Water tech investors promoting infrastructure and treatment in 2026

Water scarcity affects 2 billion people globally, and infrastructure built in the 1950s is failing. Investors who ignored water tech for years are finally writing checks. The sector saw $2.1B in VC funding in 2025, up from $890M in 2023. Most of that went to desalination and smart metering, not the usual filtration pitches.

Quick list

Finding investors who actually understand water economics

Find investors who've backed infrastructure companies through 18-month sales cycles. Municipal contracts take forever and most early-stage VCs don't have patience for that. Ask their portfolio companies about real support during pilot deployments and whether they can introduce you to water-utility executives — that matters far more than brand recognition. Reviewing their engagement with document insights can also reveal how deeply they evaluate technical material.

Experience in regulated industries helps since every state operates under different water-quality standards. Investors who already understand compliance frameworks are more likely to support you effectively. For sensitive pilot data or municipal agreements, prioritize sharing files safely to maintain control during early conversations.

Network with municipal buyers is what separates useful investors from tourists. Climate tech funds often don't understand the difference between selling to utilities versus selling to commercial buildings.

Alignment on timeline matters since water infrastructure deals close slowly. Investors with a track record in B2G companies know procurement processes and expectations. Explore our platform to streamline how you present your data, timelines, and validation results during outreach.

Track record with B2G companies tells you if they know how procurement works. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your unit economics and pilot data.

Value-add promises about "opening doors to utilities" are meaningless without specific names. Communication about deal timelines should be honest since water tech exits take 7-10 years typically.

Getting meetings with water tech investors

Identify potential investors by checking who backed companies with similar go-to-market strategies. A fund that does only B2C won't understand utility sales cycles.

Craft a compelling pitch that leads with customer acquisition cost and payback period for municipal contracts. Most water tech decks waste time on TAM when investors want to see signed MOUs.

Share your pitch deck through Ellty with trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on - if they skip your pilot results, that's useful information.

Utilize your network by asking engineers at water utilities which VCs actually understand the sector. They've seen enough pitches to know who's serious.

Attend networking events like the WateReuse Symposium or AWWA conferences where deals actually happen. Skip generic climate tech mixers.

Engage on online platforms by connecting with partners on LinkedIn after you've met them at a conference or through an intro. Cold DMs rarely work in infrastructure investing. When following up, send only your essential pitch materials until interest increases.

Organize due diligence materials before first meetings since water tech requires more technical validation. Create an Ellty data room to store pilot data, water-quality results, and contracts. Keeping investors updated also maintain momentum throughout the diligence cycle.

Set up introductory meetings leading with your pilot metrics and customer feedback. Don't waste 20 minutes on slides about global water scarcity they've seen 100 times.

Why this matters now

2025 saw the highest water tech VC funding on record, driven by commercial real estate adopting onsite recycling systems and federal infrastructure spending. The bipartisan infrastructure law allocated $55B for water systems through 2026, creating exit opportunities investors couldn't ignore. Droughts in the Southwest pushed desalination from "nice to have" to "critical infrastructure." Valuations dropped 40% from 2021 peaks, making deals more reasonable for early-stage funds.

Municipal water systems need $625B in upgrades over the next decade. Climate tech funds that avoided water are now building dedicated teams.

15 best water tech investors

1. Burnt Island Ventures

They only invest in climate adaptation and actually understand infrastructure sales cycles.

• Recent Deals: Hydroleap ($18M Series A, 2025), Aquagenuity ($4M seed, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Burnt Island Ventures
• Sector Focus: Water infrastructure, flood management, climate adaptation, smart metering
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Boston, USA
• Website: burntislandventures.com

2. Energy Impact Partners

Utility-backed fund with direct access to water and power company pilots.

• Recent Deals: Epic Cleantec ($25M Series B, 2025), Gradiant ($228M Series D, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Energy Impact Partners
• Sector Focus: Water recycling, desalination, industrial water treatment, energy-water nexus
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: energyimpactpartners.com

3. Buoyant Ventures

Early-stage fund that got into Source Global and several atmospheric water companies before they were popular.

• Recent Deals: Oneka Technologies ($7M Series A, 2025), Majik Water (undisclosed seed, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Buoyant Ventures
• Sector Focus: Water generation, treatment technology, water-efficient agriculture
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed, Series A
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: buoyant.vc

4. SOSV

HAX program has funded more water hardware startups than almost any accelerator.

• Recent Deals: Moleaer ($40M Series C, 2024), Aquagga ($3M seed, 2025)
• LinkedIn: SOSV
• Sector Focus: Water treatment hardware, sensors, filtration systems, industrial water
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: sosv.com

5. Elemental Excelerator

Grant-to-equity model works well for early water tech that needs pilot funding.

• Recent Deals: Heimdall Power ($8M, 2025), Coral Vita ($2M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Elemental Excelerator
• Sector Focus: Ocean health, wastewater treatment, agricultural runoff, coastal resilience
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: Honolulu, USA
• Website: elementalexcelerator.com

6. Clean Energy Ventures

Backed Gradiant early and understands the economics of energy-intensive water treatment.

• Recent Deals: Gradiant (multiple rounds 2020-2024), Nth Cycle ($44M Series B, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Clean Energy Ventures
• Sector Focus: Desalination, energy-efficient treatment, industrial water, brine management
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Boston, USA
• Website: cleanenergyventures.com

7. Imagine H2O

Accelerator turned investor with the best network in water utilities.

• Recent Deals: 120Water ($50M Series B, 2024), Inalytics ($5M seed, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Imagine H2O
• Sector Focus: Smart water, leak detection, water quality monitoring, utility software
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: imagineh2o.org

8. Contrarian Ventures

Seed fund that backs unsexy infrastructure plays other VCs ignore.

• Recent Deals: Aquagenuity ($4M seed, 2025), SafeTraces ($10M Series A, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Contrarian Ventures
• Sector Focus: Water monitoring, data analytics, sensor networks, industrial efficiency
• Stage Focus: Pre-seed, Seed
• Location: Remote, USA
• Website: contravc.com

9. Fall Line Capital

Only fund that exclusively backs water and wastewater infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Xylem Vue ($15M, 2024), AquaShield ($8M Series A, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Fall Line Capital
• Sector Focus: Municipal infrastructure, wastewater treatment, pipe rehabilitation, stormwater
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Atlanta, USA
• Website: falllinecapital.com

10. S2G Ventures

Food and ag investors who realized vertical farms need water recycling systems.

• Recent Deals: Bowery Farming ($150M Series C, 2024), Freight Farms ($15M Series B, 2023)
• LinkedIn: S2G Ventures
• Sector Focus: Agricultural water efficiency, precision irrigation, water recycling, fertigation
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Growth
• Location: Chicago, USA
• Website: s2gventures.com

11. The Westly Group

Backs enterprise software for resource management including commercial water use.

• Recent Deals: Apana ($12M Series A, 2024), Banyan Infrastructure ($20M Series A, 2023)
• LinkedIn: The Westly Group
• Sector Focus: Water management software, commercial building efficiency, data analytics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Menlo Park, USA
• Website: westlygroup.com

12. SDCL Energy Efficiency

Growth equity fund that backs proven tech with municipal contracts already signed.

• Recent Deals: Veolia partnership deals (2024), multiple water infrastructure rollups
• LinkedIn: SDCL Energy Efficiency
• Sector Focus: Municipal treatment plants, infrastructure as a service, water utilities
• Stage Focus: Growth, Late-stage
• Location: London, UK
• Website: sdclgroup.com

13. Emerald Technology Ventures

European fund that co-invests in US deals when there's a European customer connection.

• Recent Deals: Gradiant (co-investor Series D, 2024), IDE Technologies partnership
• LinkedIn: Emerald Technology Ventures
• Sector Focus: Desalination, industrial water, water-energy nexus, European utilities
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, Growth
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland
• Website: emerald.vc

14. Burnt Island Ventures

Thesis-driven climate fund with specific focus on water scarcity adaptation.

• Recent Deals: Multiple water and flood tech deals across 2024-2025
• LinkedIn: Burnt Island Ventures
• Sector Focus: Climate adaptation, flood prevention, drought resilience, infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Boston, USA
• Website: burntislandventures.com

15. Prime Impact Fund

Emerging markets focus with investments in water access and distribution.

• Recent Deals: Safe Water Network ($10M, 2024), water kiosk operators in Africa and India
• LinkedIn: Prime Impact Fund
• Sector Focus: Water access, distribution networks, pay-per-use models, emerging markets
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Growth
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: primeimpactfund.com

Track which investors actually read your pilot data

These 15 investors closed water tech deals from 2025 to 2026. Before you start reaching out, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your pilot results. Most water tech founders are surprised to learn investors skip the market size slides but spend 5+ minutes on unit economics and customer acquisition cost.

When investors ask for technical validation data, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your water quality testing results, pilot performance data, and commercial contracts in one secure place with view analytics.

Common questions

How do I know if an investor actually understands water infrastructure?

Ask which water utilities they've introduced portfolio companies to. Generic answers about "our network" mean they don't have one. Check if their other portfolio companies have long sales cycles.

Should I pitch climate tech funds or water-specific investors?

Water-specific funds understand municipal sales cycles better. Climate funds often expect SaaS-like growth that doesn't happen in infrastructure. If you're B2B selling to commercial buildings, climate funds work fine.

What's the difference between seed and growth stage water investors?

Seed investors will fund you with pilot data and one signed MOU. Growth investors need $5M+ in revenue and multiple municipal contracts. Don't waste time pitching growth funds before you have commercial traction.

How many pilots do I need before raising Series A?

Three successful pilots with different customer types. Investors want to see you can deploy across municipalities with different regulations. One big pilot isn't enough to prove scalability.

When should I set up a data room for water tech due diligence?

Before your first institutional investor meeting. Water tech requires more technical validation than software. Have your water quality testing, pilot performance metrics, and regulatory approvals ready.

Do investors care about pitch deck analytics?

Yes, especially for infrastructure deals. Use Ellty to track which sections investors review multiple times. If they keep going back to your unit economics, that's a buying signal. If they skip your technology slides, they don't believe the science works.