
Aquatech Amsterdam played host to 4 days of
inspirational innovation and a platform for networking and exchanging ideas
Last month we headed to The Netherlands for the world’s biggest water trade show, “Aquatech Amsterdam 2019”. The event provided a fascinating insight into the water industry and we were able to make some useful connections that have the potential to benefit EIC Partners.
Featuring over 1000
exhibitors, 25,000+ water experts from 140+ different countries and more than
1000 AIWW (Amsterdam International Water Week) delegates, the event is firmly
established as being the biggest of its kind in the world and the leading
platform for process, drinking and waste water. All of this meant that the event
was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the ongoing trends and
innovations within the water industry and to form new connections as part of
the EIC’s ongoing mission to help bridge the gap between industry and
innovators.
We were particularly
impressed with the interactive nature of the event, which made it far more
engaging than your typical conference. Prior to the event, we were keen to
explore the approaches that other countries are taking in tackling key issues
within the water industry, and it was fascinating to observe the variation in
perspective with regards to innovation across the globe. There were pavilions representing
11 different countries across the exhibition which made for an extremely
interesting insight into the key trends and priorities around the world, with the
use of hydrogen for water purification being a particularly prominent example.
Some of the key
trends that we identified from the event included; water purification and
filtration, smart networks, leakage, monitoring equipment and automation.
The energy in the
room was palpable throughout, with pipe fitting competitions taking place and a
‘Drone Zone’ grabbing the attention of many of the attendees across the day. An
‘Innovation Zone’ also showcased an impressive range of winners and nominees
from this year’s Aquatech Innovation Awards, which offered a great opportunity
for us to find out more about some of the most significant innovations
currently making a splash in the water industry.
Some of the
highlights of the week from an EIC perspective included the Innovation Forum (featuring
250 delegates, speakers and moderators) and the announcing of the overall
winner of the Aquatech Innovation Award: Kaumera Nereda Gum by Royal
HaskoningDHV and partners.
We had a great time
exploring all of the insightful areas of Aquatech Amsterdam 2019 and to be a
part of such a global water event. This was definitely a great opportunity to
form new connections and expand the Innovation Community, increasing the
opportunities available to our industry partners.