Three building blocks

Cross-border Collaboration in R&I 

WaterWise Hub focuses on developing a cross-border R&I strategy across Greece, Romania nd selected Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries (MD, SB, AL, NM, and UA), aligned with EU policies. The programme will map water policies, and develop multi-stakeholder think tank to provide policy advice and capacity building. Moreover, WaterWise Hub will scout for water innovation technologies, including AI, decentralized systems, and circular economy models, and explore potential applications across all participant countries. 

Accelerating Water Innovation 

WaterWise Hub drives water innovation by supporting startups, SMEs, and researchers. The programme will:

• Develop two joint pilot projects, in collaboration with leading water institutes.
  
• Support startups and  SMEs by providing funding, technical support and guidance for up to 20 pilot projects through Open Calls, the Innovation Accelerator, and a Residency Programme.
• Champion innovation through Tech Challenge hackathons, competitions, and networking events.

Knowledge Transfer, Training, and Mentoring

WaterWise Hub boosts skills and innovation in circular water management. The programme will develop training courses, summer schools, workshops, and mentoring opportunities for young researchers, water professionals and decision-makers. Meanwile, the WaterWise Knowledge Hub will expand the database of Water Europe Marketplace, sharing training materials, best practices, and networking tools, to support and bring together stakeholders across Europe.