WaterVent

What WaterVent does

WaterVent is a Berlin-headquartered deal-making platform dedicated exclusively to water technology, founded in February 2010 by Ulf Leonhard and operated through Leonhard Ventures (Ulf Leonhard e.K., a sole proprietorship registered in Potsdam, Germany). The company runs curated matching forums — typically two per year — in Potsdam (European Water Tech Hub) and San Francisco (Global Innovation Hub), structured around an interactive matching protocol in which a minimum of 50% of presentations come from entrepreneurs actively seeking funding or clients. The 32nd forum was held in San Francisco on October 24, 2025; the 33rd (Potsdam, May 28, 2026) and 34th (San Francisco, October 8, 2026) are scheduled.

The platform layers an AI Concierge Service on top of its proprietary 37,500+ contact database, generating curated recommendations by attendance category, technology cluster, and market sector. Supporting digital touchpoints include a webinar program (12 webinars since 2020 with 2,800+ participants) and a 22,000-contact LinkedIn network, 80% of which is water-related. Strategic ecosystem partners include Xylem, WIPO Green, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Aqseptence Group, BÜFA Group, Global Water Advisors, WaterCitizen, and WaterPitch (produced with USEPA Cincinnati Labs and DC Water).

WaterVent monetizes primarily through forum registration fees (priced in EUR for European events and USD for US events), corporate sponsorships for individual editions (e.g., BÜFA Group hosted the 31st forum), and premium services tied to the AI Concierge and curated matchmaking. Reported outcomes include $360M in cumulative negotiations facilitated and 1,300 serious leads acquainted. The company employs 1–10 people, has no institutional funding or parent company, and serves three primary customer segments: water tech startups and innovators, water tech investors (VC, CVC, PE), and industrial water users and corporates.

Name

WaterVent

Legal name

Leonhard Ventures, Ulf Leonhard e.K.

Website

https://watervent.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WaterVent is a Berlin-based deal-making platform that runs curated water technology matching forums in Potsdam and San Francisco, connecting water tech startups with investors and industrial corporate users through an AI-assisted matchmaking protocol since 2010.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Technology Matchmaking Forums

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Water tech matching forums
• Water technology deal-making
• Curated matchmaking events
• Water innovation networking
• Venture capital forums

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Forum Registration Fees: WaterVent generates revenue through participant registration fees for its curated matching forums. Registration is offered in different currencies (EUR for European events, USD for US events).
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate partners sponsor specific forum editions, such as the 31st WaterVent hosted at BÜFA Group headquarters, providing revenue through branded partnerships.
3. Premium Services: AI Concierge Service and curated recommendation lists for premium participants, particularly for startups seeking investor access.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WaterVent operates curated physical matching forums that connect water technology startups and innovators with investors (VCs, corporate venture arms, private equity) and industrial water users. Since 2010, the company has hosted 32+ global forums in key hubs (Potsdam, San Francisco, Berlin, NYC, Cincinnati) where at least 50% of presentations are by entrepreneurs seeking funding or clients. The platform includes an AI Concierge Service that provides curated matchmaking based on attendance categories, technology clusters, and market sectors, drawing on a proprietary database of 37,500+ curated contacts.

Product overview

WaterVent operates as a deal-making platform and matching forum for water technology innovation, investment, and customer acquisition. Founded in 2010 in Berlin, the company organizes physical and hybrid forum events connecting water tech startups with investors, corporate water users, and industry partners. The primary offering consists of curated matching forums where at least 50% of presentations are delivered by entrepreneurs seeking funding or clients, rather than passive keynote-driven conferences. The company provides an AI Concierge Service for curated recommendations and participant matching based on attendance categories, technology clusters, and market sectors. Event registrations are available for specific forums (Potsdam and San Francisco editions) with focus areas on capital flow, scale-ups, and VC/tech-disruption respectively.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WaterVent Advisors: Advisory services featuring water technology experts including Sally C. Gutierrez, Judith Herschell Cole, Ashley Boudet, Volkmar Kunerth, DrCat Shrier, and Bert Wank.
• WaterPitch

Products and services

• WaterVent Potsdam Forum

Quantifiable outcome

• $360M in negotiations reported through platform
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• XylemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in water technology. Xylem is a leading global water technology company providing innovative solutions across water and wastewater applications.
• WIPO GreencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations WIPO Green platform partner for sustainable technology transfer. WIPO is the World Intellectual Property Organization.
• Aqseptence GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner and host for WaterVent Advisors sessions. Aqseptence Group specializes in water treatment and engineered systems.
• BÜFA GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted 31st WaterVent at BÜFA headquarters in Oldenburg, Germany. BÜFA focuses on new chemistry, materials, and sustainable process technology.
• CannobecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCannobe KG is the operational entity for WaterVent matching services under Leonhard Ventures.
• Global Water AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Water Advisors provides industry expertise and introductions for WaterVent matching sessions. Led by Judith Herschell Cole.
• MoessleinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater consulting partner providing expertise and introductions in the German/Austrian water tech market.
• SWANminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Water Networks forum partner for water infrastructure and smart utility solutions.
• WaterPitchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual water startup matching event produced in collaboration with USEPA Cincinnati Labs and hosted by DC Water's HQO Events.
• WaterCitizencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterCitizen.Org provides educational media, programs and events for water professionals. Founded by DrCat Shrier, who produces WaterPitch.
• Stanford DOERR SCHOOL OF SUSTAINABILITYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing sustainability expertise and connections to Stanford's water tech ecosystem.
• Hanson Bridgett LLPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal partner providing IP guidance and founding advice for California-based water tech startups at San Francisco forums.
• GreenTec ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss clean tech consulting partner providing market intelligence and introductions.
• EWDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner from Boeblingen, Germany focused on water technology solutions.
• DEHOUSTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman water technology partner providing industry expertise and connections.
• WEX GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal water and energy exchange partner for cross-sector innovation matching.
• US-Saudi Water SummitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral water summit partnership connecting US and Saudi Arabian water technology ecosystems.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cleantech Group: Operates the global Cleantech Forum network connecting cleantech startups with investors and corporates through curated sector-specific events. Closest analog to WaterVent's curated forum model, just at the broader cleantech level.
• Pioneers: Vienna-based tech and deep tech matching forum (Pioneers500) connecting founders with investors through curated events. Operates a structurally similar curated-forum and matching model to WaterVent in adjacent verticals.
• The Water Council: Wisconsin-based water tech innovation hub that runs WaterWeek, the BREW accelerator, and curated investor-startup matching programs. Direct peer in water tech deal-making serving overlapping startup-investor-corporate audiences.
• BlueTech Forum: Water-tech focused event and innovation matching platform serving the European water sector. Direct peer in curated water startup-investor matching events, with similar niche-vertical focus.

Emerging players

• GreenBiz Group: Operates sustainability-focused conferences (GreenBiz) including water stewardship content. Adjacent player in sustainability event space with overlapping corporate sustainability audiences.

Others

• BloombergNEF: Provides research, data and investor briefings on clean energy, water, and climate investment markets. Not a direct competitor but an infrastructure provider informing the same investor ecosystem WaterVent serves.

Broad incumbents

• Web Summit: One of the world's largest tech conferences operating a structured deal-making and matchmaking platform (PITCH) connecting startups with investors. Broader incumbent in event-based capital introduction with similar B2B matchmaking DNA.
• Slush: Large-scale tech startup event in Helsinki connecting founders with investors. Operates a similar forum-driven deal-making model but at much larger scale across general tech verticals, with overlapping attendee base of deep tech founders.
• TechCrunch Disrupt: Major tech-startup conference with structured investor-startup matching and the Startup Battlefield competition. Larger incumbent with overlapping startup-investor audience but generalist tech focus.
• Aquatech Global Events: Major global water industry trade fair held in Amsterdam. Larger, broader incumbent in water sector events with a vendor-exhibition focus, but overlapping water tech attendee base with WaterVent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watervent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 WaterVent