Ģirts Ozoliņš, an ISSP UL’s innovations expert from the Development Department, visited Leeuwarden, Netherlands, from May 13-15, 2024, to partake in the European WaterCampus Business Challenge 2024 organized by Water Campus Leeuwarden, a key component of the European center of excellence for sustainable water technology – Wetsus.
During the Challenge, Mr. Ozolins engaged in a comprehensive five-day training program covering various aspects of new business development in water technologies, such as intellectual property management, business strategy, market exploration, fundraising, marketing, and public relations. The participants also had the opportunity to visit the Wetsus Water Campus, Water Alliance, and Water Technology Center.
Furthermore, the agenda included online meetings and interviews with prominent industry experts, including Joep Appels from Aqualabo/microloan, Burnt Island Ventures, Shift Ventures, and Joep van den Broeke from KWR Water Research Institute.
The primary goal of this event was to bolster the commercialization efforts of Spectromarine technology under the ERDF project No. KC-PI-2022/8, implemented by the ISSP UL’s researchers, by identifying potential primary applications, refining the business model, and creating a compelling pitch deck.
Moving forward, discussions will continue with potential investors, partners, and industry experts to explore collaboration options and drive the project towards success.
The European WaterCampus Business Challenge (EWCBC) 2024 is a part of the Water4All project. Participants of the event have the opportunity to connect with peers, engage with innovative companies, and present pitches to potential investors, launching customers, and technology partners.