Can Startup Partnerships Reinvent U.S. Utilities?

Xylem partners with 13 global startups to co-develop Al tools that help U.S. utilities detect water leaks faster and modernize aging systems.

9 May 2025

Xylem, a global water technology company, has launched its 2025 Partnerships Accelerator, bringing 13 startups into the fold to co-develop tools for utilities across the United States. The shared aim is straightforward but urgent: detect leaks faster, cut waste, and modernize creaking infrastructure.

Unlike typical accelerator programs, this one goes beyond seed money. Run by Xylem Innovation Labs, it provides mentorship, field testing, and direct collaboration with utility partners. The model is meant to break through the hurdles that often keep new technologies from reaching municipal systems, such as tight budgets and risk-averse operations.

"We're not just betting on emerging tech, we're co-creating it with the people on the front lines," said Sivan Zamir, Xylem's vice president of innovation.

The strategy is already showing promise. One participant, Cobalt Water Global, is refining its Al leak-detection platform using real-world feedback from utilities. "That kind of collaboration is invaluable," said CEO Jose Porro.

Pilot projects are slated to run through 2025, with the potential payoff measured in gallons of water saved, reduced repair costs, and sturdier systems facing climate stress.

Beyond immediate fixes, the initiative offers a glimpse of how public and private forces might team up to safeguard essential services. By fusing startup agility with utility know-how, Xylem is testing a model that could shape the future of water management.

If it works, the benefits will extend well past stopping leaks. It could change the very flow of innovation through the industry itself.