WaterWise Excellence Hub

An Excellence Hub on Water in the Circular Economy

The WaterWise Excellence Hub is a European Union funded initiative advancing smart decentralized water solutions within the circular economy. The partnership spans across Greece, Romania and selected Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries and is supported by leading European water institutions from Netherlands and United Kingdom. The project capitalizes on the Quadruple Helix innovation model, working together with universities, research organizations, SMEs and start-ups, public sector and civil society to accelerate adoption of close-looped water systems. The Hub activities revolve around water research and innovation, water business acceleration and knowledge dissemination.

Main features

• Cross-border research & innovation strategy. We develop a framework to address systemic gaps and barriers / fostering innovation and collaboration in water circularity.
• Empowering water innovators. We offer lifelong learning courses, mentoring opportunities and enhance the Water Europe Marketplace with new features linking innovators and problem owners.
• New investment pathways. We define strategic actions and enable funding access to support ventures, pilots and research and innovation activities in circular and decentralized water solutions.
• Innovation accelerator. We support entrepreneurship and market uptake of water innovations through our Open Call funding scheme – Water Tech Challenges, an innovation accelerator programme and technological transfer centres.
• Decision support toolboxes. We develop strategic – tactical and operational decision toolboxes to support planning and implementation of circular and decentralized water system projects.

Key facts

• Project start date: January, 1, 2025
• Project duration: 48 months
• Project total budget: 5.976.818,75 Euro
• Project coordination: National Technical University of Athens

Our consortium