Keywords
Where LimnoTech is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
LimnoTech business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Environmental Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for water resources, environmental engineering, ecosystem restoration, and related technical services. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts with government agencies, municipalities, utilities, and private sector clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
LimnoTech product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LimnoTech is a water science and engineering consulting firm that delivers environmental and water resources services to government agencies, municipalities, utilities, and private sector clients. Its practice spans water quality monitoring, watershed and ecosystem modeling, hydrology and computational fluid dynamics, environmental sensing, climate adaptation, contaminated site/sediment remediation, and water stewardship, supported by custom scientific software development and proprietary models such as LEEM, VWBA 2.0, and WQBA.
Product overview
LimnoTech is a water science and engineering consulting firm offering a portfolio of environmental services rather than a unified software product. Their core offerings include environmental consulting services across 24 service areas covering water quality monitoring, ecosystem modeling, water resources modeling, environmental sensing, climate adaptation, and contaminated site remediation. They develop specialized tools including the 3-Dimensional Lake Erie Ecosystem Model (LEEM), Water Quality Benefit Accounting (WQBA) framework, Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting 2.0 (VWBA 2.0) methodology, Water Prism decision support tool, and NBS Benefits Explorer. They also provide software application development and environmental data science services. In 2022, LimnoTech launched Freeboard Technology as a separate water-tech company venture. The firm operates primarily as a consulting practice serving clients across the US and internationally in sectors including data centers, energy providers, federal/state agencies, municipalities, and NGOs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Water Quality Monitoring
Companies that use LimnoTech
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LimnoTech technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
LimnoTech partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- World Resources InstitutecoreCollaboration on water benefit accounting methodologies including Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2.0 and Water Quality Benefit Accounting (WQBA) frameworks. LimnoTech co-developed these methodologies with WRI for quantifying and valuing water stewardship benefits.
- The Nature ConservancycoreCollaboration on biodiversity benefit accounting guidance for water stewardship projects. Joint development of frameworks for quantifying biodiversity benefits of water projects.
- Alliance for Water StewardshipcoreLimnoTech staff serve as trainers and co-teachers for AWS Water Stewardship Standard training programs, helping organizations implement water stewardship practices.
- US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)coreLong-standing partnership with USACE ERDC (Engineer Research and Development Center). Support for Engineering With Nature (EWN) program, development of ecosystem models, and monitoring technologies for Great Lakes.
- Pacific InstitutecoreCollaboration on United Nations CEO Water Mandate initiatives including Nature-Based Solutions for Watersheds benefit accounting guides.
- International Joint CommissioncoreOngoing science advisory and research support for Great Lakes water quality including Early Warning System development, ecosystem valuation studies, and microplastics monitoring.
- Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN)corePartner organization working on nature-based engineering solutions. LimnoTech staff present at N-EWN Partner Symposia on nature-based solutions.
- AECOMcorePartnership on Great Lakes projects including Early Warning System operationalization reports and related environmental consulting.
- University of MichigancoreCollaborative research and student mentorship including support for CEE Pelham Scholars Program, Urban Collaboratory Water and Energy Summit, and guest lectures.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LimnoTech competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stantec: Global engineering consulting firm with substantial water and environmental practices competing for similar municipal, federal, and water-stewardship engagements as LimnoTech.
- WSP Global: International professional services firm with established environmental and water-resources practices, frequently competing for the same large-scale U.S. federal and municipal contracts LimnoTech targets via partnerships.
- Environmental Resources Management (ERM): Global sustainability and environmental consulting firm with deep air, water, and ecological services overlap, comparable to LimnoTech for corporate, energy, and industrial environmental and compliance engagements.
- AECOM: Global engineering and environmental services giant; LimnoTech is explicitly a subcontract/partner on Great Lakes projects (Early Warning System), making AECOM both a collaborator and the dominant incumbent whose IDIQ vehicles set the competitive frame.
- Jacobs Solutions: Mega-cap engineering, environmental, and water-resources consultancy serving the same federal, state, and municipal clients as LimnoTech through much larger program-management contracts.
Direct peers
- CDM Smith: Privately held engineering consultancy with deep water, environmental, and transportation practices serving utilities, municipalities, and federal agencies, closely comparable to LimnoTech's public-sector-led services portfolio.
- Brown and Caldwell: Employee-owned environmental engineering and consulting firm focused on water, wastewater, and stormwater for utilities and municipalities, with comparable modeling and regulatory-compliance practice areas.
- Tetra Tech: Large publicly traded environmental and water-resources consulting firm offering modeling, watershed management, and ecosystem restoration services directly overlapping LimnoTech's core practice areas. Operates at much larger scale but pursues identical federal/state/municipal RFPs.
- Hazen and Sawyer: Employee-owned specialty water and wastewater engineering firm offering planning, modeling, and environmental services to municipal and federal clients; structurally similar to LimnoTech in ESOP ownership, mid-size scale, and water-niche focus.
Emerging players
- GHD: Global employee-owned engineering and environmental consultancy that competes for water, wastewater, and ecosystem projects in the U.S. market with a comparable mid-tier operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LimnoTech social profiles
Digital presenceLimnoTech financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LimnoTech leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
LimnoTech subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
LimnoTech funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LimnoTech M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LimnoTech
What does LimnoTech do?
LimnoTech is a water science and engineering consulting firm that delivers environmental and water resources services to government agencies, municipalities, utilities, and private sector clients. Its practice spans water quality monitoring, watershed and ecosystem modeling, hydrology and computational fluid dynamics, environmental sensing, climate adaptation, contaminated site/sediment remediation, and water stewardship, supported by custom scientific software development and proprietary models such as LEEM, VWBA 2.0, and WQBA.
Is LimnoTech a public or private company?
LimnoTech is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was LimnoTech founded?
LimnoTech was founded in 1976. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is LimnoTech based?
LimnoTech is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does LimnoTech make money?
One revenue line is on record: environmental Consulting Services.
Who are LimnoTech's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stantec, WSP Global, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), AECOM and Jacobs Solutions. Direct peers are CDM Smith, Brown and Caldwell, Tetra Tech and Hazen and Sawyer. GHD is listed as an emerging player.
Does LimnoTech have an API?
No public API is recorded for LimnoTech.
What industry is LimnoTech in?
LimnoTech's product category is Environmental and Water Resources Engineering Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAD, Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of EUANAJAE, Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation). Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8700.