Consulting Firm Plays Matchmaker For Public Utilities And Innovative Technologies

Like a dating service connecting municipalities with their ideal innovation match, Isle Utilities simplifies the process of new technology adoption.

Some municipalities don’t have the resources to send utility personnel jet-setting around the globe in search of new technologies, even if those technologies can improve their operations. That’s where Isle Utilities — an innovation consultancy firm — steps in.

Cristina Ahmadpour, a consulting manager with Isle Utilities, explains the model:

“We work closely with public agencies that are looking toward innovation to address some of their pain points in the industry. Then, we also engage the emerging technologies [providers], looking at opportunities at how they can further their development in the water sector.

“We are really that first layer of due diligence — that first step that does the vetting and looking at technologies, qualifying them, and then engaging them with the end users. I like to explain it as a really efficient and effective innovation workshop. Part of the reason Isle Utilities is here [at ACE15] is to look at new technologies on the floor. We do that at all the national, regional, and global conferences. What we do is vet the technologies. The TAG — the Technology Approval Group — is where we introduce them to our end users.

“We introduce technologies that address their pain points and what they’re looking for, whether it's an asset management solution, water conservation, operational efficiency, etc., and they are able to look at the technologies and vote on the ones that they want to come into that meeting.

“Then, that day of, they are getting five technologies that they have already reviewed, that they have already shown interest in, and those technologies are getting the opportunity to present to these member agencies within a regional cluster.”

And thus begins a beautiful relationship — or so that’s the plan. Hear more from Ahmadpour about Isle Utilities, the TAG program, and the trending topics of interest among water agencies by tuning in to the full interview below.