Accelerating a path to catalyze water solutions in China with innovation hub: Global innovators showcase water solutions at Aquatech China
From May 31 to June 2, 2018, Imagine H2O, Isle Utilities and PureTerra Ventures hosted the Smart Water Hub at Wietec/Aquatech China, Asia’s largest water trade show. The porgram was organized by WaterSpark and as 98Spark we financially supported this initiative.
The innovation pavilion featured 18 water startups from 12 countries vetted for market readiness, commercial viability and impact on China’s water resource sustainability. The three-day program featured live pitches from participating companies as well as interactive discussions with industry leaders on the opportunities and barriers to the deployment of water innovation in China.
According to Mr. Yang Dai, Director of Sales and Marketing of Beijing Cycle Columbus, “the hub provided a golden bridge to connect talented water entrepreneurs from Australia, Europe, India, Israel and North America with Chinese partners and customers. In addition to providing participants with valuable connections, the event informed a Chinese audience about the role of water technology in enhancing the quality of life and protecting the environment.” Mr. Dai added, “we at Beijing Cycle Columbus are really proud to be the sole sponsor of the Smart Water Hub in 2018.”
Smart Water Hub innovation pavilion
As China continues to strengthen its commitment to water resource management, the opportunity is ripe to adopt global innovation to local challenges faced by municipalities and industry. The Smart Water Hub exhibitors offered a range of promising solutions to advance these efforts and build water resilient communities – from decentralized wastewater treatment to satellite imagery for leak detection.
A panel discussion around disruptive water solutions
Son Nguyen, VP of Ventures at Baosteel and a participant at the innovation pavilion, said “the startup pitches proved the point that the opportunity for a company to present on a platform that brings their vision to life is of immeasurable value. It was clear that a lot of the technologies presented have a real chance of success in the Chinese market.”
While all participating companies benefited from industry-wide marketing and visibility at the Smart Water Hub, three technology businesses received special recognition by a judging panel based on the quality of their pitches and engagement in the program. Awardees included the following: OxyMem, a high-efficiency membrane aerated bioreactor wastewater treatment system; Cerahelix, an innovative ceramic filter technology; and Mitte, a smart home water purification system.
Cerahelix receives special recognition
