WaterTech

WaterCampus Leeuwarden is the European focal point of WaterTech, connecting scientific research, applied research and business. Over 25 companies are based at the WaterCampus itself and the campus is directly connected to over 200 companies.

WaterCampus Leeuwarden collaborates with 23 European universities and research institutes and five regions outside of Europe in the Global WaterTech Hub Alliance.

In September 2018, the Global WaterTech Hub Alliance was established to foster international collaboration between regional hubs of WaterTech Innovation. European Alliance partner is WaterAlliance, the Dutch industry network that, as part of WaterCampus, accelerates innovation and business in sustainable water technologies.

We perform cutting edge scientific research, spearheaded by science partner Wetsus, the European Center of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technologies.

We offer state-of-the-art applied research facilities, for tests from lab-scale to full-scale units including knowledge and expertise from our universities of applied sciences.  The Center of Expertise Water Technology (CEW), supports businesses in the steps from applied science to ready-to-market product development.

Our business community is brought together in industry network and by managing partner WaterAlliance. WaterAlliance accelerates business development worldwide.

1. Market demand

• Direct access to European market via the European Hub location
• Access to international market via Global Water Tech Hub Alliance

2. Ideas
   • World class education & lifelong learning
   • Yearly waterSEED challenge
   • Two Global WaterTech Hub Alliance challenges
   • Pre-seed funding available

3. Research

• 24 research themes
• 129 research projects
• 96 patent applications
• 44 spin-offs

4. Water Application Center

• Six applied research themes
• Unique triple helix collaboration
• Four physical facilities available

5. Demo sites​​​​​​

• Four demo sites

6. Launching customer

• Launching government
• Three incubator programs
• Three business funding partners

7. Cooperation

• 362 network partners
• 5 international hub partners

8. Matchmaking

• 37 organized events
• 35 international conferences
• 31 received trade visits & 6 participated trade visits

9. Export

• 75% companies exporting activities
• Export quote WaterTech: 35-40%

Your European business network partner is WaterAlliance. WaterAlliance is one of the international partners in the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), connecting tens of thousands of European SMEs. The EEN supports SMEs worldwide seeking international collaboration or who are interested in entering new markets.

WaterAlliance is your European partner in the Global WaterTech Hub Alliance. WaterAlliance can provide you with direct access to industry networks of the Global WaterTech Hubs in the US (Milwaukee), Singapore, China (Jiangsu), Israel (Mekorot) and Korea (Daegu).

WaterAlliance organize, support or highlight many international conferences, visits and other matchmaking events.

Wetsus’ research is carried out within the framework of Technological Top Institute for WaterTechnology, part of the Dutch Innovation Program on Water Technology. Leading researchers from various universities work together in the Wetsus laboratory on the following research programs:

• Sustainable water supply (focus areas: applied water physics, priority compounds, groundwater technology, biofilms, smart water grids, virus control).
• Waste water treatment and reuse (focus areas: advanced water treatment, sulfur, source separated sanitation, concentrates, natural flocculants).
• Sensoring of micro/nano pollutants (focus areas: sensoring, genomics-based water quality monitoring).
• Reuse of components and production of energy (focus areas: blue energy, protein from water, phosphate recovery, sustainable carbon cycle, soil, biopolymers from water, resource recovery).
• New water sources (focus areas: dehydration, desalienation, capacitive deionization, natural water production.

Develop your first prototype, set up a pilot, accelerate the innovation cycle and shorten your time to market in one of the tracks offered by CEW:

• Water saving & reuse.
• Water & Energy.
• Nutrients & Agriculture.
• Watersystem.
• Industrial water processing.
• Sensortechnology.

Our business network can set up matchmaking activities with the best technology partners in the TopDutch region, in Europe and around the world.

Different companies and different industries require a unique mix of highly specialized water technologies to be implemented in their industrial chain in their efforts to realize the most sustainable water system and management. WaterCampus and WaterAlliance are the best partners to connect you to technology partners for turn-key water management solution projects.

Water science education starting at primary education and going up to PhD and MBA level. Unique for the WaterCampus in the TopDutch region is its extensive education program offering education to students at all levels and ages.

Being a highly specialized industry, the WaterTech Capital of Europe produces highly and uniquely skilled graduates every year.

The WaterAlliance has set up the WaterJobs portal, connecting its industry network companies’ growth ambitions with (specialized) talent looking for new challenges. With talent being key to business development, WaterAlliance is a supportive partner smoothening the development of your business in the WaterTech industry.