VITO pursues One Water bid to make European innovation investable

Uniting European research, academia and industry-driven partners to transform water, marine, and maritime innovation into impact and growth.

One Water is a European consortium comprising over 50 leading industry players and innovative SMEs, as well as research and academic institutions. The partnership recently submitted an ambitious proposal to the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to establish the next Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) dedicated to the water, marine and maritime (WMM) sectors and ecosystems.

Press release Thomas Polfliet 10 September 2025

Why an Innovation Community on water?

Knowledge and Innovation Communities aim to facilitate the commercialisation of national and European research, by bridging the financial gap between research funding and investors, and by addressing the skill gap in the economy.

The EIT's initiative to launch a WMM KIC addresses urgent challenges like climate change, water scarcity, ecosystem degradation, and the demand for sustainable practices. The One Water proposal targets three core issues:

Water scarcity, drought, and floods
Marine and freshwater ecosystem degradation
Circular and sustainable blue economy

These challenges impact economic growth and quality of life in Europe. The EU's investment highlights the need for resilient water systems and innovation to maintain global competitiveness.

VITO is proud to be part of the strong business driven One Water consortium in the bid for the new KIC for Water, Marine and Maritime (WMM).

“Our mission as a Research and Technology Organisation is to turn innovation into scalable solutions with real impact across Europe. KIC’s are an excellent way to achieve that. One Water scrambles all ingredients we need: innovators, entrepreneurs, trainers, corporate customers and investors. Together, we can make water research investable, strengthen competitiveness, and drive sustainable growth for Europe".

Thomas Polfliet

Business and relationship development

+32 14 33 58 02

thomas.polfliet@vito.be

Life runs on water

Driven by the motto “Life runs on water,” the One Water consortium envisions the water economy and the full water cycle as an interconnected whole. The partnership aims for growth through interdisciplinarity, defragmentation, and innovation across all related sectors and European regions.

The proposal, developed through a participatory process involving diverse expertise, was formally approved during a plenary meeting in Marseille in May 2025. “At One Water, we believe that addressing the growing water crisis and unlocking the economic potential of water-related sectors requires an interdisciplinary approach,” said Cecília Rodrigues, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at the University of Lisbon.

The proposal aims to integrate innovation, education, and business creation to deliver cutting-edge solutions, accelerate commercialization, and cultivate a skilled workforce within the WMM sectors, leveraging Europe’s potential for long-term competitiveness, sustainability, and strategic autonomy.

The selected WMM KIC proposal will be funded by the EIT and become the 10th KIC, joining existing KICs in areas such as food, energy, and digitalization.