Bryan Stubbs

Bryan Stubbs is the President and CEO of the Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), where he has spent over a decade transforming the Great Lakes into a global epicenter for water technology. A recognized leader in the “Blue Economy,” Bryan has pioneered one of the world’s most effective water innovation clusters. Under his leadership, CWA established the world’s largest “Smart Lake” ecosystem, leveraging millions in federal and state investment to create a premier testbed for next-generation water technology.

Bryan’s work is rooted in the conviction that environmental health and economic prosperity are inseparable. He frequently represents the Great Lakes region on the global stage, bridging partnerships across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Beyond his non-profit leadership, Bryan is the Managing Partner of the Freshwater Innovation Fund, a $25 million venture capital vehicle dedicated to scaling water-tech startups.

A serial entrepreneur by trade, Bryan successfully built, scaled, and exited several businesses in Silicon Valley and Chicago before shifting his focus to technology-based economic development. His previous leadership includes serving as Managing Director of the Oberlin Project.

Bryan’s expertise is sought at the highest levels of government and science. He has testified before the U.S. Senate on the Blue Economy and served on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC). He currently serves on the leadership committee for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Great Lakes RENEW innovation engine and acts as a reviewer for the NSF Water Convergence Accelerator.

Bryan holds a BA from the University of Kansas, an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an Executive MBA from the Presidio School of Management.