The Wisconsin Technology Council hosted the Tech Council Innovation Network luncheon in Wauwatosa on Thursday, July 14. Sponsored by University of Milwaukee and the University of Milwaukee Research Foundation, the presentation focused on water technology innovation.
Tom Still, WTC president, introduced discussion panelists Dean Amhaus, president and chief executive officer of The Water Council, Paige Peters, founder and chief technology officer of Rapid Radicals Technology, and Rebecca Tallon, director of water treatment technologies and materials at A.O. Smith Corp.
Among the topics discussed was the difficulty of funding startup companies in the water technology field. It was noted that most investors are interested in industries that have a relatively short cycle time to achieve return on their investment. The water technology industry has a long cycle time, often 12 years or more, before investors see a profit. That is because these technologies often deal with public drinking water, which is heavily regulated and requires a level of testing similar to the testing required in the pharmaceutical industry.
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