WaterProof Magazine #1 2023

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WaterProof is the magazine of the Water Alliance, a partnership between government, research institutions and industry in the field of innovative and sustainable water technology. From its base, the WaterCampus in Leeuwarden, the Water Alliance builds on the ‘water technology innovation chain’; a process whereby new ideas from universities, laboratories and test sites are converted into worldwide marketable products. WaterProof provides regional, national and global information on developments, results and background in the field of water technology.

Teamwork

Life is never really predictable, but in these times, it seems even more difficult to see into the future. What will the situation in Ukraine be when you read this? What we can easily predict are the consequences of climate change and the increasing global water shortages it is bringing. These are not pleasant prospects; it is clear that humanity faces great challenges.

Fast action is proving difficult. Humanity resembles an unwieldy oil tanker on the high seas struggling to adjust its course. It is a sluggish turn, and that takes a lot of space.

Fortunately, there is also a positive note: science is continuously developing. We learn more about how things work and find new solutions to existing problems every day. The water sector is a great example. Day in and day out, bright minds and innovative spirits around the world are working on ways to purify water more efficiently, reuse residual streams, recycle water and prevent future pollution. Dozens of water innovations make a definitive breakthrough in the market every year. I am proud that we can contribute to that as the Water Alliance and WaterCampus Leeuwarden. If you need hard evidence, you need only read on in this issue of WaterProof for numerous wonderful examples. It is a beautiful and optimistic start to the new year— a year with great challenges in store for us again. Under the familiar name of Water Alliance, we are teaming up with the Dutch industry association ENVAQUA to join the forces of over 200 members. In addition to our existing activities, members work together in various Expert Groups to address important societal challenges and exert influence on existing laws and regulations where necessary. From 2023, we will be doing that together. This will enable us to serve the water sector even better. The many international clusters we cooperate with will help us get knowledge and innovative products to the right places around the world faster.

Teamwork has always been the most important word in our strategy. Only together can we rise to the challenges we face.

Hein Molenkamp Managing Director, Water Alliance

photo © Marcel J. de Jong

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NEWS FROM THE AROUND THE WORLD OF WATER TECHNOLOGY

FERR-TECH WINS WIS AWARD!

Water technology company FerrTech won the WIS Award 2022. The Meppel-based company, a member of Water Alliance, won the award with its innovative product Ferrate(VI). Co-owner Judith le Fèvre accepted the glass water drop trophy from jury chair Cees Buisman. The company secured the award after an exciting final during the European Water Technology Week (EWTW). The EWTW was held at the WTC Leeuwarden from 19–22 September. The WIS award is the innovation prize that the Water Alliance presents biannually to a company with a noteworthy water innovation. The prize includes €10,000 in marketing support.

Ferrate(VI) has been known worldwide for decades as the strongest oxidant for treating industrial wastewater. Unlike chemicals commonly used for water treatment, Ferrate(VI) is environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Until now, it was impossible to produce shelf-stable Ferrate(VI), but Ferr-Tech has developed a process that stabilizes Ferrate(VI) for industrial use. Ferrate(VI) makes industrial processes more sustainable, energy-efficient and circular.

The WIS jury found Ferr-Tech’s innovation a clear winner but also noted

that the decision was difficult this year, given the many exceptional innovations entered into the competition.

The WIS Award is not just about smart innovation; the jury also critically considers the business case and growth potential. Participants had to explain which markets they planned to conquer and how they planned to do so. Ferr-Tech plans to use the WIS Award primarily to support its international marketing. The company’s ambition is to conquer the world. It is starting in the US, where a plant will be built in 2023, but an

expansion to the Middle East is also in the works.

Over the years, the WIS Award has grown into a nursery of golden ideas. For the winners, it often marks the beginning of an international breakthrough. For example, Hydraloop Systems and Samotics, among others, won the award in previous years—all companies that continue to grow at lightning speed and already serve a wide range of international clients.

Judith le Fèvre (m) accepts the glass water drop trophy from Cees Buisman (r).

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NEWS FROM THE AROUND THE WORLD OF WATER TECHNOLOGY

WORKING TOGETHER FOR DUTCH WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY WATER &ALLIANCE ENVAQUA

“Both sides had been convinced for some time that a merger could be a very good thing”, says director Hein Molenkamp. “It allows better utilization and mobilization of all the knowledge and talent in both organizations—as well as that of the two constituencies, so we just went ahead with it.”

“ENVAQUA has a wealth of knowledge in the form of eight expert groups”, Molenkamp continues. Each group has active members and entrepreneurs representing their specialization on a wide range of topics, including circular water, industrial water, waste recovery, Legionella, swimming pools, and other topics concerning water and environmental technology. The resulting combined knowledge is incredible. Water Alliance also adds all the benefits of the WaterCampus Leeuwarden innovation ecosystem and our international network. We have been engaging in national and international marketing at trade shows and conventions worldwide for over 12 years. We have also developed an international network of related cluster organizations at Water Alliance that meet regularly and link companies together. We help draw attention to Dutch companies in places like the U.S., Canada, China, Singapore, and the rest of Europe.”

The deal was effectively already sealed during a joint members’ day held by both organizations in Amersfoort. The first exercise in working together proved a hectic event.

After several years of intensive cooperation, Water Alliance and industry association ENVAQUA have decided to work together even more closely and are continuing as one under the name Water Alliance. Their goal is to jointly support water and environmental technology companies in the development of innovations and help promising innovations reach global markets. The new organization has a combined constituency of two hundred members.

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NEWS FROM THE AROUND THE WORLD OF WATER TECHNOLOGY

‘TOO MUCH RESEARCH MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON HYPES’

Leeuwarden hosted the European Water Technology Week (EWTW) in September. It is a multi-day conference at which the founders of WaterCampus Leeuwarden put their shoulders to the wheel together. Water institute Wetsus is a key pacemaker, and with director and scientist Cees Buisman on the list of speakers, it’s guaranteed to be interesting. His speech imparted a clear message: the national and international allocation of research funds is determined too

much by hypes, with too little money going to research that addresses the biggest challenges humanity faces, such as water scarcity. He explained that more research money goes to Tesla than water technology, and one of the reasons, according to Buisman, is that water technology is not considered sexy enough. Water technology innovations generally take a long time to research, test, and accept. “On average, it takes 15 years for new water technology to be

accepted”, Buisman explains.

This challenge is voiced frequently by the water technology sector.

Pioneering innovations are “disruptive” and are seen as a threat to existing systems. New forms of residential sanitation and new forms of energy, for example. On the Afsluitdijk, for example, REDstack has been working for years to generate energy from the differences between fresh and salt water. That innovation is now so mature that it could be sold worldwide, but the world still seems hesitant.

The conclusion was clear to everyone: new groundbreaking technologies take time but can eventually change the world—reason enough to fully embrace research into it.

‘MORE RESEARCH MONEY GOES TO TESLA THAN WATER TECHNOLOGY’

Cees Buisman at the EWTW.

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NEWS FROM THE AROUND THE WORLD OF WATER TECHNOLOGY

INTERNATIONAL WATER PRIZE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIVIMAG

Extraordinary news from Wetsus. The ‘European center of excellence for sustainable water technology’ and TU Delft have received the silver award in the prestigious International Water Association’s (IWA) Project Innovation Award in the category “Breakthroughs in Research and Development”. The award was handed out at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 13 September. The technology for magnetically extracting the

valuable element phosphorus from wastewater—ViviMag®— was selected as one of the three winners out of 203 entries from 52 countries. “We are thrilled to get this recognition for our development”, says Leon Korving, project lead at Wetsus.

The ViviMag technology was developed by Wetsus and TU Delft in cooperation with Kemira, STOWA, water authority Brabantse Delta, Vandcenter Syd, Aquaminerals, Aquacare and

Waterschapsbedrijf Limburg. Royal Haskoning DHV recently joined the development. The pilot phase was completed with funding from EIT Raw Materials, an EU innovation community.

“We are thrilled to get this recognition for our development”, says Leon Korving, project lead at Wetsus.

“ViviMag® is a prime example of how basic scientific insights combined with a visionary collaboration with private and public partners can lead to radical new solutions for our common future.” Prof. Mark van Loosdrecht (TU Delft) adds: “The project is a great example of how curiosity-driven research in an engineering environment can lead to innovative solutions for societal problems.”

ViviMag started with fundamental research by Wetsus and TU Delft that identified vivianite as a key mineral in sewage treatment plants. The paramagnetic property of the mineral was exploited to recover the vivianite from sewage sludge using magnetic separation equipment borrowed from the mining industry, resulting in a nice example of ‘urban mining’. With financial support from the European EIT Raw Materials programme, the approach was piloted at the Breda sewage treatment plant of the Dutch water authority Brabantse Delta.

Kemira is now the patent owner and has taken the lead in upscaling the approach further. Kemira is a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries. A second continuous pilot installation in Germany in partnership with Veolia is an important step. Further tests are planned in Denmark and the Netherlands. The first demonstration plant in the Netherlands is already being planned.

new member!

Measuring water lines with fibre optics

FibreSecurity’s mission is to use fibre optics to minimize the loss of good drinking water. Based in Haarlem, the Netherlands, the company’s engineers use this method to identify changes in the water and surrounding infrastructure at an early stage. The sensors in the system work with light. “As soon as light reflects at a different frequency, a measurement is taken”, says director Maja Rejger of FibreSecurity, which has been a Water Alliance member for some time. “Our software converts this data to show the customer where any leakage has occurred or is about to occur.”

The fibre optics system is suitable for cold and hot water, drinking and wastewater, district heating and sewage. The latter application is becoming increasingly important, in particular. “Sewer water evaporates during a heat wave, for example. This disturbs the ratio of water to feaces, which causes problems with purification. The flow is not fluid enough if there is not enough water.” According to the company, if the faeces harden, the pipes can rupture, causing a major public health hazard due to contamination.

FibreSecurity’s system is a sustainable, digital and innovative 24/7 passive monitoring system. “We can measure with a small sensor that would normally require a lot of different measuring equipment.” Rejger cites a project in Croatia as an example. FibreSecurity detects leaks in the drinking water system there. By monitoring the pipes, the company can measure where leaks will occur before they happen. “You can see the inside of the pipe change and detect problems like erosion early on. You can save costs by maintaining a tight focus. We also measure water quality, such as changes in composition, to get a clear idea of what is going on very quickly.”

FibreSecurity has mostly worked internationally so far. “We have an innovative product that is still not applied in the Netherlands. Our system is used in Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and France. We hope the Netherlands also sees the benefits of measuring with fibre optics, even though the water infrastructure here is still quite new.”

Maja Rejger thinks the best part of the job is making the water even purer. “Water is incredibly important. This method means we lose as little good drinking water as possible while minimizing environmental pollution. It also enables companies to save costs and spend money on other things, which is an added bonus.”

Water Alliance membership completes the circle, according to Rejger. “We run into the Water Alliance frequently at all kinds of symposia. It is an interesting organization, and I believe in the power of collaboration. Together, you can complete the infrastructure. Therein lies the strength of the industry.”

Maja Rejger

fibresecurity: ‘we lose as little good drinking water as possible this way’

‘We hope the NetherLAnds also see the benefits of measuring with fibRE optics, even though the WAtER infrastructuRE heRE is still quite new.’

Growing role for clusters in the global water market

A cluster is usually a location, e.g., a campus, where government, knowledge and science representatives and entrepreneurs ‘cluster’ together to jointly develop and market innovations. There are numerous water clusters worldwide. Representatives of those clusters from around the world spoke about cooperation in their water sector on the opening day of the second European Water Technology Week (EWTW), held at the WTC Leeuwarden from 19–22 September. Journalist Jac van Tuijn was there to report for the Dutch water magazine WaterForum and WaterProof.

have been foreigninviting water technology forcompanies 20 years’

‘We

boost the development of new technology.water

The water clusters that attended the EWTW in Leeuwarden in September are set up differently, but the main goal is the same everywhere: supporting many small water-tech companies in their international adventures— just like Water Alliance in the Netherlands. All these clusters gathered in Leeuwarden to boost the development of new sustainable water technology. Demand is high, and companies should better position themselves by using those clusters to be better represented in local markets.

“I don’t really care whether it’s an American or a foreign company, I just want a solution to our problem with algae blooms on Lake Erie”, says Samantha Martin of the Cleveland Water Alliance. America’s Great Lakes are highly eutrophied, causing frequent algal blooms and forcing drinking

water companies to shut off their intake. “Our utilities are very conservative when it comes to new technologies”, says Martin. “That’s why we engaged IoT companies that can create links between new sensor technologies and utility IT systems. We are currently looking for innovative techniques to manage algae blooms, both abroad and in the Netherlands”, she says.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

The Cleveland Water Alliance is highly clustered around a specific water issue. Other foreign clusters have other focuses. For example, Singapore’s water company, PUB, is particularly interested in startups with new technologies that want to put their innovation through the paces in the Singapore water network. “We have been inviting small foreign water technology

companies to participate in our research programme for 20 years”, says Tiing Liang Moh of PUB in Leeuwarden. “That has already led to cheaper membrane technology. Now we are looking for innovations focused on coastal protection and reducing CO2 emissions from our water sector.”

NETWORK

The contributions from the foreign cluster representatives reveal a rapid development in international cooperation. The activities of the Milwaukeebased American cluster The Water Council are particularly noteworthy. The cluster has already helped Dutch companies such as Hydraloop and Wafilin establish a network in the U.S. water market. Their services are not limited to Dutch companies; at the EWTW, we learned that,

‘there is an urgent need for smart solutions’

from its European office in Ireland, The Water Council is now also helping Danish and French water-tech companies get started in America.

INCENTIVE

In his lecture, Director René Buck of BCI Global addressed the important role clusters play in innovation. He believes that science parks, campuses and clusters are more than a collection of boring buildings. “By collaborating with people from different disciplines, you organize coincidence in the hopes of coming up with new solutions”, says Buck.

“The whole world is short of clean water. There is an urgent need for smart solutions”, he noted. “But if the problem is so extensive, why aren’t these solutions in place yet? Water is cheap, so there

isn’t much incentive to innovate. There are many small water-tech companies, but global solutions require a lot of money. You also need launching customers. One way to overcome these barriers is through collaboration in clusters.” According to Buck, companies need to stay alert when working with competitors. “However, there are plenty of models that have proven successful and can lead to new products”, he assures.

FOLLOW-UP

It was the second time the water-tech clusters gathered in Leeuwarden. “The first time was very spontaneous with the goal of building a global network”, explains Water Alliance director Hein Molenkamp. This time, many more clusters were invited. European clusters were particularly present alongside

their Asian and North American counterparts. “We regularly met in webinars during the pandemic, but the contact with Asian countries, such as South Korea, decreased. That is where you notice the importance of physical presence”, Molenkamp says. The idea of working together to foster top talent has also faded into the background. Molenkamp hopes to pick that up again soon. Many clusters are a collaboration of companies aimed at strengthening exports. The cooperation, such as at WaterCampus Leeuwarden, between companies, science and government aimed at innovations and accelerating market launch, remains unique.

a general impression of the ewtw 2022 can be found here

from left to right hein molenkamp, tiing liang, shiaoxian zhang, alan shapiro and samantha martin

‘WE ARE ON THE EVE OF THE WATER TRANSITION’

Pathema has been pioneering Vortex technology since 2008. The company is also a long-time member of the Water Alliance. Time for an update. How is your Vortex technology coming along? Boeren: “When we started, people said, ‘Chemical-free cooling water doesn’t exist; this won’t work’. That had the opposite effect on me—I became very driven.”

Companies are making significant steps in optimization by installing Pathema. The system filters and treats wastewater in several ways. The water is continuously treated with the Industrial Vortex Generator, a chemical-free alternative for crystallizing minerals, removing micro and nano gas bubbles and controlling microbiology. Filtration also allows wastewater to be reused. “You no longer waste drinking water and surface water for cooling, and you don’t have to discharge wastewater, reducing the procurement of water, water discharge and chemicals. We replace ‘Take, Make & Waste’ with ‘Reduce, Reuse & Recycle.’”

Cultural shift

The availability of clean water is diminishing due to more extreme weather worldwide, with extremely dry and hot summers. Boeren nods. “Purchasing and discharging water is becoming increasingly expensive. A cultural shift is coming: we must learn to use water differently. The energy transition is now the talk of the day, but the much-needed water transition could also use some attention. Cooling is rarely included

in the primary production process, for example. Fortunately, there is growing awareness that you can save lots of water and chemicals with a good ROI (Return on Investment). New business models emerge when a product becomes scarce.”

Growth model

Pathema now has over a hundred plants running worldwide, with forty in the Benelux alone. “We primarily target multinationals. If you convert one branch, that company sees how easy it is and how quickly you can make things cheaper and more sustainable. Implementing plants at other sites is a natural consequence. It’s an interesting growth model. We have customers in food production, data centres, and the petrochemical and heavy industries. We also work for the pharmaceutical industry and large air conditioning systems of hotel chains in America and the Middle East.”

Making an impact

Pathema focuses purely on cooling water solutions. “The market is big enough. You shouldn’t try to do seven things at once; you should focus on what you are good at—that’s how you can make a real impact.” Pathema’s cooling water application is patented. “We build all the plants ourselves in the Netherlands. We have dealerships on every continent. The plants are transported worldwide in shipping containers, and the installation itself is easy: plug and play.”

Simple by nature

Commercial interest in the system is on the rise, and Pathema is busy. “Commerce is not a dirty word; we are very happy with it. However, we work according to our mission: make an impact with our cooling water solution. It is so easy to make it much cleaner and better. Some people say our solution sounds too good to be true. But it works. Our Vortex technology is based on natural processes. It truly is ‘simple by nature’. The water transition is coming; this is only the beginning.”

“The use of drinking water or surface water in cooling towers is ridiculous and completely unnecessary. Use our cooling water solution for circular cooling water without chemicals. A Pathema installation will be in operation for at least 20 years, and the payback period of our solution is two to three years. This relatively small adjustment can make a huge impact.” We spoke to Mark Boeren, the passionate director of Pathema, a pioneer in the water transition based in Tilburg, the Netherlands.

Pathema’s Mark Boeren

‘The market is big enough. You shouldn’t try to do SEven things at once; you should focus on wHAt you aRE good at.’

The Water InnovationTechnology Chain

The WaterCampus brings together a complete chain of innovation for water technology, from first idea, research, specialized laboratories, various demo sites, launching customers to commercial international applications by commercial companies. Indeed from knowledge to business. It is driven by the idea that technological development and innovation is needed to develop new markets andcreate new business opportunities.

Six questions for Hans Wouters

In this column, we interview entrepreneurs who, in some way, have a strong connection to the many facets of the Water Technology Innovation Chain at the WaterCampus. In any case, their participation in the innovation ecosystem paid off handsomely for them. In this edition, we speak to Hans Wouters, CEO of Brightwork.

what is your innovation?

We help our international clients find solutions for drinking water and process water preparation and wastewater treatment by using our knowledge, expertise and a number of specific products. We aim to contribute to a better world in general and our clients’ goals in particular. Our latest innovation focuses on the removal of micropollutants and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphate) from wastewater through continuous biological activated carbon filtration

when did you start?

Brightwork has been in the water industry for fifteen years and has developed several new technologies. Our focus has always been on practical and economically viable processes

to ensure success in the market. Our latest development was successfully introduced into the Micropollutants Innovation Programme (by Stowa and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) in 2021 and is now being tested at WWTP Emmen [in the northeast of the Netherlands, ed.]. The study has broad support, including the active involvement of six water boards!

how did you come up with it?

By paying close attention to the needs in the market on the one hand and combining proven techniques and processes on the other. Those techniques and processes are often used for other applications. Our national and international partners’ role is an inspiration in that regard. Great thoughts and ideas emerge from substantive and open discussions.

pioneering and innovating also means overcoming setbacks. what was an important setback you have had to overcome in the past few years?

For every successful innovation there is often one or more failed or less successful development. A few years ago, for example, we had to cancel a product after already producing the first batch. We had put a lot of time and money into it but got into a disagreement with one of our partners. A loss of trust in such a process can kill a development process.

what have you gained from the watercampus in recent years?

The WaterCampus has helped us in many areas, including the Water Alliance’s export drive, the Water Application Center’s research facilities, and the testing opportunities at the demo sites— these are all components that help us innovate.

where are you now, both as an innovator and as an entrepreneur?

We have focused extensively on the best way to market our knowledge, expertise and products, especially in recent years. The more successful we are at marketing our innovations, the more leeway we have to undertake new initiatives. We have committed to strategic national and international partnerships in which both parties benefit from the collaboration. That works! We reap the benefits of that in the projects we acquire. Mutual trust is the most important thing, even if it takes a little longer than expected or if the going is a bit rough in your first project together.

you can watch a video about brightwork right here.

LOOKING AT NATURE

How do you store rainwater for later use? How do you conserve water and only use drinking water when it is really needed? These issues have been around for years, but it is sometimes difficult to arrive at a unified answer. FieldFactors turned to nature for a solution; how does nature keep water available in times of drought? With the lessons learned in mind, the company is now creating so-called BlueBloqs. BlueBloqs hold the power and knowledge of nature, making extremely efficient use of water.

Nature returning to the city

Karina Peña was sick with the flu at the time of the interview. “Talking a lot makes me cough”, she laughs. It makes things tricky for an interview, but she is willing to give it her best shot. “I came into contact with Wilrik Kok while studying Building and Architecture. We shared a passion for water and started a consulting firm specialized in spatial design and water safety, such as dike reinforcement projects. We really just wanted to achieve something—to find a way to deal with water differently in the built environment. We asked ourselves why cities are built the way they are, and what does that mean for water? Kilometres of pipelines, drainage and supply systems, how efficient is it really, and where are things still going wrong? We then looked at nature, which manages all that itself. Why not bring that back to the city?”

BlueBloqs

In 2016, this philosophizing resulted in a water technology company focused on retaining rainwater for later use. BlueBloqs serve as a natural underground rainwater “battery” for large water consumers that can be built in the city. From the outside, the system looks like a beautiful, green plant bed that connects to the spatial design. It is much more than that, however: it is a compact rainwater storage system that purifies water and stores it underground, after which it can be pumped to the surface.

One of the first applications was at the Sparta Rotterdam football stadium. “They were using drinking water to water the field”, Peña explains. “That is now being done with rainwater thanks to the storage capabilities of our BlueBloqs Urban Water Buffer. And I’m talking about a lot of water— around 20 million litres a year. Our solutions offer a sustainable water supply for business parks, sports facilities and apartment buildings, or a climate-proof redesign of public spaces.”

First Europe, then the world

FieldFactors is working on many pilots in the Netherlands, but there is also growing interest in Spain. That is not surprising, given that water scarcity is an acute problem in Mediterranean countries. BlueBloqs is being rolled out across Europe, which aligns with the company’s short-term ambition. “We are a small group with big ambitions”, says Peña. “We started

as two co-founders and are now a team of ten consisting of engineers and technicians. We want to provide our product as a full-service solution to our customers, so it makes sense to start close to home. Our long-term goal is to conquer the entire world; we have had interest from Canada, the United States and Latin America, but we deliberately focused on the Netherlands first. Partly because of scale—so we can stay in control of the system—but also because of regulations, which are very clear and standardized here. Ultimately, our mission is to make Europe water neutral by 2050.”

FieldFactors combines biofiltration, deep infiltration and control technologies in a modular system for treating, storing and reusing rainwater. The company is a member of the Water Alliance. nl.fieldfactors.com

Frans Nauta photo Bart Brussee

ronald wielinga interviews frans nauta, faculty of impact

HOW DO YOU TURN INVENTORS INTO SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS?

WaterCampus Leeuwarden helps entrepreneurs and researchers develop their innovations and eventually bring them to market. For genius water technologists, it is often the first real experience with the many facets of entrepreneurship. This is how knowledge is converted into business. Entrepreneurship Manager Ronald Wielinga helps with that. Because the world of startups and scaleups is continuously evolving and knowledge sharing is important, Wielinga talks to interesting people working on similar missions. In this issue of WaterProof: Wielinga interviews Frans Nauta, Programme Director and founder of the Faculty of Impact.

You are driven by innovation in everything you do in business— specifically, cleantech innovation. Can you tell us something about your background?

The answer is simple. My interest in sustainability started when I was a teenager. I considered the environmental issue, along with peace, to be the biggest issue. I decided to study environmental technology in Wageningen. There was no policy direction there at the time, so I switched to public administration at the University of Amsterdam and then created a kind of ‘environmental policy’ study for myself with several professors and lecturers. A few years later, in 1990, I worked in environmental policy with the Municipality of Amsterdam. After two years, I concluded that I was not suited to be a civil servant.

I started a foundation, Nederland Kennisland, a startup focused on stimulating sustainable economic growth. I noticed that startups are often in the best position to introduce new things. In 2014, I founded ClimateLaunchpad, with the mission of solving climate change through startups. It works a bit like the Eurovision Song Contest, but a competition between the best sustainable ideas in countries. It is currently applied in sixty countries, and I am very proud of that.

You have trained hundreds of cleantech startups in dozens of countries worldwide. What do you consider the main challenges for cleantech startups?

Cleantech covers many different markets—environmentalists sometimes forget that. Climatetech

is not a market but a policy category. Every market requires its own approach for successful business and has its own dynamics. Sometimes there is a lot of government influence; other times not.

The water market is tricky for entrepreneurs because there isn’t much innovation pressure. The customer experiences clean water as something that always works. The only time it is noticed is when an outage temporarily shuts down power or water supplies. To enter a market as a startup, your customer must be eager for what you have to offer, which is often not the case. The customer’s incentive lies mostly in government regulation. If regulation doesn’t move in the right direction, you are basically dead in the water as a startup. I find this the most difficult component of our work. Demo projects often succeed, but getting the signatures on a procurement contract is very difficult.

We have shaped an entrepreneurship programme around five pillars within the WaterCampus ecosystem. The goal of the ecosystem —and this programme—is to create more startups, grow existing startups and SMEs, and connect companies from outside the ecosystem. What do you consider to be the strongest and weakest points of this ecosystem and programme? What are the weak ones? >

ronald wielinga interviews frans nauta, faculty of impact

> The strongest point is the level of focus. Wetsus, as a starting point, is one of the strongest cases we have in the Netherlands. This could never have succeeded without enterprising leaders like Cees [Buisman, ed.] and Johannes [Boonstra, ed.] and the tremendous amount of energy they put into developing the ecosystem. They are true entrepreneurs in their own right.

I recently asked Cees why he thinks it worked out. He said that there was so much focus that no one actually felt threatened, and I agree. The link with market participants also really makes the WaterCampus ecosystem extraordinary, in my opinion. Its only weakness is its limited critical mass, making it somewhat fragile. It takes decades to build it up, which is impossible without structural funding.

you achieve the intended social and economic impact.

As far as I am concerned, the biggest improvement is not unique to the WaterCampus, but affects all of the Netherlands: start business education earlier. Preferably as early as high school, but certainly at our ROCs, colleges and universities, every student should be introduced to the career option of ‘starting something yourself’. Entrepreneurial behaviour is one of the most valuable skills you can teach someone. Even if it never leads to a startup, that is a side issue because we also need entrepreneurs in governments and large corporations.

First of all, I think it would be good to recruit even more international startups. Recruiting startups from abroad is expensive and timeconsuming, but it should be possible for such a specific niche. Wetsus is truly unique, never underestimate how extraordinary that is. It may feel far away, but for someone from abroad, it is just around the corner from Amsterdam. More foreign startups will create even more buzz, helping the WaterCampus grow and become indispensable. Only then can

You are currently working on the Faculty of Impact, a programme for researchers who want to turn their research into business with impact. Can you tell us more about the initiative and how it differs from existing programmes and initiatives?

In my opinion, the Faculty of Impact should develop into a national support organization for everyone engaged in knowledge valorization in the Netherlands. The great thing is that with the Faculty of Impact, we have the support of all universities, teaching hospitals, colleges and NWO [Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, ed.]. We have a programme for researchers who want to turn their research

over the years, frans has worked almost everywhere: from big business to small business, non-profit, government, politics, academia, and in several countries. the consultancy list is even longer.

What opportunities for improvement do you see in the entrepreneurship programme itself?

‘AFTER TWO YEARS, I CONCLUDED THAT I WAS NOT SUITED TO BE A CIVIL SERVANT’

into business with impact. They get two years for that, which includes a salary, lab, office—you name it. During this period, they remain within their research group to retain access to the latest knowledge and can return to their research role if the business does not work out or is not to their liking. We started with the first group of researchers in May 2022. In October, a motion was passed in the Dutch House of Representatives requesting structural funding for the Faculty of Impact from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. We look forward to hearing the minister’s response.

That’s inspiring. We try to do this at WaterCampus Leeuwarden, as well. I often find that researchers don’t have the necessary business competencies. I would like to see a pool of entrepreneurs ready to work with our researchers to build the companies. We are working on this with the University of Groningen, among others, but I still consider this a huge challenge. How would you handle it?

Over the past few years, I have tried all sorts of things to deal with that problem, but I certainly haven’t solved it yet. This is a great mutual problem. I expect to encounter many researchers at the Faculty of Impact who fit that profile. The first thought, of course, is to create a pool of highly

experienced entrepreneurs who can focus on the startup’s development for several years. However, I see two problems there. First, this is still a rather small group in the Netherlands. Secondly, extremely rich people are not necessarily the best suited to make a startup a success—if you have enough money, you can abandon ship whenever you want. Making a startup a success requires tremendous perseverance, and preferably no fallback option.

Many older professionals, like myself, would love to get into a startup but lack the assets to last without income for years. They have a mortgage and responsibility for their family. If you want to tap into that group, I think the solution is to fully or partially compensate income for those ‘seniors’. Call it the Executive Founders Facility and use it to guarantee senior professionals an income of, say, sixty per cent of their current income for three years. This creates a situation where getting involved in a startup is much easier. If the startup is a success, they can repay the funding they received; if it fails, they are not up to their ears in debt. I think it would be great to try and shape that facility together!

water alliance’s entrepreneurship manager ronald wielinga is someone who has earned his stripes in the world of start-ups and scale-ups.

‘TO ENTER A MARKET, YOUR CUSTOMER MUST BE EAGER FOR WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER’

Robbert Lodewijks photo Lucas Kemper

MAGNITUDE

Water scarcity is a significant and real fear for large parts of the world. In areas experiencing scarcity, minimizing losses in drinking water distribution is essential. Pipelines need to be of good quality, and leaks must be minimized. That is easier said than done, however, and water leaks are a problem of unprecedented magnitude. In some countries, up to 50 per cent of the drinking water produced is lost in the journey through the pipeline to the customer. Something has to be done about it, and that is exactly what HULO, a startup from Leeuwarden and a member of the Water Alliance, is doing.

THE RESULT OF A FRIDAY AFTERNOON HAPPY HOUR

Robbert Lodewijks sits at a large table in a Leeuwarden office. Behind him, a whiteboard displays a mass of diagrams, drawings, calculations and formulas. It may seem incomprehensible to a layperson, but to Robbert, it represents two years of research and hard work. “It started as a way to extend the Friday afternoon happy hour”, he laughs. “Together with Frank van der Hulst of Acquaint, the company where I started working, we came up with the craziest ideas about ventures and how to move various plans forward. When Acquaint participated in a Wetsus study on water loss from leaks in pipes, there was suddenly something that we believed in strongly.” The research came about thanks to a problem from the drinking water industry, which got the ball rolling.

A NEW MEASUREMENT METHOD

After thoroughly researching the problem and how it is still being addressed today, they decided to translate the research into a product that could be used as a solution for water companies. “Simply put, there are several sensors in a distribution network for drinking water”, says Lodewijks. “Those sensors have certain historical data, which is used to predict what new data a particular sensor will need to output in the future. However, that does not reflect the whole picture. We build software that uses data from sensors A, B and C to predict what sensor D should display. Instead of making predictions, you see what’s happening in real-time. Because the system looks at how the sensors work together, not how they should respond, our method detects leaks more quickly, and false positives are increasingly ruled out.”

FOUR BILLION OLYMPIC SWIMMING POOLS

The technique is being tested in the Netherlands, and the aim is to

eventually deploy it in countries around the equator, in particular. “We are currently validating the product in the Netherlands. We are making it a scalable product to be deployed in areas where this issue is a daily reality.” HULO’s goal is stated on their website: save ten quadrillion litres of water by 2030. That amounts to four billion Olympic-sized pools. As Lodewijks puts it, “Making a sustainable impact is the most important thing for us.”

If HULO has its way, the formulas on the whiteboard will soon be turned into scalable software that will be deployed worldwide to combat water scarcity.

THE ‘BOW TIE’ BETWEEN ACQUAINT AND HULO

HULO works closely with Acquaint, and they are both members of the Water Alliance. Lodewijks likes to describe the cooperation between the two companies using the analogy of a bow tie. “The problem lies in the knot of the bow tie, in the form of leakage. To the left of the knot is Acquaint, an inspection company trying to prevent the leak, while HULO is on the right, trying to find the leak. Acquaint is preventive, and we are reactive. Both sides of the bow tie are crucial and can make a great impact together.”

IN PLACES WHERE DRINKING WATER IS SCARCE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO GET IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST. HOWEVER, A LOT OF WATER IS LOST THROUGH PIPES LEAKING. HOW MUCH IS LOST, EXACTLY, AND HOW CAN THAT BE SOLVED? HULO HAS THE ANSWER TO BOTH QUESTIONS. ‘WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE IMPACT WITH OUR PRODUCT.’