The International Water Summit’s (IWS) exciting competition to find the best clean tech solutions for water sustainability returns for 2017, as 10 contestants bid for market recognition during Innovate@IWS.
With three days of pitches in a format similar to popular television shows Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank, categories for Innovate@IWS include Municipal Water, Industrial Water and Commercial Real Estate. Co-organised by Isle Utilities, a global consultancy that aims to accelerate the market uptake of innovative solutions, 10 finalists have been chosen through a careful selection process, with the event enhanced by tech talks and a showcase in the Innovation Pavilion.
“We want to help bring the next-generation of technologies in water sustainability into the market, and connect innovators, investors, partners and end-users to achieve that,” said Piers Clark, Chairman of Isle Utilities. “The finalists will appear in front of a distinguished panel of judges from across the Middle East and North Africa to determine the most promising new solutions.”
Hosted by Masdar in strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA), IWS supports MENA water sustainability and business deals, with improvements to technology seen as essential to water security in the region. Now in its fifth edition and running under the theme of ‘Promoting Sustainable Water in Arid Regions’, it is a signature event of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2017, held alongside the 10thedition of the World Future Energy Summit.
Some of the technologies being promoted during Innovate@IWS include resource management systems, new processes for treating waste water, monitoring technologies, and ideas to reduce water consumption.
Each will be judged based on uniqueness, business potential and long-term vision. The best innovation in each category will receive an award, as well as valuable promotion to raise its profile in the market.
Last edition’s winners included Echologics, which uses acoustics to pinpoint pipe leaks, Vienna Water Monitoring Solutions, which measures microbiological contamination in 15 minutes, and Savage Showers, which can save 90 percent of water and energy compared with conventional showers.
IWS 2017 will be co-located with the World Future Energy Summit and EcoWASTE exhibitions at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 16 to 19 January. Live pitches for Innovate@IWS will be on Monday, 16 January for Municipal Water; Tuesday, 17 January for Industrial Water; and Wednesday 18 January for Commercial Real Estate, with winners announced after the final session.
IWS 2016 hosted over 10,000 attendees and 185 exhibiting companies from 111 countries. The IWS 2016 conference programme saw 300 delegates and 75 expert speakers exchanging knowledge and best practices in finding solutions to the water challenges facing the region. Business Connect facilitated 1,530 meetings with 386 executives from 320 companies and 38 countries, including Egypt, India, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, and Pakistan.