GENEVA - JUNE 2017
"Innovate 4 Water" : A matchmaking forum for sustainable development
June 8 - 9, 2017 | Geneva
2 days articulated around a matchmaking event and an open forum, focusing on water & sanitation, entrepreneurship and sustainable investments.
PARTICIPANTS: FIGURES
ORIGINS OF THE PARTICIPANTS
WHO
Participants to the event came from:
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Small and Medium Enterprises with interests in the water & sanitation sectors
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Multinational companies with interests in the water & sanitation sectors
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Investors (banking, asset management, private banking, corporate companies)
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Water & sanitation institutions (foundations, coalitions, NGOs)
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International organisations, national governments
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Universities / incubators / research institutions
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UN Agencies with interest in WASH and IWRM
Participants from the event shared expertise:
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Water, sanitation and related development issues
Sustainable Development Goals
Access to basic services for low income populations
Business and human rights
Market based solutions
Social entrepreneurship
Impact investing
Blended finance
Circular economy
Decentralized business models
The event brought together over 350 participants including entrepreneurs, investors, companies, public sector organizations, UN agencies, incubators, and others to discuss and pitch solutions for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation.
WHAT & WHY
"Innovate 4 water" : A matchmaking forum for sustainable development
Waterpreneurs co-organized this event with WaterVent and the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization’s "WIPO GREEN : The Marketplace for Sustainable Technology”.
WIPO GREEN hosted the event that brought together various water & sanitation stakeholders over the course of two days (entrepreneurs, investors, large and small companies, non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, incubators) who are contributing to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 6.
The objectives of the event were to:
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Create visibility for entrepreneurs in the water sector in order to enable them to reach impact investors;
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Promote the transfer of innovative water technologies and innovative business models in emerging markets and developing countries;
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Facilitate connections to catalyse collaborations
INVESTMENTS
MATCHMAKING
OPEN
FORUM
June 8, 2017
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June 8 kicked off with 40 presentations by entrepreneurs, who pitched their green business ideas to experts and investors.
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Entrepreneurs with innovative water and sanitation technologies and business models looking for investments pitched to prospective investors, including clean-tech venture capitalists, private equity and corporate investors.
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Themes of the day:
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​Different ways of dealing with water issues
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Corporates in water industry
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Universities & foundations from Europe and Israel
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Clean & Water Tech Clusters
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Institutions supporting new water technologies
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Water tech Investors (Financial Investors)
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June 9, 2017
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On June 9, some 60 organizations with water-related projects and programs pitched the challenges and needs for which they seek an innovative solution.
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The Open Forum provided the opportunity for meaningful interactions about Technologies, Business and Human Rights amongst water experts, impact investors, social entrepreneurs, multinational corporations, NGOs and UN agencies.
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Themes of the day :
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Water and sanitation in the circular economy
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Water Energy Food Health nexus
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Smart water & sanitation technologies (data leveraging, data monitoring)
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Sustainable ecosystems for water & sanitation entrepreneurs: from ideation to maturity
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Hybrid business models applied to development & emergencies
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Blended/Innovative Finance
Examples of collaborations developed after "Innovate 4 Water" Geneva
As a matchmaking forum centered on stakeholder pitches and challenges, the event helped foster collaboration and innovation in the water sector through increased understanding, visibility, and networking amongst entrepreneurs and potential investors.
DETAILED PROGRAMME
​June 8-9, 2017
WHERE
United Nations - World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Chemin des Colombettes 34
1202 Geneva, Switzerland
SPONSORS
CO-ORGANIZING PARTNERS
PARTICIPANTS
