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.

Setting the course

Over the coming months, this funding will support the work needed to get EIT Water fully operational, including the development of our governance, operations, first business plan and early calls.

Our next phase is about moving from consortium to delivery. It gives us the framework to bring the right expertise and partners together, and establish the foundations for long-term impact.

A rising tide for innovation

We are bringing together industry, innovators, researchers, educators and policymakers to tackle Europe’s most urgent water challenges. Following the EIT model, our work will focus on entrepreneurial skills, business creation and scaling innovation across the water, marine and maritime sectors.

From scarcity, drought and flooding to pollution and ecosystem decline, EIT Water is being built to help turn new ideas into solutions that strengthen water resilience, support the blue economy and protect ecosystems across Europe.

With additional support from the Grundfos Foundation, EIT Water will launch early pilot activities that create momentum now and activate the ecosystem well ahead of 2027.

Channels across Europe

EIT Water already brings together 140 core partners across 29 countries, creating a strong base for collaboration across Europe. We continue to develop a network of Co-Location Centres that will connect regional strengths to our wider European community for innovators, students and entrepreneurs.

Our network includes our headquarters in Aarhus, Denmark, alongside centres in Leeds, Berlin, Antwerp, Vienna, Sibenik, Malaga and Varna. Together, these hubs will give EIT Water a strong presence in Europe from the outset and help connect expertise, investment and collaborators across the continent.

From first wave to lasting impact

With funding now in place, we look forward to driving the partnerships, programmes and activities that will help strengthen Europe’s water innovation ecosystem in the years ahead.

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