I better understood the impact water has on individuals, and the influence of water on the infrastructure of our region once I started open-water swimming after moving to Michigan.
If you’re like me, and newer to the water/blue tech innovation scene here at the Great Lakes, here’s a non-exhaustive glimpse at the momentum building in the region and how you can get involved.
Experience the Midwest water innovation scene in Michigan
To understand the operations and priorities of an industry, sometimes the best method is to experience it firsthand. The AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Challenge Grand Finale, by water-focused nonprofit AquaAction, will be hosted on November 5 in Detroit, and will be livestreamed. This is one opportunity to hear directly from startups, panelists, and other water-focused leaders on what’s happening and how to get involved.
Another way is to follow and support the work of companies actively building in the space. In September, AquaAction selected ten water-tech companies for the first U.S. expansion of its AquaEntrepreneur commercialization program, based in Michigan. Five of the companies are Michigan businesses, including firms in Detroit, Midland, Marquette, and Ann Arbor. In Ann Arbor, Sequestro is developing a wood-based material to remove PFAS from water, while Geomind, operating as Lacuum, is developing amphibious robots to monitor and map shallow freshwater environments. Another company in the cohort, AmHy Tech, is developing ammonia storage to enable safe and practical handling for maritime, agricultural, and industrial applications.
These are just a few water startups, which are often pitching right alongside mobility and software companies. Another example is Detroit-based Motmot, which builds underwater robots that inspect drinking-water mains without shutting down service. MotMot was a semi-final winner for this year’s Pitch MI AI & Software pitch event, receiving $425,000 in funding. Water solutions are taking center stage.
Stay connected to how water sustains the Great Lakes region
Moving beyond your own state to the impact of the Great Lakes in the bigger picture helps drive home the fact that the success of these startups can directly influence the region’s sustainability.
In March, Chicago-based nonprofit Current announced up to $45 million in additional National Science Foundation funding over three years for The Great Lakes RENEW, a regional initiative whose commercialization programs have supported 22 water-tech startups, with the goal of turning “waste in our water systems into wealth.” The initiative has brought together 75 partners across the Great Lakes Basin in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The NSF states this region holds 90% of the US supply of fresh water, and 20% of the entire surface freshwater on the planet; it is also home to water-intensive industries like data infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and energy infrastructure.
In August, the Great Lakes Innovation Accelerator awarded five startups applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to water challenges $100,000 each in non-dilutive funding, supported by the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These startups address problems including sewer monitoring, waterfront infrastructure inspection, and water-quality forecasting.
We often think in terms of an individual startup’s growth, but when it comes to water, it’s clear the impact of startup solutions, partnerships, pilots, and infrastructure can go far beyond the company itself.
4 concrete ways to get involved with water
For me, these names are a starting point, not a complete picture of the industry. I want to know what people are building, where they are testing it, and where the wider startup ecosystem might be able to help. There are places to learn about the technology, help collect information, or offer the skills and connections you already have.
- Hear firsthand from people building in the water sector. AquaHacking’s Grand Finale is November 5 at The Beacon in Detroit and on livestream. Watch their presentations and panels, meet the teams, and network with others in the space. Check the event page for registration details.
- Offer skills or a place to test. AquaAction connects potential technology adopters with companies ready to pilot solutions. If you work with a utility, port, or industrial site, contact the team to see what opportunities exist.
- Help monitor a lake. MiCorps trains volunteers to collect water-quality and habitat data on Michigan inland lakes, with roles for both lead and assisting volunteers. Some details are posted for 2027 volunteer training, but follow to stay posted.
- Subscribe to stay updated on freshwater innovation hubs. Like The Freshwater Research & Innovation Center in Michigan, The Water Tech Hub in Wisconsin, and Cleveland Water Alliance in Ohio to name a few.
I started with swimming. Now I want to understand the work happening around the water, and find a way to contribute. Plenty of people are working on it, with opportunities to help ensure the Great Lakes sustain the region for the long haul.
Aria Spears is a 0-to-1 operator and writer who helps non-technical teams get practical with AI. She has spent over ten years building systems and driving change internationally in women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion, in agency conversion copywriting, and in Michigan’s startup ecosystem. She currently leads operations at an AI workflow redesign firm working with enterprise teams.
