Last week, the Winter Edition of Water Knowledge Europe (WKE) brought together leading experts, innovators, and policymakers in Brussels to explore the future of water-related research and innovation in Europe. The Conference was well attended, with approximately 150 to 200 participants from the market, European water institutions, national and European governments, and other key stakeholders.
Among the event’s notable contributions was a presentation by Hans van Leeuwen from STOWA, who introduced the audience to PCP WISE. Water Europe provided an excellent platform to showcase our unique PCP WISE approach, combining European hydrology with the pre-commercial procurement mechanism to shape future operational monitoring services. The timing could not be better, as both the European Commission and ESA have placed hydrology high on the strategic agenda for upcoming European programmes.
The first half of the afternoon featured insightful presentations from EIC, the European Commission (DG CLIMA EO), and Water4ALL, highlighting clear synergies with PCP WISE in networking, upcoming water-related programmes, investment roadmaps, and collaboration under the evolving European Water Agenda.
In the second half of the afternoon, Rita Rinaldo from ESA-ESTEC (Head of the BASS Programme Division) presented ESA’s vision for market applications supporting satellite-based European hydrology monitoring mechanisms. This was followed by Hans van Leeuwen – supported by Joost Buntsma – who outlined the European ambitions for operational monitoring of soil-water-vegetation system conditions, as well as climate-induced extremes and their associated risks and impacts.
During his intervention, Hans emphasised how PCP WISE is poised to accelerate the ambitions of the European Green Deal by transforming the way environmental and water-related public services use Environmental Observation (EO), data, and digital innovation. By fostering collaboration between procurers and market innovators, PCP WISE stimulates the development of next-generation EO-driven solutions to support climate adaptation, environmental resilience, and sustainable water management.
The final two hours of the event were dedicated to networking and B2B meetings, which proved highly productive. Beyond valuable contacts and programme synergies, several promising matchmaking opportunities for PCP WISE were established.
Water Knowledge Europe once again demonstrated its value as a forum for connecting Europe’s water, digital, and policy communities. The strong interest shown throughout the session underscores the growing relevance of data-driven approaches to environmental challenges and the crucial role of innovation-oriented procurement in addressing them.
More information about Water Knowledge Europe 2025 – Winter Edition here.
