EIT Water launched: New European innovation community for water, oceans and maritime systems

The EU continues to expand its innovation landscape in the water sector. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has announced the winning consortium for the new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), 'EIT Water'. This new EIT innovation community will address key challenges relating to water resources, marine ecosystems, and the sustainable blue economy, actively shaping Europe's water future in the process.

Integrated innovation platform for Europe's water systems

EIT Water is the tenth Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and takes a cross-sectoral approach. For the first time, it considers freshwater, marine and maritime ecosystems together to develop solutions to key challenges, such as water scarcity, flooding, degraded ecosystem management, and the circular and sustainable use of aquatic resources.

The new KIC will:

• Promote innovation projects
• Offer education and training programmes in water innovation
• Support business start-ups
• Strengthen Europe's largest innovation network in the field of water, oceans and maritime systems.
• In this way, EIT Water is helping to achieve Europe's goals of a green, digital and resilient future.

EIT Water's focus areas

According to the EIT announcement, the new innovation community will address three key challenges facing Europe.

1. Water scarcity, droughts and floods

2. Damage to marine and aquatic ecosystems.

3. Building a circular and sustainable blue economy

Strong partnership: EIT Water consortium from 24 countries

EIT Water comprises 50 partners from 24 countries, including major industrial companies, universities, research institutions, ports, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The selection was made by independent experts and the EIT Governing Board.

Start-up phase and next steps

The EIT will provide up to €5 million for the start-up phase in 2026 to establish EIT Water. The new Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) will be fully operational from 2027. Over 15 years, EIT Water aims to secure additional public and private investment, operating in a financially sustainable manner in the long term. 

Significance for research and innovation in Bavaria

EIT Water is creating an EU-wide platform that brings together excellent research, innovation, and technological solutions in the field of water, which is a topic of great relevance to Bavarian stakeholders.

• water and environmental technologies;
• sustainable agriculture;
• port and shipping;
• the circular economy;
• climate adaptation.

Bavarian research institutions, companies, and start-ups can benefit from new funding opportunities and innovation projects, as well as access to a Europe-wide water innovation network.

Further information

The full press release can be found here.