Partners & Mentors

The fundamental research that led to the discovery of the Rapid Radicals technology and subsequently, the creation of Rapid Radicals, was made possible by, conducted through, and funded under the National Science Foundation Water and Equipment Policy Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (NSF WEP IUCRC). The NSF WEP IUCRC, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is comprised of 15 industry partners, called Industry Advisory Board (IAB) members, who contribute annually to the support of various water-related project within materials, systems, sensors and policy categories. Their contributions are both financial and professional as they relay valuable insights from industry to the researchers with the long-term goal of technology transfer.

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is a commission-run governmental agency serving 28 communities in Southeastern Wisconsin working to effectively manage wastewater sanitation and watershed infrastructure for the protection of environmental and public health. MMSD’s involvement in the NSF WEP IUCRC and mentorship of Rapid Radicals has been integral to bringing this technology forward with the goal of better serving their communities.

Imagine H2O is a non-profit organization that seeks entrepreneurial water-focused solutions spanning the municipal, industrial, and agricultural sectors that address climate change, public health, economic resilience, and social justice. Rapid Radicals participated in Imagine H2O’s international startup accelerator in 2021 that provided mentorship and introductions to investors, strategic partners, and end-users. Rapid Radicals has also been selected to participate in Imagine H2O’s Urban Water Challenge Cohort V. This program will unlock pilot funding, insight, and visibility to launch and scale our solution.

The Water Council is a nonprofit organization and global hub dedicated to solving critical global water challenges by driving freshwater innovation and advancing water stewardship. The Water Council is a connector between water challenges and the technologies being developed to solve them. To accomplish this, it has a number of innovative programs, including the BREW Accelerator. Rapid Radicals is a graduate of The Water Council’s BREW Program that provided invaluable startup mentorship, guidance, and connections.

Gner8tor is a nationally-ranked venture capital firm and accelerator that brings together startup founders, investors, corporations, job seekers, universities, musicians, and artists. Rapid Radicals graduated from Gener8tor’s gBETA Milwaukee 2020 accelerator where the team learned business fundamentals related to growth and investor readiness, received individualized mentorship from the team of nationally ranked accelerators, and established relationships with over 25 investment firms.

Though small in size, the City of Fond du Lac Wastewater Utility has big ideas on innovation and has been an enthusiastic mentor to the Rapid Radicals team during technology development under the NSF WEP IUCRC program. Industry members from the City of Fond du Lac have consistently offered valuable insights to improve the Rapid Radicals system and optimize the scaling process.