Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) staff dove into the latest cutting-edge technology from around the world at CES 2025, identifying the latest trends in water innovation, connecting with industry leaders, and celebrating one of CWA’s top innovators on a global stage. Reflecting on the event, Bryan Stubbs, our Executive Director, highlights the exciting opportunities, connections, and technologies that made this year’s show an inspiring experience.
Earlier this month, Ebie Holst, CWA’s Director of Clusters and Innovation, and I had the opportunity to represent Cleveland Water Alliance at CES 2025, the world’s premier showcase for consumer electronics and emerging technologies. We came to CES with a focused mission—to scout early-stage water technologies, strengthen partnerships with key strategic collaborators, and explore opportunities for our Freshwater Innovation Fund, an investment fund recently launched to support early-stage water technology companies. Attending CES allowed us to identify cutting-edge innovations and solidify partnerships that will play a key role in shaping the future of water technology.
One of the most rewarding aspects of CES is connecting with our partners and peers. It was great to meet with K-Water, Korea’s leading water utility. Our discussions were productive as we discussed potential future collaboration opportunities. Through K-Water, we were introduced to 18 innovative companies specializing in areas like PFAS destruction, flood mitigation, and AI-driven solutions. These introductions are invaluable as we continue building a global network of innovators tackling water challenges.
It was a pleasure to reconnect with gener8tor, one of our newest partners, alongside CWA’s network of innovative companies like Blues Wireless, Prodigy, and Clean Earth Rovers. Blues Wireless, a telecommunications technology leader, has utilized our testbed and supported several of our innovators. Prodigy, a prototyping company, has been essential in helping our partners refine and develop their technologies. Clean Earth Rovers, another participant in our testbed, was also at CES showcasing their technologies using our data. In the Blues Wireless booth, where Prodigy and Clean Earth Rovers were also present, a data dashboard displayed some of the data from our Smart Lake Erie Watershed, offering a glimpse into the impact of our work.
CES 2025 attracted over 141,000 attendees and featured 4,500 booths this year. AI was undeniably the star of the event, with big companies demonstrating how they’re integrating artificial intelligence into systems across industries. Although water-related technologies were less prominent this year, we still had the opportunity to connect with some interesting new innovations.
Ebie was particularly intrigued by Nanopower Semiconductor, a Norwegian company showcasing a semiconductor chip designed to optimize the efficiency of sensor devices. With claims of achieving up to a 93% improvement in energy efficiency, this is a development we’re eager to explore further for our testbeds. A standout for me was FUST Lab, a South Korean company introduced to us by K-Water. They’ve developed a PFAS destruction technology system that effectively breaks down persistent pollutants in wastewater without the need for filters or chemical additives—an innovation we're interested in exploring further.
A major highlight of CES 2025 was seeing The Wave Talk, a South Korean technology company, win the Digital Health Innovation Award for their Real-Time Bacteria Sensor for Water. This recognition is well-deserved and marks a significant milestone for both The Wave Talk and Cleveland Water Alliance. We’ve been working with Youngdug Kim, the CEO and founder of The Wave Talk, for over two years, supporting their journey through our testbeds and helping them establish their North American headquarters in our offices in Cleveland.
The Wave Talk’s success exemplifies the impact of our mission—advancing cutting-edge technologies, providing resources for growth, and creating opportunities for innovators to drive meaningful change. This award not only recognizes The Wave Talk’s achievements but also reinforces CWA’s position as a global leader in water innovation. It serves as a powerful reminder that the work we are doing has tangible, real-world effects and resonates on the global stage.
As I look back on CES, I’m energized by the possibilities ahead. The conversations we had, the technologies we discovered, and the partnerships we strengthened all point to an exciting future for freshwater innovation. From our partners and colleagues to the companies tackling some of the most pressing water-related issues, it’s clear that collaboration is the key to driving meaningful change.