Investing in Water Aligning Investment Strategies with Water Innovation 2025

Source: World Economic Forum and UpLink Investing in Water Working Group Regional development fundsFamily officesCorporate venture capitalImpact funds Venture capital Angel investors _Smart cities and urban water resilience _Public or private water infrastructure _Industrial and agricultural water efficiency_Investments in water-focused funds _Sustainable agriculture _Water conservation tech _Infrastructure investments_Water equity and access - (low-income communi ties, emerging markets) _Circular water solutions _Ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions_Smart water metering, AI- driven water management _Decen tralized water treatment and wastewater reuse _High-margin hardware innovations _Low-tech solutions _Breakthrough techno logies _Social impa ct water start-ups _Disruptive models (decen tralized water systems, peer-to-peer water trading)_Smart water infrastructure and monitoring _Sustainable agtech and water-efficient farming _Circular economy and industrial water reuseWater opportunitiesMore risk-tolerant Less risk-tolerantThe water opportunity for different investor types (continued) FIGURE 3 A wide and growing array of actors is investing in water innovation across sectors and geographies. This section focuses specifically on those most closely aligned with the early-stage water innovation priorities of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative; therefore, certain investor types – most notably financial institutions, later-stage private equity and philanthropy – have been left off this list. This content has been developed by the UpLink Water Investment Working Group with additional input from investment experts. These examples highlight the range of opportunities that align with the unique objectives and risk–return profiles of different investor types. Recognizing this diversity is crucial for tailoring investment strategies that maximize both financial performance and impact. Building on this understanding, the report will now shift focus to explore water investment opportunities through the lens of specific industry verticals, providing deeper insight into sector- specific dynamics and potential. WASE: a next- generation waste-to- energy tech solution. Investing in Water: Aligning Investment Strategies with Water Innovation 19