My trip to Leeuwarden, Netherlands for European Water Tech Week kicked off with an incredibly warm welcome from our hosts, Hein Molenkamp and Harro Brons of the Water Alliance. After arriving on Sunday, I had the pleasure of catching up over dinner with YoungDug Kim, a South Korean colleague of CWA who recently deployed a cutting-edge turbidity sensor in our testbeds, and Leonard Kieseler, CWA’s European Representative. It was the perfect start to a week of collaboration and innovation.
Monday kicked off with a formal welcome from high-ranking EU and Netherlands officials, highlighting the importance of global partnerships in addressing water challenges. The presence of such leaders showed Europe's commitment to water technology innovation and collaboration with international partners.
Later that afternoon, I participated in a panel discussion on “Leveraging International Clusters,” alongside Tom Williams from the British Water International Forum and Scott Allison from Clean, the Danish water and environmental cluster. Moderated by the Water Alliance’s Hein Molenkamp, the session focused on sharing insights from our respective water clusters. Each of us gave a 10-minute presentation on our unique strengths and opportunities, followed by a brief Q&A.
Being among such esteemed peers was truly inspiring, and emphasized the importance of EU-U.S. partnerships in the water sector. These collaborations are a key driver of innovation and have the potential to accelerate our testbed opportunities, creating soft landings for European companies, and enabling U.S. market entry. Notably, several companies we engaged with are currently exploring opportunities to do business in the U.S.
During the day, I attended presentations showcasing early-stage water technologies from across Europe, including Belgium and the U.K. While still in their early development, these innovations show great potential for the future of water management and monitoring.
I also participated in several 1-on-1 meetings on day 2. Two standout connections included Girts Ozolins, a Commercialization Advisor and Senior Expert from the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Latvia, and Meike van Ginneken, the Water Envoy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. These conversations were invaluable in further strengthening ties between CWA and the European water sectors.
Tuesday night I attended a private dinner hosted at Wetsus, a beautiful facility and one of Europe’s largest water technology accelerators. The event brought together over 150 influential attendees, including elected officials, key industry players, researchers, and major corporations. This gathering was invaluable for building relationships with leaders in the European water industry.
Wednesday’s focus shifted to market-ready water technology innovations, with companies pitching their solutions to the audience. During this, attendees voted on the most promising technologies.
Some of the standout pitches for me were:
These pitches demonstrated the innovation emerging from Europe, highlighting the region’s commitment to developing sustainable water technologies that have the potential to impact the global market.
As the week came to a close, the value of being a part of Europe’s water technology ecosystem became clear. Wetsus, in particular, stands out as an impressive center for innovation, and we’re excited to continue fostering relationships with European organizations. Being invited into this ecosystem offers unique opportunities for future shared research and development.
Our testbeds remain of high interest to the companies we engaged with, many of which are eager to demonstrate in real-world conditions and expand into the American market. The concept of a “soft landing” for these companies—establishing U.S. operations and partnerships—is a crucial part of ongoing discussions. We are excited about the future and look forward to continuing our partnerships with leading European innovators as we bring new technologies to the Great Lakes and beyond.
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