CD3

What CD3 does

CD3 (legally CD3, General Benefit Corporation) is a Minneapolis-based manufacturer founded in 2016 that develops waterless, self-service cleaning systems for preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as zebra mussels, starry stonewort, hydrilla, milfoil, curly pondweed, and frogbit. The company's product line consists of four station models — the CD3 Wayside Solar, CD3 Mobile Trailer, CD3 Outpost, and CD3 Roadside — built on a shared platform combining wet/dry vacuum, blower, tethered hand tools, lighting, and cloud-connected monitoring that logs tool use, generates automated reports, and issues maintenance alerts. Solar-powered and off-grid-capable configurations extend deployment to remote boat launches. CD3 sells primarily to federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies, including USFWS, Wisconsin, Hennepin County, the Gun Lake Tribe, NH LAKES, and the Pearl River Water Supply District, and is GSA Contract Holder 47QSWA20D00AU.

The business model is predominantly hardware sales to government buyers via direct sales and GSA procurement, supplemented by a recurring annual Operations & Maintenance subscription averaging approximately $1,500 per unit per year (weighted ~85% software/services and ~15% pump-out and tool replacement). Pricing for the units themselves is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company also operates an online store for replacement parts and has begun extending into software with a Check-In & Check-Out web hub. CD3 has deployed units across 29 US states and 4 Canadian provinces and is recognized by NAISMA, the North American Lake Management Society, the Minnesota Cup (2018 winner), and the Tekne Awards (2019 finalist).

Operationally, CD3 is a small team (1-10 employees) led by partners Edgar Rudberg, Ph.D., and Mark Apfelbacher, MLA/LEED AP, with Jake Utrie as VP of Operations. No institutional funding rounds are disclosed, and the company is structured as a General Benefit Corporation balancing profit with social and environmental mission. Customers have sole-sourced CD3 Systems, and independently reported outcomes include a 70% reduction in AIS violations (Hennepin County research) and 78%/82% boater ease/repeat-use ratings, supporting the value proposition of self-service, 24/7/365 infrastructure as a cost-efficient alternative to staffed inspection stations.

Name

CD3

Legal name

CD3, General Benefit Corporation

Website

https://cd3systems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CD3 is a Minneapolis-based manufacturer of waterless, self-service, cloud-connected cleaning systems sold to government agencies to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species at boat launches across 29 US states and 4 Canadian provinces.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Equipment

NAICS

Marinas (71393)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Fleet/Vehicle & Equipment Exterior Washing (Residential/Light Commercial) (HSAEAMAL)

Keywords

• Aquatic invasive species prevention
• Waterless cleaning systems
• Boat decontamination equipment
• Self-service cleaning stations
• Invasive species management

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment sales: CD3 manufactures and sells waterless cleaning systems for aquatic invasive species prevention. Federal, state, and local government agencies procure the systems, with GSA contract availability for government buyers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CD3 designs, manufactures, and sells waterless, boater-operated cleaning systems used at boat launches to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Its core product family — Wayside Solar, Mobile Trailer, Outpost, and Roadside — combines wet/dry vacuums, blower systems, tethered hand tools, lighting, and cloud-connected monitoring into self-service stations that operate 24/7/365. Units are sold primarily to government agencies managing waterways, with an annual Operations & Maintenance subscription covering software, analytics, pump-outs, and tool replacement.

Product overview

CD3 offers a portfolio of waterless, self-serve, boater-operated cleaning systems designed to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. The product line consists of four core station models: the CD3 Wayside Solar (solar-powered for high-traffic sites), CD3 Mobile Trailer (portable unit with wheels and storage), CD3 Outpost (compact solar option for smaller areas), and CD3 Roadside (basic model with lockable reel tools). All units share the CD3 Waterless Cleaning Systems platform, which includes a wet/dry vacuum, blower system, tethered hand tools, lights, and internet-connected monitoring software that logs tool use, provides automated reports, and sends maintenance alerts. The systems are manufactured in Minnesota and sold to government agencies and private organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CD3 Wayside Solar: Solar powered unit for sites with roughly 100 boat visits per day
• CD3 Mobile Trailer
• CD3 Outpost
• CD3 Roadside

Products and services

• CD3 Wayside Solar Solar-powered waterless cleaning station designed for boat-launch sites with approximately 100 visits per day, featuring internet-connected monitoring for use tracking and maintenance alerts; sold to government agencies managing aquatic invasive species.
• CD3 Mobile Trailer Mobile waterless cleaning unit with ratchet-down base, removable wheels, and storage deck, enabling transportable invasive species prevention across multiple boat-launch or access sites; sold to government agencies and water-management programs.
• CD3 Outpost Compact solar-powered waterless cleaning station with solar-powered lighting, best suited for smaller or overflow boat launch areas; sold to government agencies managing low-to-moderate traffic aquatic sites.
• CD3 Roadside Waterless cleaning station featuring two hand tools of choice on lockable reels, providing basic boater-operated cleaning capabilities for invasive species prevention at access points.
• Annual Operations & Maintenance Subscription Annual subscription averaging approximately $1,500 per year per larger unit (~85% software-related and ~15% pump-outs and tool replacement), providing cloud-based reporting, maintenance alerts, pump-outs, and tool replacement for installed CD3 Systems; sold to government agencies and organizations operating CD3 units.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% decrease in AIS violations without inspectors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is a global environmental consulting firm that supports federal and state agencies on invasive species, water resources, and ecological projects. Comparable to CD3 at the customer level (state/federal agencies) though at vastly different scale and service mix.
• AECOM: AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting firm providing environmental and water resource services, including on aquatic invasive species projects for state and federal clients. Comparable as an incumbent serving the same government agency customers, though CD3 operates at a far smaller scale in a specialized niche.
• SOLitude Lake Management: SOLitude provides comprehensive lake, pond, and watershed management services — including AIS monitoring and control — to municipalities, HOAs, and golf courses across the US. Comparable to CD3 as an end-to-end AIS management provider targeting the same government and community buyer segments.
• Davey Tree Expert Company (Lake Management Division): Davey Tree acquired SOLitude Lake Management and now operates the largest US lake management practice, offering AIS control services to municipal and commercial clients. Comparable to CD3 as a scaled incumbent in lake and invasive species management with government procurement relationships.

Direct peers

• EnviroScience, Inc. EnviroScience delivers environmental consulting, fisheries, and aquatic invasive species management services for state agencies, hydropower operators, and municipalities. Comparable to CD3 as an AIS solutions provider working with the same state, tribal, and federal agency customers.
• SePRO Corporation: SePRO is a specialty solutions provider for aquatic plant management and invasive species control, addressing the same problem CD3 targets — preventing the spread of invasive species — but primarily through chemical and biological treatments rather than watercraft decontamination hardware. Highly comparable as an AIS solutions provider selling to the same agency buyers.
• Clean-Flo Laboratories: Clean-Flo manufactures lake aeration, circulation, and water-quality equipment used in lake management and AIS mitigation across the US. Comparable to CD3 as a niche equipment provider serving lake managers, conservation districts, and government water programs with specialized lake/aquatic infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CD3Systems
• Instagraminstagram.com/cd3systems

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CD3