Compare and promote innovative water technology in Europe

The global water crisis is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century.

More than one billion people do not have clean drinking water and over two and half billion people have no access to sanitation. Large parts of Europe have plenty of water, but countries across the continent are increasingly starting to worry about water shortages, droughts, floods, deteriorating infrastructure, increasing energy demand and pollution. There are technologies developed to cope with these challenges, but the route to market is difficult, because support in the area of innovation for the water sector in most countries is still relatively underdeveloped.

The project INNOWATER is designed to cope with these challenges through innovative water technology in assisting and reaching the market. INNOWATER is a public-private partnership in the field of eco-innovation with participants from Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain and England. The project is financed by the European Commission within the Europe Innova Programme.

PURPOSE

The purpose of INNOWATER is the creation and integration of a 'water innovation partnership with new and better innovation support tools and models to develop and test innovative SME's and launching customers.

STRATEGY

This is achieved by: comparing, developing and testing the most promising methods and tools to support the development, implementation, promotion and scaling up of innovative technology.

Specific objectives:

• Identifying top institutes and stimulative programs for water, service and knowledge in the participating EU countries.
• Identifying, assessing, developing and testing the most promising:
  • Methods and tools to support technology and knowledge (eg subsidies).
  • Practical business development tools for innovative water-related small and medium businesses (eg vouchers).
  • Tools to support internationalization of SME’s in entering the international market (eg market information).
• Promote innovative water technology by launching customers.
• Join groups and key sectors in the industrial water sector.
• Designing, developing and testing models of user support innovation and business support programs that promote technology and knowledge.

ROLE OF INNOVATION CONSULTANT VAN DER MEER & VAN TILBURG

The project was developed by Van der Meer & van Tilburg in cooperation with Greenovate and the European Water Partnership. The task of the project consists mainly of developing new and better tools for innovative entrepreneurs in the industry and users in the industry.

BENEFITS FOR DUTCH WATER SECTOR

• Detailed martketinformation of the participating EU countries available on request.
• The ability to use the developed tools and methods.
• Access to innovative water technology networks in different countries.
• Possibilities for easy contact with launching customers in the European industry.