Client stories
Aqua Action is on a mission: Building a water-secure future
Soula Chronopoulos wants you to remember that every time you leave your kitchen tap running, you are wasting 28 litres of water per minute1. Canada may be a water-rich country, but it is that very abundance that sometimes makes us take water for granted and use it carelessly. “Every drop counts,” says Soula Chronopoulos, a neuroscientist and entrepreneur who for the past three years has been President of AquaAction, an organization focused on water innovation and entrepreneurship. “On the West Coast, across Canada’s Prairie provinces, farmers are facing a range of structural challenges, including but not limited to water scarcity, that are contributing to a sustained decline in farm numbers over time. Even in Quebec, more than 40 municipalities are now experiencing water limitations significant enough to restrict the approval of new construction projects.” Recurring disruptive climate events, aging infrastructures, and—more recently—geopolitical pressures, strategic resource-focused policies and the rise of AI-driven data centres requiring massive amounts of water to cool equipment are bringing water into the spotlight. And this time, water is more than a commodity or an environmental imperative. It has become a matter of economic resilience and national security. “Water is finally entering the public agenda and climate investing lexicon. It is on everybody's mind,” says Soula. “From large infrastructure projects to energy and critical minerals—it is all about water.” A force for change, 10 years in the making This was not the case back in 2015, when AquaAction was founded by the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation. Ever since, the organization has been on a clear mission: connect innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, communities, and industries and support them develop cutting-edge water technologies. “Water is at the core of everything. Without water, there is no biodiversity, no economy, no life. As the population grows, we pollute our water, we mismanage it, we don’t recycle it. And even a water-abundant country as Canada can face problems.” Soula Chronopoulos, President, AquaAction AquaAction’s programs are designed to move water-tech promising ideas from paper to commercial viability. Take AquaHacking, one of the organization’s most transformative initiatives. From its first edition in 2016, AquaHacking has been growing into a high-impact innovation program that brings together students, researchers and young professionals to develop real-world solutions to some of the most pressing freshwater challenges. Participants embark into a 10-month ideation and acceleration program during which they get access to mentorship, technical training and business development support. More than 3,000 participants and 80 water tech start-ups have been launched since 2016. For water tech companies ready to innovate and accelerate growth, the organization has developed AquaEntrepreneur, another flagship program that gives access to business opportunities and trade missions abroad. Alumni from both AquaHacking and AquaEntrepreneur can join AquaNation—a thriving community of water innovators—where they can connect with water-tech leaders, innovators, and industry experts, and secure contracts and partnerships. AquaAction is on an important mission and its message is getting through: water is essential for our lives, our future and our economic survival. Canada can lead in water innovation The Canadian water-tech ecosystem is an innovation powerhouse, says Soula. From helping grow more food with less water, to turning algae that's choking our waterways into recyclable new energies, Canada’s innovators are set to solve some of world’s biggest problems. “The young generations rightfully have a lot of eco-anxiety. Our programs give them an avenue to do something about it. We are helping them build viable business models that are also sustainable for the planet,” says Soula. Canada has made real progress, but there is still a long way to go, especially when it comes to giving innovators the support they need to scale and keep their businesses here, at home. “The $100-million water tech security fund announced by the federal government will help with that. Canada’s new dual-use focus is a launchpad for scalable technologies that address both environmental needs and geopolitical realities. Another thing that we’ve been fighting for is that investment tax credits include water technologies,” says AquaAction’s President. Despite the success and impact of AquaAction’s initiatives—120+ active water tech companies supported, 600 jobs created, and the equivalent of 139,930 Olympic-size swimming pools of water saved—this is no longer enough, says Soula. “Unless more people are aware of water issues and robust policies are in place to support water-tech innovators, we won’t have real impact.” Stepping up its efforts With the water conversation gaining momentum as a result of immediate pressures, the organization is taking its efforts to the next level. One strategic step was completed in 2024 when AquaAction expanded its activities in the U.S. It was a move that made total sense, especially considering that the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin account for 20% of North America’s fresh water supply and more than 50% of all U.S.-Canadian bilateral border trade. This water-rich region also faces significant threats such as extreme weather, urban and industrial expansion, toxic contamination and the spread of invasive species. Following the successful recipe used in Canada, AquaAction organized its first-ever binational Great Lakes AquaHacking program in 2024, bringing together more than 200 water-tech innovators from both countries to tackle urgent water challenges. The upcoming edition to take place in 2026 will reunite 1,000 participants. “This is the first time we are going so big. We want to create an innovation corridor between Canada and the U.S,” says Soula. To help the start-ups in its portfolio measure and communicate the positive environmental performance of water technologies, AquaAction recently partnered with Oxia Initiative and launched a reporting framework that quantifies water savings based on International Standard Organization (ISO) methodology, similar to those used by the multi-billion carbon market. “We are very proud of this framework. It is game changing,” says Soula. “It’s one thing to say ‘I'm saving water’ versus saying ‘I’m saving 10 billion litres of water a year.’ This is the kind of measurement that makes water technology credible.” The organization is also getting ready to deploy another key initiative that will reach at least 5 million Canadians in 2026 only. Through a partnership with the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canada Water Agency, the NGO is launching a massive public water-awareness campaign across the country. “About 50% of Canadians don’t know where their water comes from when they open their tap; they don't realize it is that river or that lake. We want to change that.” Soula Chronopoulos, President, AquaAction Investing in the future With a 20-people team, AquaAction is a small organization punching well above its weight. “It really takes a village to tackle such a complex issue. We act as a catalyst and we couldn’t do what we do without partners like Lavery who provide legal guidance, workshops and mentorship to equip water-tech emerging leaders,” explains Soula. She adds that everyone can play a part. From turning off the tap and adopting water-smart practices and technologies to donating or mentoring tomorrow’s leaders, every action counts. “What we're doing now is still like a band-aid because we're still trying to change people's minds and make them understand that there is a water issue. True success means raising a generation that truly understands the value of water and seeing that mindset translate into action over the next 10 years." Soula Chronopoulos, President, AquaAction Regional District North Okanagan Water Services, https://www.rdno.ca/sites/default/files/2021-04/indoor_water_conservation_tips.pdf, page visited on December 2, 2025