MeterHero, a BREW Accelerator winner, was recently purchased by its spin-off company, STEMhero. STEMhero empowers students around the country through its web-based platform and curriculum to make their own personal data the foundation of their STEM learning. Students implement and measure behaviors and technologies related to water, energy, and health within their school, home, or local employer.
“This is a unique and powerful combination of technology and education that truly empowers students, teachers, and people to understand water. STEMhero makes the invisible visible,” said Elizabeth Thelen, director of entrepreneurship and talent, and of the BREW.
STEMhero recently secured a contract with its largest utility customer to date, the Portland Water Bureau (Oregon). It was also a featured presenter at the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual Green Schools conference, and secured a spot in a New Orleans based education-tech accelerator.
“It’s not about guilting parents into turning off the lights,” says Nate Conroy, former teacher and founder of STEMhero. “These students accelerate the real adoption of efficiency technologies and behaviors at the same time that they get excited to fill the STEM talent gaps we have in our industry.”
STEMhero cites support from education leaders in the community including The Commons, Marquette University, the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and The Water Council’s Talent Campaign as key motivators behind the purchase.
“Ed-tech should be leveraged as a driver of our region’s growing water and energy sectors,” adds Conroy. “We’re excited to be a part of that.”