Securing Europe’s water future

EIT Water is Europe's innovation community for water, marine and maritime (WMM) sectors and ecosystems. Together we are tackling the most urgent WMM challenges from scarcity, drought and flooding to pollution and ecosystem decline.

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Why we exist

More about eit water

Europe’s water, marine and maritime (WMM) systems face urgent challenges - from ecosystem degradation and pollution to climate risks and resource scarcity. To secure a sustainable future, we must close skill gaps, drive innovation, and scale impactful solutions across sectors. EIT Water connects Europe’s best minds to tackle these critical issues and accelerate the transition to resilient, circular and thriving water ecosystems.

What we do

Through three interconnected activity streams, we amplify Europe’s capacity to solve the most urgent water, marine and maritime (WMM) challenges:

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Entrepreneurial
skills

Equipping Europe’s workforce with the skills needed for a sustainable blue economy

Smiling woman in a mustard yellow blazer writing with a pencil at a desk during a meeting.

Business
creation

Helping entrepreneurs start, grow and finance impact-driven water ventures

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Scaling
innovation

Supporting breakthrough solutions and large scale demonstration projects

See our action programmes

Where we work

Our work is delivered through a network of Regional Hubs across Europe, connecting regional strengths to pan-European impact through place-based innovation ecosystems.

Explore our network

Map of Europe with countries color-coded by water regions: Black Sea, Central & Baltic, Central & Danube, Iberian Peninsula, North, South, UK & Ireland, and West.

Latest news

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Business & investment

April 1, 2026

EIT Water secures €5 million for the next phase of growth

EIT Water has secured a €5 million Start-up Grant Agreement, a major milestone in the run-up to full operations in 2027. It provides us with the support to put our core strategy and early activities in place, and strengthens our role as Europe’s innovation community for water, marine and maritime systems.

Innovation & technology

March 25, 2026

EIT Water reveals Co-Location Centres across Europe

The new Knowledge and Innovation Community EIT Water, headquartered in Denmark, will operate through a network of regional Co-Location Centres (CLCs). These centres bring together partners, expertise and innovation ecosystems across Europe. Now, nine hosts of these locations are revealed.

Business & investment

March 10, 2026

The Grundfos Foundation grants 40 million DKK to Aarhus University to support the launch of EIT Water

The Grundfos Foundation has awarded an initial 40 million DKK(5.35 MEUR) donation to Aarhus University to support the startup of EIT Water: the newest Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

Our events

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15 Oct 26

EIT Water Launch Event

15 October 2026. The day Europe's water innovation community comes together for the first time. Join us to drive forward Europe's water future. More information to follow!

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Join our community and stay informed about upcoming programmes, opportunities and events.

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