BREW 2.0, The Water Council’s post-accelerator for late-stage water technology startups, has opened the pre-registration period for its 2022 cohort with a new programming sponsor on board: Thales Water Advisors, a leading water strategy and finance advisory firm.
Beckhoff Automation also recently became a BREW 2.0 corporate sponsor, joining ongoing sponsor American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate & Social Impact.
The Water Council introduced its new version of BREW – Business, Research & Entrepreneurship in Water – in late 2020 with a focus on water tech companies ready to enter the market or with early sales. The program includes multiple weeks of targeted virtual training, a pitch event and follow-up training throughout the year to help young companies build connections and grow capacity.
Thales Water Advisors, based in Los Angeles, will provide expertise and thought leadership for BREW 2.0 participants, particularly in the areas of go-to-market strategy and scaling up. The company also will help judge applicants and provide pipeline referrals for potential partnerships or investments.
The Marquette University College of Business Administration, based in Milwaukee, Wis., is also joining the BREW programming team with sales training through its Center for Professional Selling.
Beckhoff Automation became a corporate sponsor of BREW 2.0 in 2021. The company, a global provider of open automation systems based on advanced PC Control technology, is based in Germany with U.S. headquarters in Minnesota. It recently completed a training facility and offices in the Global Water Center in Milwaukee, home of The Water Council.
“We are enthusiastic to announce the additional sponsorships and expertise to help us provide ever-improving training and connections to up-and-coming water technology companies,” said Karen Frost, vice president of economic development and innovation at The Water Council. “These young companies will help solve global water challenges as they get plugged into our extensive worldwide water network.”
Frost will speak about BREW 2.0 at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, at WEFTEC, the international gathering of water professionals happening in Chicago.
BREW 2.0 will open for applications Nov. 15 and close Jan. 16. Applicants are invited to pre-register now on The Water Council website. Virtual training will begin in spring 2022.