WATER CHALLENGE ACTION PLAN!
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2013-2016
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This vision will not happen by 2018 with the WC in a static mode. Despite the growing number of organizations working on water innovation in Louisiana, the process of transforming the state into a “global hub of innovation and entrepreneurship in water management” is still in its early stages. This perception was reinforced by stakeholder interviews in which there was no consensus regarding water leadership.
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The WC is a young event with many lessons learned. A responsibility of this plan is to examine strengths and weaknesses to help chart a path forward. The first three Water Challenges were not full-year programs in design or implementation. Each year, the WC is proposed, funded, executed and ended, all within the span of nine (or fewer) months. In late August, outreach begins. Applications are accepted between September and October; entrepreneurs are then mentored in an accelerator program, leading to the Water Challenge Day during NOEW in March; public components of the program end, and a report is generated. The WC then has no visible operations or staff until the following August. This four to five month gap represents many lost opportunities for outreach, education and cultivation of the next season’s entrepreneurial cohort, and for the solicitation of collaborative partners and sponsors. This lack of full-year operations and staffing lies at the heart of the biggest weakness of the program.
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The Water Challenge is a source of vision and values, and is taking highly visible steps to develop Louisiana’s water cluster of government, academia, business and advocacy into an alliance with the power to transform the state’s most compelling threats into the basis of a healthy economy, environment and society. It is an important collaborative partner in a growing organizational landscape of water-related efforts. But for all of the original goals to be met, the capacities of the WC need to be expanded to create a full-time, year-round organization, and, as recommended in this plan’s Action Steps, the primary roles of the WC should be transitioned to an existing watercentric organization or to the Louisiana Water Economy Alliance.
! Key Findings: !
• Countries, communities and companies are aligning to develop water clusters in support of • • •
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innovation, technology, and entrepreneurial development Internationally and nationally many water cluster initiatives are in relatively early stages Coastal restoration is not recognized by EPA as a national water issue within the context of their identification of key markets for water EPA’s Blueprint for Integrating Technology Innovation in the Water Program 1.0 identifies “top ten” market opportunities, many of which have potential to connect to resources and plans in Louisiana Nationally, philanthropic organizations and the private sector are increasingly investing in green infrastructure National watershed initiatives for the Mississippi River strengthen coastal and delta restoration efforts and networks
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