Presentation made at the 2014 State of the Coast, New Orleans Louisiana, a bi-annual conference staged by the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. A review of Louisiana's Water Innovation Cluster status and potential. Abstract The rapid growth of Louisiana's coastal restoration science and technology assets is paralleled by the growth of business resources to fulfill myriad project needs. In the public sector, the responsibility and processes for implementing projects are clear, but in the private sector, roles are distributed, speculative and unclear. Many institutions and organizations in Louisiana seek to further develop the state's research, education, engineering and related restoration assets into a globally competitive set of industries with exportable expertise and products that help the state capitalize on its water challenges. Globally, similar efforts are identified (and often branded) as water clusters. This presentation explores the phenomenon of the development of water clusters by public-private partnerships and initiatives nationally and internationally in a comparative analysis of where Louisiana stands. We posit that many opportunities exist for Louisiana to define powerful components of the water sector, and to develop a unique and influential water cluster that embraces many technologies not previously connected in any other state or country. But this undertaking requires leadership plus a statewide culture of innovation, and the responsibility for developing Louisiana's water cluster is in a nascent stage. In the short term, the cluster is growing in a de facto manner. Whether this will produce a truly globally competitive water cluster is a question that remains unanswered. Implications The development of a far-reaching, innovative, accessible and inclusive water cluster initiative has potential to strengthen coastal restoration efforts by: streamlining communications; expanding opportunities for innovation; building a strong network locally and nationally in support of projects and funding; reducing redundancy and improving efficiency; and by celebrating and branding Louisiana as a globally important water research and technology leader. It has potential to be a connecting resource across nearly unlimited sectors, with primary impacts in infrastructure, education, business and community development, industry, disaster management and resilience, health, the environment, culture, and tourism. If successfully implemented, Louisiana's water cluster could prove to be as unique and influential as its music, food and joie de vivre.

1. Louisiana’s Water
Innovation Cluster
Is it ready for global competition?
State of the Coast Conference
March 20, 2014
Stephen Picou
NOLAVibe
Horizon Initiative Water Committee
Greater New Orleans Foundation/Idea Village Water Challenge

4. Water Clusters are a national
and global trend
Where are we now?
Who should coordinate/lead?
What would happen?

5. US EPA January 2011 Press Conference with Lisa Jackson
 Water Technology Innovation Cluster initiative (WTIC)
 Support, convening, sharing of technology and resources
 WTIC led by Sally Gutierrez of EPA, Cincinnati
 Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA):
 Enables federal agencies to conduct joint research with
non-federal partners and protect intellectual property
 No funding but exchange of personnel, equipment & in-
kind services (via Cooperative Research & Development
Agreements)
 Partnered with SBA on EPA SBIR program funding ($4m)

6. “A regional technology cluster is a
geographic concentration of
interconnected firms—businesses,
suppliers, service providers—and
supporting institutions such as local
government, business chambers,
universities, investors, and others that
work together in an organized manner to
promote economic growth and
technological innovation.” EPA, 2011

7. Water Technology Innovation Cluster
Formal and Informal
Trending toward Formal via government-led:
 Regional clustering of government, academia and
business
 Communication & connector
 Resource sharing & support
 Reduce duplication of efforts
 Branded and promoted
 Global marketing
 Entrepreneurial/Business Accelerator
 Competition model
 Capital and investment connector

8. watercluster.org

9. Kinrot Ventures, Israel, 1993
“Worldwide leading seed investor in water and
cleantech technologies”
 2nd only to Silicon Valley in intensity of technology
development
 Recycle 72% of sewer and waste water
 World’s largest desal systems
 Global aspirations
 Entrepreneurial competition, incubator program
 Founded by Israeli government
 Acquired by Hutcheson-Whampoa, Hong Kong, 2012

13. Water park Picture

15. Water Innovation Clusters

16. New Orleans Sept 28-Oct 1, 2014

19. Louisiana’s Water Cluster?
Strengths and Issues:
 Coastal & environmental restoration & adaptation
 LED “home to…41 percent of all U.S. firm headquarters
with capabilities related to Gulf Coast restoration and
water resource management”
 Resilience & disaster management
 Adaptation
 Flood & stormwater management
 Infrastructure & built environment
 Preparation & response strategies
 Education & research
 Industry: monitoring & flow technologies
 Food: fisheries & agriculture
 Public health
 Maritime
 Cultural and environmental tourism

20. Louisiana’s Water Cluster: Who Should Lead?
Entities contributing to a de facto cluster:
 State of the Coast
 Federal, state and local government agencies
 CPRA
 LED
 LSU, Tulane, UNO, ULL, Nicholls, McNeese
 NGOs
 Water Institute of the Gulf
 CRCL
 GNO Inc.

21. What if?

24. http://issuu.com/nolavibe

25. Steve Picou
NOLAVibe
link@nolavibe.com
504-669-9063