Who we are
EIT Water is Europe’s innovation community for water, marine and maritime sectors and ecosystems. We connect industry, innovators, researchers, educators and policymakers to tackle the most urgent water challenges-from scarcity, drought and flooding to pollution and ecosystem decline.
By bringing together the right ideas, ingenuity and investment, we build real-world solutions that strengthen Europe’s water resilience, support the blue economy and protect ecosystems from source to sea.
EIT Water is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. Together with the EIT Community, Europe’s largest innovation network, we strengthen resilience, sustainability and competitiveness.
Our mission
We will accelerate Europe’s transition to sustainable, resilient and inclusive water systems by enabling coordinated, place-based systemic innovation across regions and sectors.
Our vision
A Europe where healthy water ecosystems drive economic opportunity, environmental protection and social wellbeing.
Our key focus challenges
We will address Europe’s most urgent water, marine and maritime systems (WMM) challenges with a specific focus on:
- Marine and freshwater ecosystem degradation and compromised water quality
- Limited water efficiency, recycling and resource circularity
- Vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and external threats
Our impact goals
Strengthen Europe’s water innovation capacity
Overcome fragmentation by building connected innovation ecosystems from source‑to‑sea
Amplify the impact of existing strengths, assets and initiatives across Europe
Unlock investment in sustainable water and blue‑economy solutions
Develop a skilled workforce able to respond to emerging challenges
Support businesses and innovators to scale solutions across borders
Contribute to climate resilience, circularity and ecosystem restoration
Interim Management Team (IMT)
The IMT oversees the operational setup of EIT Water during 2026, including governance, partnerships, operations, finance and programme design.
Senior leader with over 30 years of experience in the water and climate sector. Has held director-level roles at EIT Climate, Deltares, and within the Dutch government, bringing deep expertise in policy, research, and sector leadership.
Operations leader with 25+ years’ experience in water and cleantech commercialisation. Has held executive roles and advised over 100 startups and SMEs, with a strong track record in scaling innovation and business growth.
Finance executive with 15+ years of experience in finance and audit. Former COO and CFO at EIT Food, with strong expertise in financial management, governance, and organisational operations.
Commercial leader with 35+ years of experience across finance, technology, and sustainability. Previously held leadership roles at EIT Health, including Managing Director of InnoStars CLC and RIS hubs, with a focus on growth and innovation ecosystems.
Over 30 years’ experience as an academic and research leader in international environments, with specific expertise in the food and water sectors. She has held leadership roles in major EU initiatives, including the EIT Food Supervisory Board. She is employed as Vice-Dean in Technical Sciences at Aarhus University, Denmark.
Supervisory Board (SB)
The SB provides strategic guidance and ensures the organisation acts in the best interests of its mission.
Overview of the Supervisory Board of EIT Water
The Supervisory Board of EIT Water consists of nine members, five of whom, including the Chair will be appointed from non-member organisations. The Supervisory Board will oversee the strategic direction of EIT Water, approve Business Plans, and appoint the Chief Executive Officer alongside other leadership team members. As a founding board, its members will play an exceptional role in shaping EIT Water’s direction from the outset.
Chair (Independent)
The Chair will lead the Supervisory Board and represent EIT Water at the highest levels of European stakeholder engagement. We are looking for an individual with demonstrated board leadership experience and a strong pan-European network, who is motivated to help build a new institution from its inception.
Supervisory Board Members (8 seats; 4 member representatives & 4 independent)
Board members contribute strategic oversight, sector expertise and governance experience. Together, the board must reflect the breadth of EIT Water’s mission spanning water, marine and maritime innovation and meet EIT’s requirements for gender balance, geographic diversity across Europe, and Knowledge Triangle representation across industry, research and society.
General Assembly (GA)
The GA is the highest decisionmaking body of the Forening (association), representing all EIT Water partners.
Our values and behaviours
Stewardship
We are custodians - competitive, resilient, financially sustainable
Trust
We trust each other across our organisation and partnership
Impact
Everything we do must create real value and strengthen competitiveness
Courage
We create psychological safety to challenge and innovate
Collaboration
We overcome fragmentation, achieving more together
What makes us different
We unite the European water ecosystem
We are the only pan-European initiative integrating water, marine and maritime (WMM) innovation. We collaborate with stakeholders across sectors and connect ideas, ingenuity and investment to develop, create and scale innovative solutions.
We deliver place-based innovation
We operate through a strong regional network of 8 regional hubs connected by a central innovation engine, ensuring innovation is place based, linked and scaled across Europe.
We drive Knowledge Triangle impact
We combine activities in education, innovation and business creation in one coordinated model, plugging capability gaps and strengthening the impact of the entire value chain.
We create a competitive European ecosystem
We develop, commercialise and scale innovations that boost the water sector’s competitiveness, creating jobs, driving business growth, and delivering lasting economic and societal impact across Europe.
Get involved
Join our community and stay informed about upcoming programmes, opportunities and events.
