The World Water-Tech Innovation Summit which takes place in London next month looks set to be one of the year’s keynote events for both the UK and global water sector. 

The two-day event will feature debates and discussions on the most significant issues facing the water sector today including resource recovery, energy optimisation, smart water management and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

With a line-up of leading speakers from the UK and overseas, latest updates to the agenda include new business opportunities in India, case studies of water re-use success from UAE, Cyprus and the USA, and the impact of Saudi Arabia’s privatisation goals on business.

 UK water sector speakers include:

• Jon Rathjen, Water Industry Team Leader, Scottish Government
• Steven Kaye, Head of Innovation, Anglian Water
• Trevor Bishop, Deputy Director for Water Resources at the Environmental Agency
• Simon Gardner, Head of Innovation Programmes, Science and Innovation Directorate, NERC
• Anthony Crawford, Head of Wastewater Control, Thames Water,
• Wayne Evans, Innovation Processes Director, Veolia Water Technologies
• Ben Earl, Water Efficiency Manager, Southern Water
• George Ponton, Head of Research and Innovation, Scottish Water

The opening plenary session will see water leaders discuss new approaches to infrastructure and investment in response to climate change adaptation and mitigation, including:

• How are leading cities and municipalities responding to the challenges presented by climate change?
• To what extent are we seeing a new approach to water infrastructure and investment?
• Will the need to build resiliency accelerate the pace of innovation and give rise to new technologies?
• Are there currently sufficient incentives to facilitate energy efficiency, and what would today’s utility leaders like to see in terms of future regulation and incentives?

Financing water innovation a key issue

One of the key issues the summit will explore is financing water innovation and how to make water technologies the next big investment sector. Speakers will examine whether the traditional venture capital model is failing the water sector and how investment can be spurred within the industry – including whether lack of investment is the real issue or whether the current state of innovation should be addressed. Topics covered include:

• How have corporate investors in water evolved their approach over the past few years? What are the critical success-factors for a water-tech investment or acquisition in today’s market?
• How do we transition from speculation about the “next big thing” to successfully fostering investment and deploying commercially viable new technologies?
• Who are the emerging game changers and how can the investment community offer them a greater chance at success? What innovative business funding models and approaches are needed to support investment in such technologies?

Under the aegis of Mark Lane, Director of the UK Water Partnership, the summit will also explore what are the current priorities in UK flood resilience research in response to increased climate and environmental risk, calculating the economic impact of drought as a driver for investment in resilience, and how emerging innovations are addressing the challenges of both too much and too little water.

The UK Water Partnership was set up to improve understanding, cooperation and coordination across the diverse water community, allowing the UK to respond more effectively to the challenges of global water security and the need for resilience in a changing environment. It also aims to more effectively deliver and implement research outputs and innovation to ensure that the UK wins a greater share of the global water market.

Mark Lane will also lead the session on technology commercialisation – key issues include:

• How can different stakeholders work together to bring more research to commercialisation?
• How do other industries cross this barrier? What learnings can we apply to the water sector?
• How are water innovation hubs and accelerators around the world successfully addressing the commercialisation conundrum?
• Where should we expect to see the next wave of innovation and what was the last true disruptive technology to transform the water industry?

The World Water Tech Xummit takes place in London on 20-22 February – click here for more information