What Current does

Current (legal name: Current Innovation, NFP) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 that operates as a neutral convener and program quarterback for water technology innovation across the U.S. Great Lakes region. It does not develop proprietary commercial water products; instead, it builds and coordinates a cross-sector coalition of 75+ partners including universities (Northwestern, University of Chicago, UIUC, UIC, Marquette, Purdue, University of Michigan), national labs (Argonne), utilities (MWRD, Chicago Department of Water Management, EJ Water Cooperative), startups, corporates (Exelon, Whirlpool, A.O. Smith, Sentry Equipment), workforce partners (HIRE360, City Colleges of Chicago, Project SYNCERE), and government agencies. Current's core offerings include Great Lakes RENEW (an NSF Regional Innovation Engine spanning six states with up to $160M in pledged federal funding), H2NOW Chicago (a real-time water quality monitoring platform with sensors in the Chicago and Calumet rivers), the Connected Testbed Network (utility and industrial pilot sites including the world's largest water filtration and wastewater treatment plants), the SBIR/STTR Accelerator for Water Tech Innovators, Blue EDU (K-12 educational resources), Chicago Water Week (annual convening), Third Coast Water Seminars (monthly virtual series), and a precision wastewater-based epidemiology program for public health surveillance.

The organization is funded primarily through federal grants (NSF, U.S. Department of Commerce), foundation grants (McKnight Foundation, Chicago Community Trust), corporate partnerships, and tax-deductible donations. It has helped raise over $76.4M directly and $123.2M collectively for regional water innovation. All core programs — accelerators, testbed access, workforce development, convenings — are delivered at no cost to participants, funded through grant dollars. The 110+ startups engaged, 19 R&D projects, 40+ pilots, 560 workers trained, and 1,650+ youth engaged reflect programmatic scale rather than commercial revenue.

Current's go-to-market is community-led, event-driven, and channel-partner-dependent: it convenes stakeholders through large-scale events (Chicago Water Week, Third Coast Water Seminars, Innovator Showcase) and distributes programming through the Great Lakes RENEW coalition and partner accelerators (mHUB, Entrepreneurs' Center, Nomadic Venture Partners). Headcount is small at approximately 12–15 staff, led by CEO Alaina Harkness, with a board chaired by McKinsey Senior Partner Venkat Atluri and including senior representatives from MWRD, Argonne, Northwestern, University of Chicago, UIUC, UIC, Exelon, Sentry Equipment, Mayer Brown, Brookings, and ClayCo.

Name

Current

Legal name

Current Innovation, NFP

Website

https://currentwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Current is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that convenes 75+ cross-sector partners across six Great Lakes states to accelerate water technology commercialization, lead the NSF-funded Great Lakes RENEW Engine, run real-time water quality monitoring (H2NOW Chicago), deliver the Connected Testbed Network, and operate no-cost accelerator, workforce, and convening programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Innovation Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Design & Engineering for Renewal/Expansion (Pipelines, Pump Stations, Treatment Plants) (EUANALAD), Water & Wastewater Infrastructure Asset Management (EUAEAMAH)

Keywords

• Water innovation hub
• Water technology commercialization
• Blue economy development
• Water quality monitoring
• Water sector partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding (Federal & State): Current's primary revenue is grant funding from federal agencies (NSF, U.S. Department of Commerce) and foundations. Major grants include NSF Great Lakes RENEW (up to $160M over 10 years, with nearly $60M committed to date), U.S. Department of Commerce funding for Upstream Illinois, and McKnight Foundation funding for the Illinois Nutrient Trading Initiative. Current has helped raise over $76.4M for regional water innovation.
2. Donations: Current is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. The organization's Federal Tax ID is 81-2620127. Donations fund operational activities and programs.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Current generates revenue through corporate partnerships and sponsorship arrangements with water technology companies, utilities, and other organizations engaged in the water sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Current is a nonprofit water innovation hub that convenes utilities, research institutions, startups, corporations, and government to accelerate commercialization of water technologies and develop blue-economy workforce pathways across the Great Lakes region. It leads Great Lakes RENEW, an NSF Regional Innovation Engine, and delivers programs including the SBIR/STTR Accelerator, the H2NOW Chicago real-time water quality monitoring platform, the Connected Testbed Network, Blue EDU K-12 resources, and the Wastewater Surveillance Program.

Product overview

Current is a nonprofit water innovation hub (not a software/SaaS company) offering a portfolio of programs, platforms, and initiatives rather than a unified software product. Its core technology platform is H2NOW Chicago, a real-time water quality monitoring system for Chicago-area rivers. The organization leads Great Lakes RENEW, an NSF-backed regional innovation engine spanning six states, which encompasses the Connected Testbed Network, the Innovative Water Technology Database, and multiple accelerator programs including the new SBIR/STTR Accelerator. Supporting offerings include Blue EDU (K-12 educational resources), Chicago Water Week (annual convening), and Third Coast Water Seminars (virtual research series). The Wastewater Surveillance Program provides public health monitoring services. These offerings are interconnected through shared infrastructure (testbeds, technology database) and a common mission to advance circular water economy solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Great Lakes RENEW: NSF Regional Innovation Engine focused on circular water solutions, recovering valuable resources and eliminating harmful contaminants from wastewater across the Great Lakes region.
• H2NOW Chicago
• Blue EDU
• SBIR/STTR Accelerator for Water Tech Innovators
• Innovative Water Technology Database

Products and services

• Great Lakes RENEW A National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine led by Current, uniting universities, startups, corporations, utilities, government agencies, and community organizations across six Great Lakes states to accelerate use-inspired research, workforce development, and commercialization of technologies that recover valuable resources and eliminate harmful contaminants from wastewater.
• H2NOW Chicago The first real-time water quality monitoring project in the U.S. that measures microbial pollutants in the Chicago and Calumet rivers. Uses sensing probes to estimate fecal coliform levels every 15 minutes, with data continuously published on a publicly accessible online platform. Functions as a weather app for Chicago's rivers, enabling informed decisions by kayakers and river users about water conditions.
• SBIR/STTR Accelerator for Water Tech Innovators A commercialization program designed to help water technology startups successfully compete for federal research and development funding through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Combines expert-led training, individualized coaching, and practical commercialization tools including market research, customer discovery, competitive positioning, and capital stack development.
• Blue EDU A compilation of educational resources on water topics for teachers and students, featuring lesson plans, teacher resources, student resources, and professional development materials across grades K-12, covering topics including water science, conservation, watersheds, and groundwater.
• Chicago Water Week An annual week-long event creating space for experts and the public to explore water from multiple perspectives including science, technology, policy, economic development, environmental impact, and community engagement. Features technical panels, seminars, research showcases, tours, and the flagship Freshwater Forum.
• Third Coast Water Seminars A free virtual seminar series bringing together researchers, technologists, industry leaders, and policymakers to address urgent water challenges and explore real-world solutions. First introduced in 2020, the series covers topics such as PFAS remediation, water reuse, nutrient recovery, and AI applications in water systems.
• Innovative Water Technology Database (WTD) A database maintained by Current that tracks innovative market-ready and emerging water technologies, characterized by function, type, applications, benefits, and challenges they address. Access available to all Current partners.
• Wastewater Surveillance Program Precision Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) integrated with public health planning and response, initially developed for COVID-19 surveillance in Chicago. Expanded to include influenza and RSV, with program sampling across six Healthy Chicago Equity Zones.
• Connected Testbed Network A network of utility and industrial sites that host technology pilots and demonstrations, including the world's largest water filtration plant and wastewater treatment plant in Chicago. Enables innovators to test water technologies in real-world conditions and accelerate path to market. The network has tracked 400+ emerging technologies and conducted 40+ pilots.

Quantifiable outcome

• 110+ water tech startups and companies engaged
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMWRDGC is a key demonstration partner, hosting technology pilots at the world's largest water reclamation plant (Stickney). The district also co-hosts H2NOW Chicago monitoring and wastewater surveillance programs, and MWRD Director John P. Murray serves on Current's Board.
• University of Chicago - Pritzker School of Molecular EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUChicago researchers (Dr. Junhong Chen, Dr. Seth Darling) lead key Great Lakes RENEW R&D projects including portable PFAS detection device development and intelligent sensor integration. Dr. Nadya Mason (Dean) and Dr. Eric Perreault (VP Research) serve on Current's Board.
• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthwestern researchers developed the patented PEARL sponge technology for phosphate recovery. Current's Scientific Leadership Committee includes Dr. Eric Perreault (VP Research) and Dr. George Wells. Northwestern hosts Third Coast Water Seminars.
• U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArgonne serves as a key research partner in Great Lakes RENEW, co-developing portable PFAS detection devices with UChicago and contributing to the Third Coast Water Seminar Series. Director Paul K. Kearns serves on Current's Board.
• University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUIUC researchers contribute to wastewater energy recovery and other R&D projects. Dr. Susan Martinis (Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation) and Dr. Jay Walsh (Interim VP for Economic Development) serve on Current's Board.
• University of Illinois at ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUIC contributes research capacity and was a partner in the COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program. Dr. Joanna Groden (Vice Chancellor for Research) serves on Current's Board.
• mHUBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnermHUB partnered with Current to launch the Sustainable Water Tech Accelerator, providing commercialization support for water technology startups. mHUB is a key partner in Great Lakes RENEW's accelerator ecosystem.
• Entrepreneurs' Center (EC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEC partnered with Current to deliver the SBIR/STTR Accelerator for Water Tech Innovators, providing specialized training, coaching, and commercialization support to help water startups compete for federal funding. EC has experience helping technology companies secure billions in follow-on funding.
• Nomadic Venture PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNomadic Venture Partners co-launched the Pilot Pathway Program for Mining Water Technology with Current in May 2025, supporting startups developing water technologies for mining applications.
• Cleveland Water AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCleveland Water Alliance partners with Current on the Connected Testbed Network, expanding pilot testing capabilities beyond Illinois to Ohio and the broader Great Lakes region.
• Chicago Department of Water ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Chicago operates the world's largest surface water treatment plant and is a demonstration partner for H2NOW Chicago. Commissioner Randy Connor serves as Ex Officio Board Member of Current.
• Purdue UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurdue University is a Research Consortium member and Scientific Leadership Committee participant in Great Lakes RENEW. Dr. Linda Lee serves on Current's Scientific Leadership Committee. Purdue collaborates with Northwestern on PEARL sponge technology.
• Marquette UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarquette University is a Research Consortium member. Dr. Daniel Zitomer serves on Current's Scientific Leadership Committee. Marquette collaborates with Rapid Radicals Technology on the Torrent3 wastewater treatment system pilot.
• University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Michigan is a Research Consortium member. Dr. Nancy Love serves on Current's Scientific Leadership Committee, contributing expertise in water technology and resource recovery.
• HIRE360coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIRE360 is a workforce development partner engaged in Great Lakes RENEW's blue economy workforce programs, helping train workers and connect them with water sector careers.
• ExelonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExelon is a partner on Great Lakes RENEW. Sunny Elebua (Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Exelon) serves on Current's Board as Strategic Adviser.
• WhirlpoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhirlpool is a partner on Great Lakes RENEW, contributing industry perspective on water-intensive manufacturing and technology needs.
• A.O. SmithminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA.O. Smith is a water technology company partner in Great Lakes RENEW, contributing commercialization and industry expertise.
• Sentry EquipmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSentry Equipment (Oconomowoc, WI) is a partner contributing water monitoring and sampling technology expertise. Brian Baker (President & CEO) serves on Current's Board.
• Discovery Partners Institute (DPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDPI partnered with Current on the COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program in Chicago in 2020, contributing research infrastructure and expertise.
• American Family InsuranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Family Insurance is listed as a Great Lakes RENEW partner, contributing to the diverse coalition of industry partners.
• Chicago State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago State University is a partner in Great Lakes RENEW's workforce and educational programming, contributing to blue economy career pathways.
• City Colleges of ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity Colleges of Chicago is a workforce development partner in Great Lakes RENEW, contributing to blue economy job training programs.
• Project SYNCEREminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject SYNCERE is a youth STEM partner in Great Lakes RENEW, helping engage students in water innovation pathways.
• TIES (Technology, Innovation, and Engineering Society)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTIES is a workforce and STEM education partner in Great Lakes RENEW, contributing to youth programming and blue economy career development.
• OAI (Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAI is a workforce development partner in Great Lakes RENEW, helping train workers for blue economy careers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Water Council: Milwaukee-based water innovation hub accelerating water tech commercialization in the Great Lakes region. Directly comparable as another Great Lakes water cluster focused on industry partnerships, pilot testing, and accelerator programs.
• US Water Alliance: National nonprofit advancing sustainable and equitable water policy and management. Comparable as a nonprofit convener across utilities, government, and stakeholders in the water sector.
• WaterStart: Nevada-based water innovation cluster connecting utilities, startups, and researchers to pilot and deploy water technologies. Directly comparable as a nonprofit hub driving water tech commercialization through utility partnerships.
• Imagine H2O: San Francisco-based water tech accelerator that runs cohorts, pilots, and commercialization support for water startups. Closely matches Current's accelerator and startup-support functions across the water sector.
• Cleveland Water Alliance: Ohio-based nonprofit water innovation cluster that partners with Current on the Connected Testbed Network. Highly comparable mission of advancing water technology and serving as a Great Lakes regional hub for water innovation.

Emerging players

• Greentown Labs: Somerville, MA-based cleantech incubator that hosts hardware startups and runs accelerator programs. Comparable as a physical innovation hub with startup support, though focused on cleantech broadly rather than water.
• Activate: National fellowship for science entrepreneurs (formerly Cyclotron Road). Comparable in deep-tech innovation hub model backed by federal-style multi-year funding and partner network structure.

Others

• Burnt Island Ventures: Early-stage venture capital firm focused exclusively on water technology startups. Not a peer in the convening sense, but a complementary ecosystem participant with a board-level connection to Current.
• mHUB: Chicago-based hardtech innovation hub and accelerator that partners with Current on the Sustainable Water Tech Accelerator. Not a direct competitor, but a closely related innovation hub that delivers water-specific commercialization support alongside Current.

Broad incumbents

• Water Research Foundation: Large, established water research nonprofit that funds and manages collaborative research for water utilities. Broader and more established than Current; comparable in research-funding and utility-engagement functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights2 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CurrentWater
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CurrentWater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/currentwater
• Instagraminstagram.com/greatlakescurrent

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 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 Current