Global challenges
Water Resilience
Water is essential to life, health, prosperity, and the planet’s climate system. Europe faces growing water challenges, including pollution and ecosystem degradation in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Water systems also play a central role in food production, renewable energy, transport, trade, and biodiversity. Transforming how Europe manages water is critical to building a sustainable, resilient future.
EIT Water prioritises three urgent water challenges: water scarcity, drought and floods; degradation of marine and freshwater ecosystems; and advancing a circular, sustainable blue economy. It contributes directly to EU priorities for a greener, more digital and more resilient Europe by applying the EIT’s innovation model to support the development and deployment of new solutions.
EIT Water is the tenth Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) supported by the EIT. Following its designation in November 2025, it is currently in its launch phase with its first Call for Proposals and activities foreseen for 2027. Its activities will focus on the following areas:
- Entrepreneurial education – building the knowledge, skills and entrepreneurial mindset needed to address water and marine challenges through training and innovation-focused learning opportunities.
- Innovation-driven research – collaborating across education, research and industry to turn new ideas into practical solutions that protect ecosystems, improve resource efficiency and strengthen climate resilience.
- Business creation and acceleration – accessing support to develop and commercialise water-related technologies, products and services, with mentoring, networks and funding opportunities to help bring innovations to market.
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