The first PCP WISE Online Open Market Consultation (OMC), held on June 3, 2025, launched a new phase of interactive dialogue between public buyers and the European innovation community. Hosted virtually by the PCP WISE consortium, the event welcomed a wide range of participants—from startups and SMEs to research institutions and large companies—united by a shared ambition: to co-develop next-generation solutions for climate-resilient water management.

This OMC marked a key moment in the preparatory phase of the PCP WISE Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP), a €19M initiative funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme (including €12M for Research and Development).

đź’§ Exploring the Challenge: Resilient Water Intelligence

Opening the session, Joost Buntsma (het Waterschapshuis, Lead Procurer) emphasised the importance of engaging with the market early in the process to ensure the tender reflects real capabilities and fosters innovative partnerships.

Hans van Leeuwen (STOWA) then presented the PCP WISE vision: enabling smarter, data-driven climate adaptation through a Europe-wide service for monitoring the Soil-Water-Vegetation (SWV) system. By addressing both fast-onset (floods, wildfires) and slow-onset (droughts, soil subsidence) climate impacts, PCP WISE aims to support operational decision-making at the local level, using Earth observation and advanced hydrological modeling.

The project focuses on 5 representative use case clusters—covering both urban and rural contexts across diverse regions including Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Spain, and Greece—ensuring broad geographic and climatic relevance.

đź›  Understanding the PCP Pathway

Next, Ana Isabel PeirĂł (Corvers) introduced participants to the PCP process and its distinct phases:

  • Phase 1: Concept design (5 suppliers)

  • Phase 2: Prototype development (3 suppliers)

  • Phase 3: Pilot solution testing (2 suppliers)

She clarified the eligibility criteria, IPR framework, and matchmaking opportunities, while underlining the project’s commitment to transparency, fair competition, and cross-border collaboration.

Arnoud Gringhuis (het Waterschapshuis) presented the Request for Information (RFI)—a 25-question survey designed to gather supplier insights, validate technical requirements, and identify market readiness. The RFI is open until June 15, and suppliers were encouraged to participate actively.

đź”— Building Bridges: The PCP WISE Community Platform

In a session led by Sofiane Bari (G.A.C. Group), the PCP WISE team unveiled its Community Platform, a dedicated space for networking, matchmaking, and consortium building. Open to all potential suppliers, buyers, replicators, and followers, the platform empowers participants to:

  • Showcase expertise

  • Find partners

  • Schedule 1:1 meetings

  • Exchange ideas

This platform is an essential space for stakeholders preparing to respond to the upcoming Call for Tenders and looking to contribute to scalable solutions for climate resilience.

Join here: PCP WISE Community Platform

đź“Š Real-Time Dialogue and Feedback

The final segment featured a lively interactive Q&A and polling session moderated by Arnoud Gringhuis (het Waterschapshuis). Through seven targeted poll questions, participants provided feedback on:

  • The clarity and realism of the functional requirements

  • The feasibility of creating a unified solution across all five use cases

  • Timeline and budget allocations across the three PCP phases

  • The importance of additional incentives to attract the right talents and technologies

This valuable feedback will directly influence the finalisation of the PCP WISE tender documents.

đź“Ś Next Steps

The PCP WISE journey continues with a second Open Market Consultation event at EXPANDEO (Brussels) on June 12, 2025. Until then, you are invited to:

PCP WISE is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of water resilience in Europe—and position your organisation at the forefront of climate innovation.

For questions, contact:
📧 info-PCP-WISE@group-gac.com