This Engine focuses on developing sustainable technologies, practices and systems in the ecoregion that is home to 90% of the freshwater in the United States. Located around a population of 40 million residents in the US & Canada, this collaboration across academia, industry, workforce providers, community organizations and public leaders seeks to serve as a launching pad for water intensive industries growth in a sustainable manner.

The NSF Engine has an initial region of service that spans three states – Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin – with several anchor points including Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee as priority areas of impact. The NSF Engine builds a strong ecosystem including core partners with representation from the manufacturing and energy sectors, national labs and universities (including public and private four-year institutions and two-year institutions), economic and workforce development organizations, entrepreneurship support organizations, non-profits, philanthropies and investment firms that are essential to the NSF Engine’s success.

Recognizing the relatively nascent nature of water resource recovery and circular water economy technology markets, the NSF Engine centers the workforce development efforts around training and education programs aimed at preparing future innovators, workers, and entrepreneurs in the emerging space of a circular water economy.