WEFTEC Introduces New Innovation Sessions

Sept. 6, 2012
Innovation Showcase will features speakers, networking sessions

New at WEFTEC in New Orleans this year is the Innovation Showcase, which includes a first-of-its-kind entrepreneurs and investors forum, headlined by ZENON Founder Dr. Andrew Benedek and EPA CFO Barbara Bennett. WEF’s Manufacturers and Representatives Committee, under the leadership of Diane Meyer (Valmatic Inc), has assembled three days of sessions, speakers, ideas and networking focused on innovation and helping wastewater companies become more successful, faster.  And you’re invited to join in, according to Alec Mackie, a member of MARC and one of the organizers of the entrepreneurs and investors forum.

“At WEFTEC 2012 exhibitors are working together to bring customers, consultants and companies together in sessions and events that encourage faster technology adoption. Plus, we’re working with some great partners at Imagine H2O and BlueTech Research and they’re bringing in the world’s best venture capital and investing speakers,” Mackie said. 

“The Innovation Showcase will be a massive space inside the exhibit hall. WEF is putting ideas into action, bringing more traffic into the exhibit hall and showcasing amazing, new wastewater technology ideas, added Mackie. "I’m impressed at the speed and skill WEF demonstrated bringing together some of the biggest names in the wastewater industry. It’s just blockbuster stuff, wastewater companies will want to send their key staff to soak up the knowledge and networking that will be going on.”

The complete Innovation Showcase schedule can be found at www.weftec.org/innovation.

Some of the events include:

Monday, October 1

Commercializing Campus Technology

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Meeting Room C, Hall C

The Commercializing Campus Technology session looks at how universities and research institutes with innovative technologies made the “lab to market” journey, culminating in the development of a commercial enterprise, while others have not. This session addresses what it takes for successful commercialization.

Tuesday, October 2

Dr. Andrew Benedek: Lessons Learned in the Commercialization of Water Industry Products

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Meeting Room C, Hall C

This presentation will briefly outline the unusual success story of Zenon and then will summarize the lessons learned that are relevant to other entrepreneurs trying to build a successful business. Lessons covered will include models for starting a business, ways to avoid too much competition at the start, and recommendations on selecting partners.

Barbara Bennett, CFO, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: EPA’s Technology Innovation Roadmap and Environmental Export Initiative

1:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Meeting Room C, Hall C

The afternoon session starts with an overview of the EPA’s new Technology Innovation Roadmap and their focus on connecting the important dots of R&D, the private sector and the regulatory process. Barbara Bennett, the CFO for the EPA, will explain how the agency plans to foster innovation in water and other environmental markets.

Investors’ Panel: What You Need To Know About Venture Capital and Investors

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Meeting Room C, Hall C

Learn from some of the water industry’s leading investing experts about the different types of investors and what their interests are. Learn about accessing financing to turn your breakthrough into a business whether your company is a start-up or established. We’ll leave plenty of time for questions and networking as well.

Wednesday, October 3

Water Entrepreneurship Forum Funding Through Strategic Partners

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Exhibit Hall Meeting Room C, Hall C

Veolia, Lucid Energy, and others will discuss their secrets to finding new products in partnership with other companies. How best to mitigate risks? As well as steps to establish win-win partnerships. Start-up companies, investors, and those looking for partnerships will find this lively discussion of interest. Paul O’Callaghan, CEO of BlueTech Research will moderate.

Click here for the full schedule.

Source: Water Environment Federation

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