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
Management Team
Senior leader with more than 20 years of experience in the water, marine and environmental sectors. Former Managing Director of DHI subsidiaries and Executive Vice President for global business units within offshore energy, ports and water resources. Brings extensive experience in EU innovation frameworks.
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.
Chief Executive Officer, International Banking Federation, representing the global banking industry to bodies including the G20, Financial Stability Board and European Commission. Chair of European Women on Boards, where she played a decisive role in the adoption of the landmark 2022 EU Directive on gender balance on corporate boards. Chair of E3G, the global climate change think tank. Former Chief Financial Officer and Chief Risk Officer at major European banks.
President and CEO of ARCOWA, an impact advisory firm specialising in water, climate adaptation and innovative financing. Former CEO of the International Water Association and Director General of the World Water Council. Co-Founder and COO of Nature Analytics, an AI-driven natural hazard risk start-up.
Former Director General of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency, where she led the organisation for fifteen years, growing staff from 324 to 550 and was accountable for a budget of €93m. Former Chair of the European Environment Agency board across 33 member countries and former President of Engineers Ireland. Chartered Director.
Senior development economist and board executive with over 20 years of leadership across government, banking, sustainable finance and institutional reform. Former Deputy Prime Minister of Albania, where she chaired the Water and Dam Management Board and National Civil Protection Committee. Member of the EC High-Level Expert Group on Scaling Up Sustainable Finance. Advises GIZ, OECD/SIGMA and the Council of Europe on policy and governance.
Managing Director of the SUBMARINER Network, which she has built into a European organisation with over EUR 260 million in project volume, with a leading role in the EU Mission Ocean & Waters. Member of the European Ocean Board, the High-Level Expert Group advising the European Commission on the European Ocean Pact. Former member of the EIT Water Steering Committee.
Group Vice President, Corporate Affairs at Grundfos, bringing experience in water, governance, sustainability and public policy. She has helped advance Grundfos’s water stewardship agenda and build partnerships across the European water ecosystem, with a focus on stakeholder alignment, institutional collaboration and long-term impact.
Professor and Board Member at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Former Vice Rector for Research and Lifelong Learning. Coordinator of 12 EU-funded research projects and currently leading three EIT HEI Initiative projects. Former Member of the EIT Water Steering Committee.
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.
