PCP WISE participated in Water Market Europe 2026 (WME2026), held on 16 April 2026 in Brussels, bringing together key stakeholders from across the European water sector to discuss the future of digital water solutions.
During the event, Hans van Leeuwen and Joost Buntsma presented the PCP WISE project and highlighted the role of Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) in accelerating the development and adoption of innovative technologies for the water sector. Their presentation showcased how PCP WISE supports collaboration between public buyers, technology providers, and innovation ecosystems to address critical water challenges through advanced digital and sustainable solutions.
Organised by Water Europe and the IDEATION project, this landmark edition of Water Market Europe focused on major topics shaping the digital transformation of the water sector, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twins, data governance, water monitoring, investment, and innovation.
The event gathered 148 registered participants, welcomed more than 110 attendees on-site, and facilitated 130 B2B meetings between 76 industry leaders, fostering dialogue, partnerships, and market opportunities across the European water community.
Throughout the discussions, speakers emphasised that digitalisation is becoming an essential component of how water systems are managed, governed, monitored, and financed. The event also highlighted the importance of collaboration between public authorities, industry, researchers, and innovators in supporting Europe’s transition towards smarter and more resilient water management systems.
Water Market Europe 2026 was organised back-to-back with the IDEATION Final Multi-Stakeholder Forum, which gathered more than 100 experts to discuss Digital Twins for inland waters, AI applications, urban water management, data governance, and water resilience.
PCP WISE is pleased to have contributed to these important discussions and to continue supporting innovation procurement approaches that help bring cutting-edge water solutions closer to the market.
