The 3rd EIP Water Conference on 10 February 2016 in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, provided a thought-provoking and pragmatic exchange about innovation and how innovation partnerships in general, and specifically in the water sector, are progressing in Europe. Take five minutes to watch diverse insights from speakers and participants and hear what they said about the challenges of driving innovation in the European and global water sector.

Programme as of 10th February 2016

08:00-09:15 Registration

09:15-09:30

Opening welcome

Marianne Wenning - Director for 'Quality of Life, Water & Air', DG Environment, European Commission

with a short "Welcome to Leeuwarden" note by Ferd Crone – Mayor of Leeuwarden

09:30-09:45

Welcome to the Netherlands

Melanie Schultz van Haegen – Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment, The Netherlands

09:45-10:00

Moderated interview with the hosts

How Fryslân has built an innovation ecosystem for water technologies

Sietske Poepjes - Province of Fryslân

Henk Deinum– Vice Mayor of Leeuwarden

Cees Buisman – Member of the Executive Board, Wetsus

10:00-10:45

Key Note Speech

The economics of innovation and the role of public and private entities

Mariana Mazzucato – Innovation Economist

10:45-11:30

Coffee break in the water innovation exhibition

11:30-12:00

Innovator showcase in Pecha Kucha style

Case study innovations that have been highly successful and less successful from within EIP Water with lessons learnt

Richard Elelman - Action Group "City Blueprints"

Peter Scheijgrond - Action Group "EWW - Energy and Water Works - Energizing Sustainable Deltas"

Ernesto Lopez Baeza - Action Group "RESEWAM-O - Remote Sensing for Water Management Optimization"

Carlos M. Gómez - Action Group "SPADIS - Smart Prices and Drought Insurance Schemes in Mediterranean Countries"

12:00-12:40

Expert panel

From idea to commercial success
Chair: Piers Clark – Chair of Isle

Mariana Mazzucato – Innovation Economist

Kurt Vandenberghe – Director for Climate Action and Resource Efficiency, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

Diane d'Arras - Executive VP Water Europe, Suez Water Europe

Uta Wehn – Innovation Researcher, UNESCO-IHE

Geert Woerlee - CEO, Feyecon (SME)

12:40-12:45

Idea Generator I

The 5 greatest innovation barriers, how participants rank them, and how they would solve them

12:45-14:15

Buffet lunch and exhibition time

14:15-14:45

Key note: The Smart City and its Water

Adapting to climate change, population growth, and ageing infrastructure

Alex Nickson - Strategy Manager for Climate Change Adaptation and Water at the Greater London Authority

14:45-15:05

Team presentation

How East-West collaboration in Europe has uncovered hidden innovation gems.

Sander Happaerts - Policy Analist, DG Regional and Urban, European Commission

Adrian Stanica - Romanian National Institute for Marine Geology and Geoecology - GeoEcoMar

Jos Brils - Deltares

15:05-15:30

Moderated interview

Why the investment community is vital to water innovation.

Reinhard Hübner – SKion GmbH

15:30-16:15

Innovation Dragon's Den

The final of “EIP Water’s Got Talent”, run by Isle Utilities

Chaired by Piers Clark, Chair of Isle Utilities. With the following judges:

Reinhard Hübner – SKion GmbH

Cees Buisman – Member of the Executive Board, Wetsus

Diane d'Arras - Executive VP Water Europe, Suez Water Europe

16:15-16:45

Coffee break in the exhibition

16:45-17:05

Idea Generator II

Survey results and moderated debate

Chaired by Durk Krol – WssTP; with:

Zsuzsanna Kocsis-Kupper - Water Quality Priority Area Team of the Danube Strategy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hungary

Olivier Ceberio - COO and Co-Founder of Resolute Marine

Ulf Miehe - Head of Department for Water and Wastewater Technologies  at Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin

17:05-17:15

Conclusions and recommendations from the 3rd EIP Water conference

Marianne Wenning - Director for 'Quality of Life, Water & Air', DG Environment, European Commission

17:15-17:30

Conference conclusion

17:30-19:00

Snacks and drinks in the exhibition

19:00

Innovation Dinner (ticketed event)

with Karmenu Vella -European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 

and hosted by Ferd Crone – Mayor of Leeuwarden

@ Grote of Jacobijnerkerk