— A Nigerian company called Geotek Water Solutions has won the Water Council’s latest Tech Challenge, the Milwaukee organization announced.
It’s the first African business to win the group’s Tech Challenge competition, which issues open-ended requests for technologies and other water industry solutions. The program aims to provide exposure for innovation in the industry while helping establish partnerships with more established water tech firms.
Katie Kollhoff Mouat, the group’s director of innovation programs, says the latest contest “uncovered promising innovations for some of the most pressing water challenges today — improving access to clean water and identifying lead pipes for replacement.”
After the fall contest received more than 50 technology submissions from 23 countries, Geotek Water Solutions claimed first place. It comes with a $10,000 prize.
The business has a process for extracting groundwater and treating it with a system powered by geothermal energy, resulting in 65% lower energy costs than conventional approaches, according to an overview from the Water Council.
Its system aims to “address the dual challenges of energy cost and water quality” in various settings, including industrial as well as agricultural and off-grid uses, the company’s website says. The technology includes a geothermal loop system, solar-electric components for pumping and distribution, and real-time monitoring including AI-based processing of sensor data.
It’s currently being used at Green Eden Farms in Jos, Nigeria, where the company is also located. After installing the geothermal water system, the greenhouse operation was able to cut its use of diesel fuel for irrigation by 70% and boost crop yields by 35%.
“This project demonstrates the power of integrating geothermal energy into agricultural water systems, and serves as a model for replication across Africa,” the company says.
Geotek Water Solutions also has an integrated mobile app that communities and other customers can use to monitor their water systems and report issues.
The runner-up, Service ID of Fitchburg, won $5,000 for an AI-based system that can identify lead pipes based on photos. It’s meant to replace field inspections for lead service line inventories, supporting water utilities in replacing these lead pipes, according to the company’s website.
See the release and see more on the Tech Challenge here, including past winners.
— Milwaukee water tech company A.O. Smith has acquired Rhode Island manufacturer Leonard Valve for $470 million.
The business yesterday announced the acquisition of parent company LVC Holdco LLC. Leonard Valve, which was founded in 1911, makes water temperature control valves as well as monitoring devices used in various settings including hospitals and industrial facilities.
Steve Shafer, CEO of A.O. Smith, says the acquisition “expands our presence in the water management market, enhances our digital expertise and broadens our integrated product offering with commercial and institutional customers.”
See the release.
— Circulating legislation would raise the cap for the state’s Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program from $42 million to $100 million, which authors say would make a “critical investment” in the future of Wisconsin housing.
A group of Dem lawmakers yesterday circulated a co-sponsorship memo seeking support for the bill, led by Sen. Mark Spreitzer of Beloit and Rep. Steve Doyle of Onalaska. They reference the state’s shortage of affordable housing for working residents, calling the LIHTC program a “critical tool” and bipartisan success.
It began in 2018 under former Republican Gov. Scott Walker, and has since funded 79 projects with more than 6,500 housing units, according to the memo. It’s administered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, which allocates tax credits to claimants for qualified low-income housing projects.
Along with more than doubling the current availability of annual tax credits, the bill would direct WHEDA to ensure at least 35% of tax credits under the program go to projects in rural parts of the state, if possible.
It would also end a requirement that qualified projects are financed with tax-exempt bonds, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau, among other changes.
Authors note prior proposals to expand the program have “stalled” in the Legislature and state budget process.
“We still have time to make this critical investment in our state’s housing future,” they wrote.
The co-sponsorship deadline is Jan. 20 at 5 p.m.
See the bill text.
— Dem guv candidate Francesca Hong called for a moratorium on AI data center construction until outside experts can provide detailed estimates of their environmental and energy costs.
As part of her call yesterday, Hong also proposed eliminating tax breaks for corporations, preventing rate hikes for consumers and public ownership of Wisconsin’s energy infrastructure.
Hong’s campaign told WisPolitics her call includes:
- Ending the sales tax exemptions for AI data centers.
- Requiring utilities to identify large customers with peak demand exceeding 100 megawatts. Tax revenue from those customers would be directed to a revolving fund to develop public infrastructure with goals of decarbonization, reducing ratepayer costs, and regional industry support and employment.
- Requiring utilities to offer a carbon-free tariff to commercial and industrial data center customers.
- Requiring utilities to submit quarterly reports to the Public Service Commission on data centers’ energy consumption, fuel mix and renewable credit purchases. Data centers would also have to report annual water usage.
- Requiring utilities to create a “very large customer” class to limit their impact on residents’ and other ratepayers’ electric bills.
— Madison-based Elephas Biosciences Corporation is touting a new research paper that demonstrates the effectiveness of its precision oncology platform.
The paper, published over the weekend in the Journal of Translational Medicine, focused on its Elephas Live Platform product. The tool can profile tumors to predict how they’ll respond to immunotherapy, based on a small biopsy.
Study authors found the platform is capable of detecting an immune cell response to a treatment called immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to target cancer. They say the platform’s specific approach “addresses challenges” associated with other detection methods while using less tissue.
They also note the platform is compatible with established laboratory tests and imaging techniques, adding ongoing trials “will enable clinicians to assess platform performance in predicting response to immunotherapy.”
Elephas founder and CEO Maneesh Arora says the paper’s publication is “an important moment” for the company as it expands internationally.
“This paper validates our approach of using live tumor tissue for immunotherapy response prediction and highlights the strength of our science and its potential to transform cancer care,” Arora said in a statement.
The company late last year announced it had raised $40 million in a funding round that included the State of Wisconsin Investment Board and Venture Investors Health Fund in Madison.
See the release.
Top headlines from the Health Care Report…
— No Wisconsin counties reached the measles herd immunity vaccination rate of 95% for kindergarteners in recent years, new figures reveal.
For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.
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— Envision Greater Fond du Lac President and CEO Sadie Howell has been chosen as board chair for the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives.
The WCCE, which is affiliated with Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, is the professional association for executives and staff members of local chambers of commerce throughout the state. WMC yesterday announced 10 chamber professionals have been tapped for the group’s board in 2026.
Howell, who was chair-elect in 2025, says she’s honored to lead the board of advisors.
“Local chambers are the backbone of Wisconsin’s communities, driving business growth, advocating for our members, and strengthening the economy across the state,” she said in a statement.
Amanda Payne, president and CEO of the Waukesha County Business Alliance, was named chair-elect and will take over the role in 2028.
See more in the release.
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