The Water Resilience Strategy establishes a framework to enhance Europe’s adaptability, and long-term sustainability in managing water resources. A cornerstone of this strategy is the deployment of digital twin technologies to support data-driven governance and integrated water management.
The IDEATION project implements this vision by laying the groundwork for a Digital Twin of Europe’s inland waters (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, snow and ice) designed to be integrated with the European Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) forming a unified digital representation of the hydrosphere.
By harnessing digital twins, IDEATION contributes to key EU water and climate policies such as the Water Framework Directive, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and the broader Water Resilience Strategy.
Water Market Europe (WME) 2026, co-organized by Water Europe and supported by the EU-funded IDEATION project, will serve as a platform to address Digital Twins Action in accelerating market uptake in the Water Sector. Today, Digital Twin represent emerging market infrastructure capable of accelerating innovation deployment, supporting business development, and strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in digital water solutions.
On the morning of 16 April 2026 in Brussels, IDEATION will host its Final Cross-Country Multi-Stakeholder Forum, bringing together the European Commission, digital innovation projects, utilities, researchers and technology providers. The Forum will present IDEATION’s roadmap, discuss governance and interoperability challenges, showcase real-world implementation — including the Barcelona metropolitan use case — and align European digital water initiatives under a common strategic direction.
WME 2026 is designed to foster collaboration and innovation by directly addressing the digital twin framework that enables real-time data integration, interoperable modelling, and evidence-based decision-making for enhancing water quality and resource management.
IDEATION will host its Final Cross-Country Multi-Stakeholder Forum, bringing together the European Commission, digital innovation projects, utilities, researchers and technology providers.
The Forum will present IDEATION’s roadmap, discuss governance and interoperability challenges, showcase real-world implementation, including the Barcelona metropolitan use case, and align European digital water initiatives under a common strategic direction.
- Andrea Rubini, Director of Operations at Water Europe
- Eloisa Vargiu, coordinator of IDEATION, CETAQUA
- Loïc Charpentier, Head of Advocacy, Water Europe
- Stefania Munaretto, Senior Researcher, KWR
- Eloisa Vargiu, coordinator of IDEATION, CETAQUA
- Albert Chen, co-lead Action Group Policy, University of Exeter
Moderator: Ciprian Nanu, Business Development Group Romania
Panelists:
- Gerasimos Antzoulatos, WATERVERSE
- Arne Berre, AquaInfra
- Charalambos Ipektsidis, ILIAD and SeaDOTs
- Demetrios Eliades, IDEATION
- Eva Stattin, SVAD
- Lydia Vamvakeridou-Lyroudia, IMPETUS and ARSINOE
Moderator: Mona Arnold, VTT
Panelists:
- Nicolas Caradot, Lead of R&D institute on urban water management, KWB
- Suze van der Meulen, Innovation Manager, PWN drinking water utility
- Henrik Dissing, Danish Environmental Portal - Executive Board representative
- Evripides Kyriakides, Water development, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, Cyprus
Moderator: Andrea Rubini, Water Europe
Panelists:
- Vasileios Tyriakidis, REA
- Nicolas Segebarth, Healthy Ocean & Sea
- Bertrand Vallet, DGRTD
WME2026 will serve as a platform to address Digital Twins Action in accelerating market uptake in the Water Sector. Today, Digital Twin represent emerging market infrastructure capable of accelerating innovation deployment, supporting business development, and strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in digital water solutions.
The event will foster collaboration and innovation by directly addressing the digital twin framework that enables real-time data integration, interoperable modelling, and evidence-based decision-making for enhancing water quality and resource management.
- Durk Krol, Executive Director at Water Europe
- Andrea Rubini, Director of Operations at Water Europe
- Eloisa Vargiu, coordinator of IDEATION, CETAQUA
- Charlie Walker, Senior Analyst at Global Water Intelligence
- Alexandra Themistocli, Head of Sustainability DACH at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB)
- Simon Godon, TalTech (PIPEON Project)
- Beatrice Barresi, Senior Sustainable Applications Officer at European Space Agency
- Gauthier Clar, Senior Manager Financial Engineer at the European Commision (CINEA)
WME2026 offers a unique opportunity for stakeholders across the water value chain to present their work to a targeted audience of potential partners, clients, and investors.
Want to showcase your innovation? APPLY HERE.
The call is open to:
- Challenge Owners: Utilities, cities, public authorities, and industrial water users looking for innovative digital solutions to solve specific operational hurdles.
- Solution Providers: Technology providers, SMEs, and start-ups ready to showcase market-ready tools in Digital Twins, AI, or data management.
- George Karavokiros, Senior Researcher, National Technical University of Athens.
- Andrea Rubini, Director of Operations at Water Europe
- Andrea Rubini, Director of Operations at Water Europe
Transform dialogue into deals at the B2B matchmaking. WME2026 offers you the possibility to connect technology providers directly with problem owners. Register for the event to reserve your slot.
Wrap up the day with our exclusive Dinner. Share a meal with industry peers to solidify connections made during the day, turning brief introductions into lasting strategic partnerships. The dinner will take place in the same place of the event, the NH Hotel Berlaymont.
Planning your stay in Brussels?
We have secured a special discounted rate for WME2026at the NH Hotel Berlaymont, the official event venue. To benefit from these reduced rates, please book your room via our this link. Rooms are limited and will be released periodically as we approach the event date, so we recommend booking as soon as possible to secure your stay
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