Water & Wastewater Investor Forum

May 19-20, 2021 | Online ::

0521-water-investment

Water is crucial to every aspect of day to day living and the economy.   Several industries like agriculture, energy, mining, manufacturing, and health care, rely directly on water and wastewater services to function.

Aging water infrastructure, declining water quality and quantity, operational inefficiency, population growth, and urbanization, amplified climate change has become a global concern. Now more than ever, it is imperative that governments and communities worldwide find ways to address these economic, public health & environmental concerns.  

The Water & Wastewater Investor Forum brings together an illustrious faculty of leading experts, strategic investors & corporate buyers, advisors, policymakers, and senior executives who have been involved in the latest water & wastewater transactions. Through panel discussions and presentations, you will get an inside track on new investments, growth strategies, financing sources, creative deal structures, as well as understand the critical issues facing the community today.   

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from and collaborate with the leading experts in the water and wastewater sector.  

Learning Outcomes

• Discuss the latest challenges, opportunities and outlook facing the water and wastewater sector
• Examine the role of private capital in water and wastewater projects, their investment criteria and investment horizon
• Uncover federal involvement in water investment including WIFIA
• Assess the competitive landscape for innovations that address inefficiencies and risk as it relates to  l drinking water utilities
• Assess the major considerations and challenges of a project development and gain insight on how to best manage the challenges of a partnership as well as what makes private public partnership successful in water infrastructure
• Differentiate water stewardship vs. a water strategy
• Discover innovative technologies that are leading the way to a safe and sustainable water future
• Gain insight from thought leaders on trends, breakthroughs, and opportunities at the nexus of heavy & light industry and water
• Explain and appreciate the nexus of water and energy

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 : Central Time

9:00 – 10:00 am. :: Challenges, Opportunities & Outlook

• The Biden administration
• Climate change and public health
• Water safety and security
• What are the most untapped and underrated markets?

George S. Hawkins, Esq., Founder and President, Moonshot Missions

Alexander Loucopoulos, Partner, Sciens Capital Management

Scott Sergeant, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:15 – 11:15 a.m. :: The Role of Private Capital in Water and Wastewater Projects

The water sector has been a target allocation from the beginning of the infrastructure investment trend.  However, finding the right investments has been difficult due to unsteady deal flow. The panelists from several infrastructure funds will discuss the growing involvement of private capital, their investment criteria (assets vs. services), deal originations’ strategy, target returns, and investment horizon. 

The panel members will also discuss privatizations, water utilities, operators, and the expanded water sector: wastewater, bio-solids, and industrial treatment.

Moderator:

Edward Fanter, Managing Director, National Bank Financial

Panelists:

Michael Albrecht, Managing Partner, Ridgewood Infrastructure

Caleb Powers, Principal, Ember Infrastructure

Jonathan Stone, Partner, InstarAGF Asset Management

Paul Luce, Senior Investment Leader; Member of Management Partners Group (USA) Inc.

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. :: Federal Involvement in Water Investment

Federal participation in water infrastructure and development has been in use in various forms and names since the 1970s beginning with the Clean Water Act. Starting with seeding State Revolving Funds, recent funding and development programs include the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act administered by the EPA, which has been lending to specific projects, but has expanded to revolving funds and infrastructure banks. The Army Corps of Engineers also has authorization to stand up a program for inland waterways. Experts from these agencies have developed policy and have been evolving the programs to facilitate local water development and management.  This panel discusses how their programs are being implemented and the role of these programs in the future.

Moderator:

Jim Ziglar, Principal, Rebel Group

Panelists:

Jorianne Jernberg, Director, WIFIA Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Aaron Snyder, Corps Water Infrastructure Financing – Lead, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Michael Deane, Chief, Clean Water State Revolving Fund, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

12:15  – 1:00 p.m. :: Lunch Break

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. :: How Digital Innovations are Accelerating the Modernization of Municipal Drinking Water Utilities

This session will discuss where and how innovations in data science, computer engineering, and information & communications technologies (ICT) are improving efficiencies and mitigating risk faced by drinking water utilities. 

Moderator:

John Robinson, Partner, Mazarine Ventures

Panelists:

Chris Sosnowski, CEO, Waterly 

Shirley Ben-Dak, VP Strategy & Innovation, SWAN Network 

1:45 – 2:45 p.m. :: Water Project Development, P3 and Other Project Finance in Water and Wastewater

As more cities and states begin to open alternative delivery/P3 offices around the United States, private developers look for opportunities with different methods, structures, and results. This session reviews the major considerations and challenges of project development, provides tips for private developers on how to best manage the challenges of a partnership, and offers insight into what made their private-public partnerships successful.

Moderator:

Edward Fanter, Managing Director, National Bank Financial

Panelists:

Brian Cullen, President & CEO, VICO Infrastructure Company

Michael Irlbeck, Director of Business Development, Epcor Water

John Joyner, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Water Capital Partners LLC

  2:45 – 3:00 p.m. :: Break

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. :: Water Stewardship vs. a Water Strategy: Creating Greater Business Value and Impact

Over the past several years, many companies have moved from water management to water stewardship strategies. A more comprehensive corporate water strategy which builds upon stewardship actions can create greater business value and, in turn, greater positive impact to local economies, civil society and stakeholders. The value of a comprehensive corporate water strategy will be explored along with practical recommendations on how to build on water stewardship strategies.

Will Sarni, Founder & CEO, Water Foundry LLC

4:00 p.m. :: End of Day

Thursday, May 20, 2021 : Central Time

9:00 -10:00 a.m. :: Enabling Innovative Technologies Towards A Safe, Efficient & Sustainable Water Future

Moderator:

Maarten ter Keurst, Junior Partner & Investment Director, Pureterra Ventures

Panelists:

Guillaume Clairet, Chief Operating Officer, H20 Innovation

Philip Briscoe, Chief Operating Officer, Rezatec

Sander Zweers, Director, Aquasuite

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. :: Morning Break

10:15 – 11:15 a.m. :: Industrial Water & Sustainability

From process industries like textiles and pulp and paper, to extractive industries like mining and oil & gas, the water and wastewater issues faced by industrial corporates is a growing challenge for meeting their sustainability objectives. This discussion will interview thought leaders who will share insights on trends and opportunities and breakthrough technologies at the nexus of heavy & light industry and water.  

Moderator:

John Robinson, Partner, Mazarines Ventures

Panelists:

Dustin Brownlow, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Antelope Water Management

Sucharita Dasa, Director, Sustainable & Impact Banking Coverage (ESG), Barclays Investment Bank

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. :: The Water Energy Nexus: The Current Status & The Way Forward

Water and energy are mutually dependent on one another. Every step of the water cycle consumes energy, from producing, moving, treating, and heating water to collecting and treating wastewater.  Conversely, harnessing energy requires a lot of water as well.  Rising population, mobilization, urbanization, climate challenges and economic development are creating a lot of stress in water and energy resources that the current & future generation needs to resolve.  Fortunately, there are solutions that tap into the water-energy nexus that help to conserve our precious water and energy resources, and save money as well. 

The session will examine those challenges, discuss where technical opportunities associated with the water/energy nexus exist, identify some of the water-energy nexus/energy saving technologies, the importance of resiliency, reducing vulnerability to extreme weather events, governance, and water equity.

Andrew Kricun, P.E., Managing Director, Moonshot Missions

Patrick Kiely, CEO, Sentry

12:00 p.m. :: Conference Concludes

• Michael Albrecht, Managing Partner, Ridgewood Infrastructure

• Shirley Ben-Dak, VP Strategy & Innovation, SWAN Network 

• Philip Briscoe, Chief Operating Officer, Rezatec

• Dustin Brownlow, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Antelope Water Management

• Guillaume Clairet, Chief Operating Officer, H20 Innovation

• Brian Cullen, President & CEO, VICO Infrastructure Company

• Sucharita Dasa, Director, Sustainable & Impact Banking Coverage (ESG), Barclays Investment Bank

• Michael Deane, Chief, Clean Water State Revolving Fund, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Edward Fanter, Managing Director, National Bank Financial

• George S. Hawkins, Esq. , Founder and President, Moonshot Missions

• Michael Irlbeck, Director of Business Development, Epcor Water

• Jorianne Jernberg, Director, WIFIA Program U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• John Joyner, Managing Director & Co-Founder, Water Capital Partners LLC

• Maarten ter Keurst, Junior Partner & Investment Director, Pureterra Ventures

• Patrick Kiely, CEO, Sentry

• Andrew Kricun, P.E., Managing Director, Moonshot Missions

• Alexander Loucopoulos, Partner, Sciens Capital Management

• Paul Luce, Senior Investment Leader; Member of Management Partners Group (USA) Inc.

• Caleb Powers, Principal, Ember Infrastructure

• John Robinson, Partner, Mazarine Ventures

• Scott Sergeant, Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey

• Will Sarni, Founder & CEO, Water Foundry LLC

• Aaron Snyder, Corps Water Infrastructure Financing – Lead, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

• Jonathan Stone, Partner, InstarAGF Asset Management

• Chris Sosnowski, CEO, Waterly 

• Jim Ziglar, Principal, Rebel Group

• Sander Zweers, Director, Aquasuite

We will be using Microsoft Teams to facilitate your participation in the upcoming event. You do not need to have an existing Teams account in order to participate in the broadcast – the course will play in your browser and you will have the option of using a microphone to speak with the room and ask questions, or type any questions in via the chat window and our on-site representative will relay your question to the instructor.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: After November 30 you will not be able to join a Teams meeting using Internet Explorer 11. Microsoft recommends downloading and installing the Teams app if possible. You may also use the Edge browser or Chrome.
• You will receive a meeting invitation will include a link to join the meeting.
• Separate meeting invitations will be sent for the morning and afternoon sessions of the course.
  • You will need to join the appropriate meeting at the appropriate time.
• If you are using a microphone, please ensure that it is muted until such time as you need to ask a question.
• The remote meeting connection will be open approximately 30 minutes before the start of the course. We encourage you to connect as early as possible in case you experience any unforeseen problems.

REGISTER NOW FOR THIS EVENT:

Water & Wastewater Investor Forum

May 19-20, 2021 | Online

Your registration may be transferred to a member of your organization up to 24 hours in advance of the event. Cancellations must be received on or before April 16, 2021 in order to be refunded and will be subject to a US $195.00 processing fee per registrant. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellations received after this date will create a credit of the tuition (less processing fee) good toward any other EUCI event. This credit will be good for six months from the cancellation date. In the event of non-attendance, all registration fees will be forfeited. In case of conference cancellation, EUCIs liability is limited to refund of the event registration fee only. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaints and refunds, please contact our offices at 303-770-8800

Credits

EUCI is accredited by the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard. IACET is recognized internationally as a standard development organization and accrediting body that promotes quality of continuing education and training.

EUCI is authorized by IACET to offer 0.9 CEUs for this event.

Who Should Attend

From the water, wastewater & water utility service companies

• CEO’s, CFOS and Business Development Executives
• Entrepreneurs
• Private Sector Executives and Directors
• Early stage companies seeking seek, debt or series A-C capital
• Industrial Water Users

From the Investment Community

• Impact Investors
• M&A Specialists
• Private Equity Investors
• Project Finance Executives
• Venture Capitalists
• Angel Investors
• Strategic Investors
• Investment Bankers
• Institutional Investors
• High Network Individuals

Advisors & Service Providers:

• Business Brokers
• Consultants
• Attorneys
• Accountants
• Due Diligence Firms

Universities, Governments and Research Centers

• Public and Private Utility Leaders
• Policy Makers, Thought Leaders and Water & Wastewater Tech Professionals
• Non-Profit/Government Officials
• Researchers
• Proposal writers
• Energy specialists
• R&D Managers
• Technology Transfer Specialist
• Strategic Planners
• Business Development Professionals
• Intellectual Property and Patent Attorneys