WaterWise Kick-Off Meeting Highlights

On the 13-14th February WaterWise Hub made waves with its official launch at Eugenides Foundation. The kick-off meeting brought together 21 partner organisations from 9 countries across Europe and set the groundwork for an impactful 4-year collaboration on water innovation and sustainability. The kick-off meeting programme was populated with presentations on the various workstreams of the project, keynote speeches, insights from like-minded initiatives, networking opportunities and collaborative design work. Here are some of the standouts.

On the first day, Professor Christos Makropoulos, Scientific Lead of the WaterWise Hub, set the tone with a presentation addressing key EU water challenges, the 2024 Sustainable Development Report, and the evolving European policy landscape. Prof. Makropoulos emphasized the need for a holistic approach to water management and stressed that success depends not just on meeting deliverables but on driving long-term impact.

The stage was then given to Professor Ioannis Gkolias (Eugenides Foundation), who stressed the importance of lifelong learning and applied innovation, and Prof. Dimitrios Psychogyos, Vice President at RAAEY (Regulatory Authority for Energy, Waste and Water in Greece) who announced that RAAEY will extend its sandbox approach to cover water and solid waste. This was an exciting update for WaterWise Hub, as sandboxes are a great way to test water innovations in real-world simulations, under regulatory oversight.

Following up, Periklis Terlixidis presented the work of Smart Attica European Digital Innovation Hub, emphasizing on the hub’s mission to connect small companies with the digital technology resources (such as AI and other disruptive technologies), and expertise they need to innovate. Mr. Terlixidis presented water smart projects such as a monitoring system for Democritus campus and a reservoir forecasting system for Ikaria, to illustrate how new technologies can instigate a change in the way we manage water and gather essential data to tackle the effects of climate change.

On the second day, Mr. Ioannis Androulakis, President of Green Fund Greece, introduced some of the financial opportunities that support circular economy projects in water management; while Professor Konstantinos Aravossis discussed the role of the UNESCO Chair in promoting green innovation and a circular economy in Greece.

Other consortium members presented key platforms and programmes the WaterWise Hub will utilise as models and resources to maximise its efforts. Giorgos Karavokyros’ (TETHYS), overview of the Water Europe Markeplace, an online platform connecting stakeholders such as businesses, researchers, innovators, and policymakers, in order to promote innovative water solutions. Prof. Jeffrey presented the Cranfield Tech Accelerator, highlighting its focus on applied research and its ability to generate significant income from industry partnerships, while Dr. Spiridoula Demiri presented the Green Fund operations and funding programs for 2025.

In the last part of the second day, the participants had an opportunity to work together and brainstorm solutions, in a Water Cafe – collaborative design activity organised by SciCo. The activity made use of the interdisciplinary expertise and background of the various consortium partners to workshop imaginative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges WaterWise is faced with. 

As the two-day kickoff meeting drew to a close, participants left with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the water sector, and a well-kindled sense of determination to work towards their shared vision. We can’t help but feel hopeful for this cross-border collaboration and the changes it aspires to bring to the water sector in South-Eastern Europe.