RAI Amsterdam, the organiser of Aquatech, has made a bold move by repositioning the Innovation Forum at the upcoming Aquatech Amsterdam event in March 2025. This strategic shift is designed to cast a spotlight on innovators and innovations driving the water market forward. The Forum’s theme, ‘Aligning action to scale water innovations,’ underscores its mission to foster growth and collaboration among water-tech founders, entrepreneurs, and key stakeholders.
This year’s Forum is set to be a dynamic hub for early-stage companies, offering practical insights into navigating water utility procurement, attracting new investors, and forging strategic partnerships. Sessions are designed to tackle pressing issues such as embracing new business models, attracting fresh investment, and fostering collaboration between start-ups and multinational corporations. The agenda includes thought-provoking discussions like ‘Navigating the water procurement labyrinth,’ ‘Embracing breakthrough business models: A brave new world?’ and ‘The start-up and multinational collaboration model: can it help to scale innovations?’
The Innovation Forum will be strategically located within the InnovationHUB, alongside the BlueTech Innovation Pavilion, UpLink by World Economic Forum, Investor Lounge, and EU Innovation Projects. This central location aims to enhance connectivity and collaboration across the broader Aquatech Amsterdam event. Notably, the overall winner of the Aquatech Innovation Award will join the Forum for an exclusive Fireside Chat, providing a unique platform for sharing success stories and insights.
Tom Freyberg, Strategic Partnerships and Content Director at Aquatech Global Events, emphasized the Forum’s disruptive intent: “The Innovation Forum has always been designed to disrupt traditional conference models and thinking. We want it to be a platform where people can have honest discussions and make meaningful connections. Companies are not going to solve water challenges alone. So the focus of this edition is all about accelerating alignment between companies, to help solve challenges with scale and speed.”
In a refreshing twist, the Forum will also host ‘The F**K Up Nights,’ an evening event sponsored by Aquacycl and SUDOC. This event celebrates failures as integral parts of the innovation journey, encouraging open dialogue about setbacks and lessons learned. This approach not only humanizes the innovation process but also fosters a culture of resilience and continuous learning.
The addition of the Integrated Leaders Forum (ILF) conference, with a focus on ‘Water in transition: Strategies for sustainable & resilient water solutions,’ further enriches the event’s offerings. This new conference track is poised to attract industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss strategic approaches to sustainable water management.
The strategic repositioning of the Innovation Forum and the introduction of new elements like the ILF and ‘The F**K Up Nights’ are set to shape the development of the water sector significantly. By fostering a culture of open dialogue, collaboration, and resilience, Aquatech Amsterdam is positioning itself as a catalyst for innovation and progress. This approach challenges traditional norms and encourages a more dynamic and inclusive approach to tackling water challenges. As the sector evolves, events like these will be crucial in driving forward-thinking solutions and collaborations that can address global water issues with scale and speed.
