Cleveland, OH - Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) is proud to announce the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), the government-owned agency responsible for comprehensive water resource development and management in the Republic of Korea. This strategic agreement marks a significant step in strengthening international collaboration, accelerating global water innovation, and facilitating market entry for water technology companies in both the United States and South Korea.

Creating a Global Innovation Pipeline

Bryan Stubbs, President and Executive Director of Cleveland Water Alliance, emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, “Our formal agreement with K-water is a pivotal moment that builds on our continued collaboration with South Korea. K-water is a global leader in smart water management, and this partnership will create a powerful, two-way channel for cutting-edge technology to be trialed and validated in our testbed network. By leveraging our robust testbed infrastructure and K-water’s expertise, we are not just exchanging ideas—we are laying the groundwork for market-ready, innovative water solutions that will benefit both our regions and the world.”

The MOU formalizes a powerful commitment between CWA and K-water to strengthen collaboration in water-related innovation and sustainable technology. This partnership will focus on driving success for our respective water sectors by facilitating a critical exchange of advanced water technologies and expertise. A major component of this partnership will be providing market entry support, which includes offering "soft landing" services for companies looking to establish a presence in the U.S. market and providing access to our testbed network—including the Smart Lake Erie Watershed—for technology validation.

Senior Vice President of K-water, An Jungho, remarked, “We are excited to formalize our partnership with Cleveland Water Alliance and continue our momentum of innovation exchange. This partnership provides key access to CWA’s testbed network for K-water’s robust portfolio of leading-edge water technologies. Together, we can advance solutions to global water issues, accelerate entrance into new markets, and encourage cross-cultural technology adoption.”

Evolving Market Opportunities for South Korean Companies

This relationship was further deepened in January 2024 when CWA met with K-water again at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Our innovation network has already welcomed South Korean innovators like The Wave Talk, a water technology company that is an office tenant at CWA's Cleveland offices. We are also currently installing and piloting technology from another South Korean company, Techwin, at a regional utility for a multi-million dollar pilot project demonstrating a cutting-edge, electrochemical water treatment process.

By leveraging K-water's expertise in water management and smart water cities with CWA’s expertise in testing, trialing, and commercializing new water technology, we are creating a streamlined pipeline for global water innovation.

About Cleveland Water Alliance:

Established in 2014, Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) is a world-renowned water cluster, establishing Ohio as a top global destination for freshwater innovation. Supported by robust testbed infrastructure and industry expertise, CWA leverages multi-sector partnerships to support market-driven innovation, economic impact, and sustainable solutions for regional and global water challenges.

About K-water:

‍Since its inception in 1967, Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) has exerted itself to improve the quality of life and the public health by efficiently providing high quality water through a constant development of water resources nationwide.

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