The Water Council has been awarded a $230,000 grant from JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Small Business Forward program.
The Milwaukee-based Water Council also received a $225,000 grant last year from the program, which aims to accelerate the growth of businesses in certain industry clusters. Small Business Forward will award $30 million nationwide through 2019.
The Water Council used last year’s grant to help identify investment firms interested in water technology and brought them to Milwaukee to educate them about Milwaukee’s water hub and connect them with companies in need of funds.
The organization will use the new grant to broaden its reach in connecting water technology companies and investment capital by offering training targeted to angel investors, programming aimed at linking corporation innovation departments with startups, and hosting a Water Venture Investment Conference at the Water Environment Federation’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference in Chicago.
“The importance of freshwater in the United States and across the globe is growing exponentially. At Chase, we believe that the small businesses that are being supported by The Water Council may be the ones to find solutions to our freshwater challenges,” said James Popp, president of Chase in Wisconsin. “We are extremely pleased to announce a second year of funding for The Water Council to help them support these businesses.”
“Southeast Wisconsin has found its economic niche in water technology and The Water Council is at the forefront of bringing that vision to fruition,” said Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. “Through the contributions of private sector companies such as JPMorgan Chase, combined with investments from Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, The Water Council has proven to be an excellent example of the accomplishments possible through public/private partnerships.”
“The Water Council and its programs to develop water technology businesses have become a success story for the City of Milwaukee, and the work on the World Water Hub has been truly impressive,” said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. “The continued investment of a global company like JPMorgan Chase speaks volumes about how Milwaukee and The Water Council have jointly grown our freshwater economy.”
“The Water Council is honored to continue this unique partnership with JPMorgan Chase, and support our next development as a global leader to unite water technology entrepreneurs and investors,” said Rich Meeusen, co-chair of The Water Council and chairman, president and chief executive officer of Badger Meter. “In the first year of the Small Business Forward grant, The Water Council has already developed the first investment conference focused on connecting young water technology companies with potential investors at the largest annual water quality conference in the world, WEFTEC. The precedent has been set, and big plans are on the horizon to foster the growth of the water technology industry.”
