Milwaukee's Path From Industrial Roots To Innovation Hub

Milwaukee’s water technology economy traces back roughly 150 years to breweries, tanneries, and meatpacking plants that created sustained demand for pumps, valves, meters, and pipes.

In this episode, Karen Frost, executive director of The Water Council, explains how that industrial history continues to shape the city’s leading role in developing and scaling water technology.

Water-intensive industries created demand for specialized equipment, and over time southeastern Wisconsin developed a dense network of water technology manufacturers.

Two of its most prominent companies, A.O. Smith and Badger Meter, became central to organizing that network into The Water Council in 2009.

Today, the nonprofit connects established manufacturers with startups, utilities, researchers, and international companies seeking routes into the U.S. market.

The broader ecosystem includes the Freshwater Collaborative, which links water programs and internship opportunities across all 13 University of Wisconsin campuses.

The BREW 2.0 post-accelerator brings about 10 companies into the network each year, helping businesses with working technologies and early revenue strengthen their sales strategies and industry relationships.

Many of those groups also converge at the ReFRESH Summit, which has convened manufacturers, utilities, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students around emerging water issues since 2007.

Frost’s goal is to keep extending Milwaukee’s industrial foundation by helping water technologies developed locally and around the world find the partners needed to reach the market.

waterloop is a nonprofit news outlet exploring solutions for water sustainability.