Imagine H2O Accelerator

Imagine H2O's Accelerator is the leading entrepreneurial development program for water sector founders. A zero-equity accelerator that selects, accelerates, and deploys water technology solutions globally.

Key Statistics:

• 100+ solutions deployed in 50+ countries
• $575M+ in early-stage investment raised by alumni
• Notable exits: Valor Water (Xylem), Oxymem (DuPont), Flo Technologies (Moen), WaterSmart (VertexOne), Emagin (Innovyze)
• 75%+ survival rate
• Alumni raised $500M over 10 years ($300M in last 2 years)

Geographic Scope: Global (headquarters in San Francisco, CA; also operates in Singapore via Imagine H2O Asia)

Focus Areas:

• Municipal water solutions
• Industrial water solutions
• Agricultural water solutions
• COVID-19 related water technologies
• Climate resilience solutions
• Social justice in water
• Economic recovery through water innovation
• Advanced technologies: AI, decarbonization, IoT networks, novel treatment technologies

Eligibility:

• For-profit entities only
• Incorporated after January 1, 2016
• Less than $5 million in annual revenue
• Less than $10 million in investment raised
• Early-stage to experienced founders welcome
• All backgrounds welcome (software, finance, energy, etc.)
• Global applicants eligible

Support Provided:

• Zero-equity model (no equity taken)
• Access to network: 300+ investors, 80+ Beta Partners, 70+ mentors, 150+ alumni
• 25+ annual training sessions
• 280+ mentoring hours annually
• 220+ customer and investor connections
• Featured on IH2O Hub (leading networking platform for water sector)
• Pilot funding opportunities
• Customer introductions
• Speaking opportunities
• In-person and virtual bootcamp
• Water Innovation Week participation in San Francisco
• Access to industry conferences
• Post-program alumni support and introductions

Program Details:

• Virtual and in-person components
• Duration: approximately 1 year per cohort
• Demo Day showcase for investors and customers
• 1:1 sessions with founders
• Roundtables for investors, customers, and founders
• Tailored engagement sessions

Non-Selected Applicants:

• Receive detailed feedback from industry experts
• Followed over time regardless of selection
• Top applicants flagged to partner network
• Application serves as business planning tool

Application Process

1. Submit Application Online
   • Applications submitted through website portal
   • Link provided at imagineh2o.org
2. Application Evaluation
   • Reviewed by selection committee and judges
   • Companies judged on quality of thought, not stage of development
   • All applicants receive feedback from industry experts
3. Selection Timeline
   • Applications open until March 1
   • Applicants notified by April 14
4. Key Application Components
   • Business model articulation
   • Problem diagnosis
   • Risk appraisal
   • Value proposition clarity
   • Technology/solution description
   • Market opportunity analysis
5. Selection Criteria
   • Quality of founder thinking
   • Business model viability
   • Water sector potential
   • Scalability
   • Team capability

Required Materials

• Application form (details not specified in provided text)
• Company/product description
• Market and competitive analysis
• Financial projections
• Founder background/team information

Application Value

• Even non-selected applicants benefit from application process
• Helps clarify business objectives and strategy
• Improves founder messaging to investors
• Detailed feedback provided by industry experts