Water is taken for granted, right? That is rapidly changing in the world. Too dirty water, too little water, too much water, too salty water. Challenges enough. The Northern Netherlands is a leader in water technology.
Earth's most important fluid does not change.
Around it, everything is changing. Innovations solve problems, improve existing techniques and change processes. All to keep water at quality levels, to improve it, make it available, use it for other purposes, or simply to keep it as it is.
Nowhere in the world can such an ecosystem around these themes be found as in the Northern Netherlands. The Water Campus knows the eyes of the world are on it because of the inventions and innovations that come from it. The ecosystem ensures that the ideas go directly into practice. Precisely that scaling up is what makes the Water Campus unique.
The scope is so broad that startups, companies and organizations from very different perspectives find their place in the Northern Netherlands. Precisely because the playing field is also relatively small - the lines of communication are short - due to the powerful ecosystem, numerous multidisciplinary initiatives come about.
Northern Netherlands is the region where knowledge is concentrated.
From water to more
A.I. thus enters water technology, the chemical industry collaborates with water technology companies; the energy sector, hydrogen technology developers, biotech and the smart manufacturing industry do the same. And that produces unique gems. Like North Water, which manages to purify saline industrial wastewater in Delfzijl using microorganisms.
By extension, Ultrapure water is made from sewage water in Emmen. That water, stripped of minerals, turns out to be ideal for the production of hydrogen gas. Or what about Red Stack, the startup that extracts energy from the mixing of salt and fresh water. Capilix has a special method for measuring water quality that is internationally appreciated. And there are many more examples.
The Northern Netherlands is the region where knowledge is concentrated, where startups get space and scale-ups get growth money. Water is everywhere. Literally. Special education and research programs have been developed at the colleges and university to improve and retain knowledge and skills. Businesses benefit, from startups to mature companies.