AquaAction
AquaAction is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs free water-tech entrepreneurship accelerators (AquaHacking, AquaEntrepreneur), an alumni network (AquaNation), and a national Water Literacy Project, serving students, Indigenous communities, and water-tech ventures across Quebec, the Great Lakes basin, and the Canadian Prairies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What AquaAction does
AquaAction is a Canadian and US registered nonprofit (founded 2015, headquartered in Montreal) that operates a portfolio of interconnected freshwater-innovation programs rather than a commercial product. Its core offering is the AquaHacking Challenge, a free entrepreneurship accelerator that turns early-stage water-tech ideas into ventures by providing mentorship, training, tools, and seed funding of up to $70,000 per cohort. The flagship challenge is delivered in regional formats spanning Quebec, the binational Great Lakes and St. Lawrence basin, and the Prairies (Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan), with the 2026 binational edition targeting 1,000+ applicants. Complementary programs include AquaEntrepreneur, a 10-month commercialization track for Quebec water-tech companies; AquaNation, an alumni and youth network; and the Water Literacy Project, a national K-12 education initiative launched in March 2026 with Canadian Geographic and the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Revenue mechanics are nonprofit-based: charitable donations, foundation and corporate sponsorship (de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation as founder; RBC Tech for Nature, Ovivo, KPMG, Xylem among corporate backers), and government grants (notably $635,296 from Environment and Climate Change Canada's Climate Action and Awareness Fund). The organization is governed independently of venture or private equity capital and reports cumulative impact metrics of 120+ portfolio companies, 900+ new jobs in the blue economy, and 140,000+ Olympic pools of water saved, with $270M+ cited as annual revenue generated by portfolio companies. GTM is community-led and event-driven, with free program participation driving top-of-funnel awareness, multi-channel content marketing, and high-visibility Grand Finale pitch events converting participants into the alumni ecosystem.
AquaAction firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AquaAction
- Legal name
- AquaAction
- Website
- https://aquaaction.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AquaAction is a Canadian nonprofit founded in 2015 that runs free water-tech entrepreneurship accelerators (AquaHacking, AquaEntrepreneur), an alumni network (AquaNation), and a national Water Literacy Project, serving students, Indigenous communities, and water-tech ventures across Quebec, the Great Lakes basin, and the Canadian Prairies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where AquaAction is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montréal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
AquaAction business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations: Registered charity in Canada (#79 333 5498 RR 0001) and US (52-1273585). Accepts donations from individuals and organizations supporting freshwater conservation.
- Foundation & Corporate Sponsorship: Funding from established foundations (de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation), corporations (RBC Tech For Nature, Ovivo), and corporate sponsors for specific programs and challenges.
- Government Grants: Federal and provincial government funding including Climate Action and Awareness Fund ($635,296), Canada Water Agency, NRCAN, and regional economic development agencies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Other | Free participation in AquaHacking Challenge |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
AquaAction product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AquaAction is a registered nonprofit charity that runs free entrepreneurship and commercialization programs (AquaHacking Challenge, AquaEntrepreneur, AquaNation, Water Literacy Project) to develop leaders and water-tech ventures addressing freshwater challenges. The organization provides mentorship, training, tools, and seed funding to participants while operating as a charity funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.
Product overview
AquaAction operates a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on freshwater innovation and entrepreneurship. The core offerings include: (1) AquaHacking Challenge - a free entrepreneurship program turning early-stage water-tech ideas into real-world solutions for students and innovators; (2) AquaEntrepreneur Program - a 10-month commercialization accelerator for established water-tech ventures; (3) AquaNation - an alumni network and youth engagement program; and (4) Water Literacy Project - a national education initiative for Canadian youth. The programs are sequenced to support innovators from ideation through commercialization, with AquaHacking serving as the entry point for students and emerging innovators, AquaNation providing ongoing alumni support, and AquaEntrepreneur helping later-stage ventures scale. Water Rangers, the inaugural AquaHacking winner, has become a prominent water monitoring organization that AquaAction continues to support as exclusive sponsor of the Watershed Reports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- AquaHacking Challenge A free entrepreneurship program that helps students and young innovators turn early-stage water-tech ideas into real-world solutions. Participants receive mentorship, training, tools, and seed funding. No prior entrepreneurial experience required.
- AquaEntrepreneur Program A 10-month commercialization program for established water-tech ventures ready to scale. Provides strategic coaching, pilot projects, visibility, and technical guidance. Strengthens competitiveness of Quebec water technology companies through AquaAction's network of partners and investors.
- AquaNation
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $270M in annual revenue generated by portfolio companies
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use AquaAction
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
AquaAction technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature2 records
AquaAction partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, premier, silver, co-host and core.
- Canadian GeographicmajorWater Literacy Project partner in first-ever national initiative to engage Canadian youth and educators in water stewardship during Canada Water Week.
- Canadian Museum of NaturemajorWater Literacy Project partner contributing to national water literacy initiative with educational resources and museum programming.
- Bedrock's Urban Tech XchangepremierPremiere partner for AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes 2026 Challenge; hosted launch event in Detroit on February 2, 2026.
- Detroit/Wayne County Port AuthoritymajorIndustry sponsor for AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes 2026 Challenge supporting water innovation in the Great Lakes region.
- KPMGsilverSilver sponsor for AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes 2026 Challenge providing professional services and mentorship support.
- XylemsilverSilver sponsor for AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes 2026 Challenge; water technology company providing industry expertise.
- Alberta Innovatesco-hostCo-host of AquaHacking Prairies Challenge; provincial innovation agency providing regional expertise, funding, and leadership for water innovation in Alberta.
- Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER)co-hostCo-host of AquaHacking Prairies Challenge; national Indigenous organization leading design of Two-Eyed Seeing approach integrating Indigenous knowledge.
- WWF-CanadamajorTransitioned stewardship of Watershed Reports to Water Rangers; AquaAction serves as exclusive sponsor supporting the transition and 2024 report creation.
- Water RangersmajorFirst AquaHacking winner (2015) now steward of WWF-Canada's Watershed Reports; exclusive sponsorship from AquaAction supporting national water monitoring.
- Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & PremierscoreBinational organization co-hosting the most ambitious AquaHacking Challenge yet; amplifies program impact and provides unprecedented support across Great Lakes region.
- Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities InitiativecoreBinational organization co-hosting AquaHacking Challenge; provides visibility, collaboration opportunities, and access to municipalities across the region.
- Glencore CanadamajorLandmark partnership announced to advance sustainable water solutions through collaborative innovation initiatives.
- CTEAUmajorPartnership to stimulate entrepreneurship in the water sector; expands deployment opportunities for water-tech innovations in Quebec.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AquaAction competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Water.org: Global nonprofit co-founded by Matt Damon and Gary White focused on water access and sanitation financing - comparable charity-status scale and water-mission framing, though focused on international development rather than Canadian water-tech venture creation.
- WaterAid: International nonprofit focused on clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in 22 countries - operates with similar charity/donor-funding model and water mission, but at global development scale rather than water-tech innovation.
Direct peers
- Water First Education & Training Inc. Canadian nonprofit focused on Indigenous youth water stewardship training and drinking water operator certification - shares AquaAction's Canadian charity status, Indigenous partnership orientation, and water-literacy mission.
- Imagine H2O: San Francisco-based water-tech innovation accelerator running annual challenges, mentorship, and pilot programs for water startups - the closest analog to AquaAction's AquaHacking/AquaEntrepreneur model in the US market.
- The Water Council: Milwaukee-based global water cluster running the WAVE (Water Accelerated Venture Encouragement) program and BREW (Business Research Entrepreneurship in Water) accelerator, with similar water-tech venture pipeline and corporate partner model.
Others
- MaRS Discovery District: Toronto-based innovation hub running cleantech and water venture support programs - operates in the same Canadian nonprofit/charity-supported accelerator category but spans multiple sectors beyond water.
- CleanTech Open: US-based cleantech accelerator with water as one of several verticals - comparable challenge-program and mentor-network model, but broader sector scope and fee/equity participation rather than purely donation-funded.
Emerging players
- Engineers Without Borders Canada: Canadian nonprofit deploying technical talent to water, agriculture, and energy innovation programs - shares the Canadian charity status, youth-driven talent engagement, and water-sector focus though with international development bent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AquaAction social profiles
Digital presenceAquaAction financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AquaAction leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AquaAction funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AquaAction 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 AquaAction
What does AquaAction do?
AquaAction is a registered nonprofit charity that runs free entrepreneurship and commercialization programs (AquaHacking Challenge, AquaEntrepreneur, AquaNation, Water Literacy Project) to develop leaders and water-tech ventures addressing freshwater challenges. The organization provides mentorship, training, tools, and seed funding to participants while operating as a charity funded by donations, corporate sponsorships, and government grants.
Is AquaAction a public or private company?
AquaAction is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AquaAction founded?
AquaAction was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AquaAction based?
AquaAction is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does AquaAction make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation & Corporate Sponsorship and government Grants.
Who are AquaAction's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Water.org and WaterAid. Direct peers are Water First Education & Training Inc., Imagine H2O and The Water Council. Others are MaRS Discovery District and CleanTech Open. Engineers Without Borders Canada is listed as an emerging player.
Does AquaAction have an API?
No public API is recorded for AquaAction.