Amsterdam

Accelerating water agility: Aquatech Innovation Forum returns with full force

Thursday, 3 August 2023

The Aquatech Innovation Forum will once again return to ignite fruitful discussions on the future of water and kickstart a busy week at Aquatech Amsterdam. With the tagline ‘Accelerating Water Innovation’, the one-day conference is designed to unite industry thought leaders to think differently about water. The Innovation Forum was created to shake up the conference circuit, energising participants with meaningful connections, insights and new ways of actionable thinking to solve water challenges.

The critical water questions on the table

Uniting over 300 industry stakeholders, from water utilities, regulators, investors and start-ups, the conference promotes active discussions on key questions:

  • How can we catalyse the tech stack of solutions to tackle transformational events?
  • How can we turn “death by piloting” to prosperity by adoption?
  • In the race to Net Zero: how we position water as an enabler to solve climate change, not the resulting challenge?
  • What are the best examples of encouraging diversity in thought to create workforces of the future?

Built around the concept of a Roman Forum with a Roman Colosseum as the centre stage, the event hosts provocative discussions, challenging interactions and fruitful conversations where audience interaction is expected, not optional.

Actionable thinking

Annette Bos, Domain Director, Aquatech Global Events, said: “As part of Aquatech Global Events’ mantra ‘Together, we make water work’, the Innovation Forum is our flagship conference that will help to kick off an action-packed week in Amsterdam. We want to explore what “innovation” really means in water, and how we can make sure that discussion, knowledge sharing and connecting ensure action. Just talking just isn’t enough.”

Key topics include:

  • Navigating the Net Zero Journey
  • Taking on ChatGPT: the AI & digital water revolution
  • Piecing together the PFAS puzzle
  • The role of clean water for clean energy
  • Realising the circular economy

 

Over 30 speakers confirmed

Confirmed speakers include: the City of Cape Town water utility, Anthesis, WSP, Northumbrian Water Group, ImagineH2O, Burnt Island Ventures, Water Foundry, FCC Aqualia, Ghent University, DCU Water Institute, and many more.

Tom Freyberg, Content Director of the Aquatech Innovation Forum, added: “From the start, we wanted to shake up the traditional water conference scene and the Innovation Forum is helping to do exactly that. We urgently need to drive forward active collaboration to solve water challenges, including unconventional partnerships. The Forum will help catalyse these connections with a platform uniting best-in-class speakers to leave participants energised and motivated to tackle the challenges ahead.”

Blunders upfront (and centre)

Also returning this year will be the legendary F**K Up night in the evening, part of a global movement where people get to share their personal failure stories. Sponsored by Aquacycl, select speakers will reveal their personal and professional tales in a night to remember.

Sponsors & Knowledge Partners

The Headline Sponsor of the Forum is Xylem Vue powered by GoAigua, the software and analytics platform result of the partnership between Xylem, a global leader in water technology and Idrica, an international pioneer in water data management, analytics and smart-water solutions.

Bentley Systems is Gold Sponsor and Sponsor of the Innovation Forum Breakfast. Aquacycl sponsors the F**K Up Night.
Knowledge partners for the Innovation Forum include: Lis Water, Bluefield Research, BlueTech Research, & Global Water Intelligence (GWI).

About the Aquatech Innovation Forum

The Innovation Forum is part of the Aquatech Amsterdam Water Week. The Innovation Forum is the third piece of the Aquatech puzzle. It completes the trifecta of events in the same week: the Aquatech Innovation Forum, Aquatech Innovation Award, and dinner and large-scale, water-focused trade show with over 22,000 water professionals expected.
www.aquatechtrade.com/innovation-forum

Aquatech Global Events

Established in 1968, Aquatech Global Events organises the world’s leading trade events for a sustainable water future in Europe, China and Mexico as well as the biggest online watertech community. The well-established format covers ALL water-related topics and ONLY water-related topics, from wastewater, clean water, resource & bioeconomy, industrial & corporate water to smart water and water scarcity.
Aquatech Global Events are visited by professionals from all parts of the water industry and attract policy-makers, top-level businesses, specialists, and those who apply the technology in practice. www.aquatechtrade.com

Upcoming events

Aquatech Mexico 2023 | 5-6-7 September 2023
Aquatech Innovation Forum 2023 | 6  November 2023
Aquatech Amsterdam 2023 | 6-7-8-9 November 2023
Aquatech China 2024 | 11-12-13 December 2024

About RAI Amsterdam

Bringing together people expands borders... it inspires! RAI Amsterdam has been bringing different worlds, people and markets together, at home and abroad, since 1893. The RAI is an international exhibition and convention company that organises events in the Netherlands and abroad and operates the RAI Convention Centre in the business district of Amsterdam. Since 2014, RAI Amsterdam has had its own office in Shanghai, RAI China, where it organises several A-brand tradeshows for the Chinese and international markets. www.rai.nl