The water sector has no shortage of global challenges. Pollutants such as microplastics, PFAS and medicine residues as well as urbanization, population growth and climate change are making the call for sustainable solutions (in all languages) ever louder. In the Northern Netherlands, meters are being made with innovations that deal efficiently with water, energy and raw materials. All thanks to a special ecosystem that accelerates knowledge and innovation to the market.
With the help of the ecosystem, innovative companies together with knowledge institutions, governments, consultants and other entrepreneurs can further develop themselves and realize innovations faster. They are supported in this by facilities in the areas of research, upscaling and demonstration, housing and funding and subsidies. The physical location of the special system has been the Water Campus in Leeuwarden since 2003. 'We are always looking for missing links; innovative companies that can further strengthen the ecosystem,' says NOM internationalization project manager Reinder de Jong.
One such link now, for example, is quaternary treatment, he says. This is the fourth stage of water treatment, which goes beyond traditional treatments; primary treatment removes larger solids, secondary treatment uses biological processes to break down organic pollution, tertiary treatment removes residual pollution such as nutrients and pathogens. De Jong explains that this treatment is used when very high water quality is required, such as for drinking water reuse, industrial processes or discharge into sensitive environments. 'They are smart processes to remove micropollutants, pharmaceuticals, hormones, pesticides and new pollutants not addressed in earlier steps,' he says.
By focusing on growth, spin-off and acquisition, we as a development company can make the water sector even stronger and ensure that suppliers and manufacturing industry benefit.
Reinder de Jong, NOM
Looking across the border
In order to strengthen the international recognition and impact of the region, the search for new links is also looking across the border. Not only for established companies that want to grow further from the Northern Netherlands, but also for companies that want to further develop their innovative idea with the help of partners at the Water Campus.
De Jong hopes that, like their Dutch colleagues, the latter will soon be eligible for funding from the NEW fund. Those capital letters stand for Netherlands Enabling Water Technology. With this fund, Wetsus, Deltares and the University of Groningen, together with NOM, stimulate promising initiatives in the field of water technology. 'Without the financial support from this fund, many good ideas in the field of water technology will ultimately not make it to the market. It would be nice if foreign companies could also appeal to the fund. The WTEX10 program from the ministries of EZ and I&W is also an important one, we learn. 'Water Alliance has now been working on this program for over two years, working with Dutch companies in Southern European countries such as Spain, Portugal and Italy, as well as the UK and the US,' says De Jong.
In addition to solving societal challenges, the water sector is of great significance to the regional and national economy, says De Jong. 'Water technology is an enabling technology. There is a big spin-off to other sectors, because an innovation also has to be made. There is a whole manufacturing industry behind it. For the end products, but also for membranes, sensors, monitoring systems, IT platforms. By focusing on growth, spin-off and acquisition, we as a development company can make the water sector even stronger and ensure that suppliers and manufacturing industry benefit.'
The ecosystem allowed us to accelerate as a deep-tech startup in a complex market, both in terms of technology and market access. The willingness to cooperate is exceptionally high here.
Frans van Uffelen | manager marketing and communications HULO
Accelerate and expand
The Water Alliance has already been touched upon. This network organization has grown into a real powerhouse within the Northern Netherlands ecosystem. With the goal of promoting business, the Water Alliance supports its now more than two hundred members with innovation and with national and international matchmaking, marketing, networking and business development. Director Hein Molenkamp looks back with gratitude at the remarkable advance the organization has made since its inception in 2010. 'We started small and ambitious 15 years ago as a cluster organization in the North. But we had fertile ground to grow on with WaterCampus Leeuwarden, and we set out to build our network with great self-confidence.'
Meanwhile, Water Alliance is a cluster organization with more than two hundred members from the water and environmental technology sector. Operational director Ronald Wielinga says: 'The most important thing is that we can offer our members customization. 'We can, thanks to the strong connections we have with companies, international clusters, governments and knowledge institutions. And thanks to our years of experience in national and international programs. This is how we help our members accelerate their innovations and expand their international reach, including at trade fairs'. Support from the government is crucial here, he continues. The government plays a key role. Through programs such as UPPWATER, Dutch knowledge is made more accessible and used for water and environmental issues. With initiatives like European Enterprise Network (EEN), CircInWater and WTEX10, we link those solutions to parties at home and abroad.'
Growth opportunities
One of the companies that has long been operating from the North is Wafilin Systems. The Leeuwarden-based company develops membrane filtration systems that help make the food and dairy industry more sustainable. 'In the coming years, we want to grow in our field to become the knowledge partner in Europe,' says business development director Jos van Dalfsen. 'Our focus is on further growth in the Netherlands, England and Ireland. In addition, we see promising growth opportunities in Germany, Denmark, France and Spain.' According to him, the strength of the ecosystem lies in the active connection between government, knowledge institutions and business. 'This enables us to innovate and enter into collaborations more quickly and take the step abroad with confidence.'
NOM and Water Alliance have helped us establish contacts with industry leaders, understand local market dynamics and obtain resources to accelerate our activities in Europe.
Orianna Bretschger | CEO Aquacycl
Frans van Uffelen, marketing and communications manager of HULO, can identify well with these words. This company, also based in Leeuwarden, developed a technology to combat wastage of drinking water. Using AI, machine learning and mathematical models, existing data are cleverly interpreted, allowing leaks and other anomalies to be located, classified and quantified in real time. 'The ecosystem allowed us to accelerate as a deep-tech startup in a complex market, both in terms of technology and market access. The willingness to cooperate is exceptionally high here.' Based in the northern Netherlands, HULO aims for further growth in Europe, South America and Southeast Asia, where the combination of aging pipeline networks and water scarcity presents opportunities.
Further growth is also expected by Desah from Sneek. Desah has been one of Noardling's three brands since January 2025. Hubert (solutions for water filtration) and Landustrie (treatment and transportation of (waste) water) are the other brands. The joining of forces represents 250 years of experience. The development and application of technologies for decentralized wastewater treatment is their core business.
Communications and marketing specialist Reny Bergsma explains what makes the technology from the water port city so special. 'It is the only system worldwide that collects and treats black and gray wastewater at source in the built environment. Greywater here is the slightly polluted wastewater from shower, washing machine and kitchen and blackwater is the heavily polluted toilet water.' The demand for decentralized wastewater treatment is growing, also because the capacity pressure on regular (communal) treatment plants is increasing, according to Bergsma. 'So there is an opportunity there. And the networks of NOM and Water Alliance help us bring our technology to the market.'
Most importantly, we can offer our members customized solutions. We can, thanks to the strong connections we have with companies, international clusters, governments and knowledge institutions.
Ronald Wielinga | Operational Director Water Alliance
Invaluable
Managing director Joost Paques of Paques Biomaterials in Balk explains that his company operates in two ecosystems. 'We produce a natural alternative to plastic - all the advantages of plastic, but not the disadvantages - using water technology, and we purify our material (Polyhydroxyalkanoate, PHA) using green chemistry, so we are also active in the Chemport Europe ecosystem.' PHA can be used for various applications, including as an alternative to the use of conventional plastics in paints, concrete, clothing, cosmetics and in agriculture. 'We want to have produced ten million tons of PHA worldwide, in all stable and open economies, by 2050.' You don't innovate alone, Paques believes. 'A value of our company is bold cooperation and we can do that very well in the Northern Netherlands. Governments, educational institutions and companies tackle challenges together, because those challenges are too big for each party individually.'
Aavalor Greentech is one of the foreign companies that, attracted by the innovation ecosystem, are working on their European expansion from the Northern Netherlands. 'The ecosystem has given us a flying start,' says founder and CEO Aryan Aviraj. 'We were introduced to innovation platforms and utilities. These connections allowed us to explore our opportunities and set up a pilot around PFAS removal so we can translate laboratory performance into robust real-world performance. We are initially targeting the Netherlands, Germany, the Nordics and selected markets in the APAC region.'
A value of our company is bold cooperation, and we can do that very well in the Northern Netherlands. Governments, educational institutions and companies tackle challenges together, because these challenges are too big for each party individually.
Joost Paques | Paques Biomaterials
Aquacycl also touched down in the northern Netherlands. The American specialist in industrial wastewater treatment opened its European headquarters at the WaterCampus. 'Our focus is on expansion in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, the United Kingdom and Ireland regions where stricter regulations around wastewater and sustainability are driving demand for decentralized solutions,' says CEO Orianna Bretschger. She calls the support from the Northern Netherlands innovation ecosystem invaluable. 'NOM and Water Alliance have helped us connect with industry leaders, understand local market dynamics and obtain resources to accelerate our activities in Europe. Their cooperation and forward-thinking approach make this region an ideal environment to scale up water technology.'
Sector team Watertech gives sector full attention
NOM works with sector teams that focus on sectors in which the North excels. The teams are multidisciplinary; from different areas of expertise they look at how to promote growth and innovation in a sector. One such team is the Watertech sector team.
Together with entrepreneurs, governments and knowledge institutions, this team is involved in further expanding and strengthening the sector, including the water technology ecosystem and attracting international, innovative water technology companies. In addition, investments are made in the innovation ecosystem for startups and scale-ups with programs for funding, business development and internationalization, in good cooperation with the partner organizations on and around WaterCampus Leeuwarden.
In addition to the Watertech sector team, there are teams for the AgriFood, Chemical, Energy, HTSM (high-tech systems and materials), Maritime and Life Sciences & Health sectors. 'These are all sectors where there is a lot of development and which are of great importance to the Northern Netherlands,' says Reinder de Jong. 'With the multidisciplinary NOM sector teams, we can give each sector the attention it deserves and provide the best possible service.'