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Sustainable Water Tech Accelerator

A six-month program designed for hands-on product development and backed by top-tier corporate and venture investors.

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Join the 2025 Sustainable Water Tech Cohort

Led by mHUB and Current, this exciting new opportunity in water tech builds upon mHUB’s proven accelerator model and is anchored by the U.S. National Science Foundation-backed Great Lakes ReNEW.

About the Program

Over the course of the six-month accelerator program, startups in the cohort will benefit from:

💧Direct Investment from mHUB Ventures

💧 Tailored matchmaking with utilities and industrial corporations based on technology fit and industry needs.

💧 Sector expertise, testbeds, and technology validation opportunities through Great Lakes ReNEW.

💧 mHUB’s hands-on support and state-of-the-art prototyping labs to help scale and commercialize products.

Applications now open! If you’re a water technology startup, apply by the July 22, 2025 deadline to be considered for the cohort!

Read more about the mHUB and Current collaboration here.

Great Lakes ReNEW was made possible with funding provided by the National Science Foundation and Current Innovation, NFP.  This accelerator was made possible through a strategic partnership between Current Innovation and mHUB.

Apply Now

Program Partners

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In Collaboration With

"We created the mHUB accelerator to expedite the path to commercialization for high potential hardtech startups and provide them with early seed capital that’s so scarce for hardware as compared to software."

- Haven Allen, mHUB CEO & Co-Founder

2025 Sustainable Water Tech Cohort:

Application window: May 28, 2025 - July 22, 2025

Managing Directors: Thierry Van Landegem, Executive Director, mHUB Accelerator and Nina Dudnik, Chief Commercial Officer, Current

Investment Terms: 200K investment for 6.5% equity (details below)

Are you an entrepreneur with big ideas for sustainable water solutions within industry? If accepted into the program, you get:

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The Investment

mHUB Ventures invests a $200,000 initial investment, which includes $142,500 cash and $60,000 in-kind services for certain fees related to product development, resources, and programming during a six-month highly structured incubation (with two full years of support) in exchange for 6.5% equity in each startup. Approximately 30% of the fund’s capital is reserved for follow-on investments in a select set of our portfolio.

Read more about mHUB Ventures and view its portfolio. 

mHUB Ventures

Areas of Focus

 

mHUB and Current are looking for early-stage startups developing disrupting hardtech solutions in one or more of the following focus areas:

Water Quality Monitoring / Management

Reduce IoT sensor costs, enhance real-time monitoring, maximize resource efficiency, and expand the range of detectable contaminants and targeted organics.

 

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Water Conservation

Real-time leak detection systems, water savings and reduction, on-site recycling solutions for manufacturing and other heavy water users.

Waste to Energy Conversion

More efficient and scalable technologies, including microbial fuel cells, algae-based treatment, and systems that capture gas and convert it into feedstock.

Advanced Filtration Membranes
Lower cost and higher throughput for wastewater treatment plants, oil & gas, and other industrial applications.

Integrated Water - Energy Saving

Reduce energy needs through water reuse, more efficient water systems, recycling, and minimal waste for industry.

Separatation, concentration and destruction of harmful contaminant

Target compounds (PFAS, microplastics, etc.) in municipal and industrial waste streams.

Recovery of Valuable Materials

Selective separation and recovery of minerals, salts and nutrients from aqueous waste streams.

Closed Loop Water Reclying

Decentralized systems designed to be more compact, cost-effective, and efficient. Perfect for residential, industrial, power utilities, and data centers seeking sustainable water solutions.

Applications

Smart irrigation systems in agriculture, smart buildings, and others

The Program

The mHUB Accelerator is a fast-paced program that’s designed to take your startup from concept or prototype to the foundation of a profitable, scalable and sustainable business. The 6-month hands-on program surrounds teams with product engineering expertise and a host of market and business intelligence leaders. Teams continue to receive support for an additional 18 months of continued mHUB membership and access post-program.

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Meet Your Acceleration Team

Startup teams benefit from the guidance of seasoned entrepreneurs, engineers, investors, and industry leaders who’ve built businesses, raised capital, and helped founders realize their full potential.

haven-allen

Haven Allen
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder at mHUB, Managing Partner of the mHUB Product Impact Fund I

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Melissa Lederer
Chief Experience Officer at mHUB,  Managing Partner of the mHUB Product Impact Fund I

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Alaina Harkness
Chief Executive Officer at Current, Chicago's water innovation hub; PI and CEO, Great Lakes Water Innovation Engine

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Thierry Van Landegem
Executive Director at mHUB, Climate & Energy Tech Accelerator and Smart & Sustainable Manufacturing Accelerator

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Nina Dudnik
Chief Commercial Officer at Current

Mike Sundemeier

Mike Sundermeier
mHUB Program Manager, Climate & Energy Tech Accelerator and Smart & Sustainable Manufacturing Accelerator

Jonathan-Goodell

Jonathan Goodell
Commercialization & Partnerships manager at Current

David-Arenas

David Arenas
President
at David Arenas & Associates, Inc.

Mentor

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Jacob Babcock
Chief Executive Officer at NuCurrent

Selection Support Committee

Mary-Burton

Mary Burton
Advisor
at UW-Madison

Mentor

Sara-Chamberlain

Sara Chamberlain
Managing Director
at Energy Foundry

Mentor

Julie-Greco

Julie Greco
Senior Associate at Energy Capital Ventures

Mentor

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Mark Karasek
Adjunct Professor
McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University

Mentor

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Karen Kerr
General Partner at
Exposition Ventures


Selection Support Committee & Mentor

John-Myer

John Myer
Senior Counsel at  Husch Blackwell


Mentor

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Isaac McCoy
Dean - School of Business, Entrepreneurship, and CIS at Stillman College

Mentor

David-Nowak

David Nowak
Vice President of Engineering at Sentry Equipment

Mentor

Faruk_Oksuz

Faruk Oksuz
President & Director at Black & Veatch Government & Water Utilities

Mentor

Phil_Rolchigo

Phil Rochigo
Chief Technology Officer at Pentair

Mentor

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Nik Rokop
Coleman Foundation Clinical Associate at
Illinois Institute of Technology

Mentor

John-Tillotson

John Tillotson
Independent Consultant & Founder at WaterTrust

Mentor

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John S. Thode
Clinical Professor of
Innovation, Leadership, and Engineering Entrepreneurship at the
University of Illinois

Mentor

David-Weinstein

David Weinstein
Founder & CEO
at Freshwater Advisors

Mentor

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Tony Wilkins
Managing Partner
at Standing Oaks
Venture Capital

Mentor

What portfolio founders have to say: 

"The mentors, corporate partners, and the mHUB Team - it's a world-class environment for hardware and software developers."

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Anil Üzengi 

CEO & Co-founder, 

Stroma Vision

"I was really impressed by mHUB, it's prototyping shops, our international cohort with different business models & expertise. mHUB was really thoughtful about how they structured the program."

Darren-Riley

Darren Riley

Co-founder & CEO,

JustAir

"The people invested here at mHUB and the people running the program want to help and make sure the business succeeds, which is really refreshing."

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Chris Autry

CEO,

Iothic

Ready to Apply?

Don’t miss your chance to join the next Sustainable Water Tech Accelerator cohort.