Monday

October 26

Leading innovation for a resilient water future

09:30 – 10:00
Welcome, coffee/tea

10:00 – 12:00
Plenary session

Chair: Johannes Boonstra, Wetsus Executive Board

  • Opening by Friso Douwstra, regional minister of the Province of Friesland 
  • Wetsus developments, prof.dr.ir. Cees Buisman, Wetsus Executive Board
  • Keynote Alessandra Zampieri, Director of Sustainable Resources, European Commission, Joint Research Centre
  • Keynote Mikael Kamp Sørensen, CEO of EIT Water
  • Marcel Mulder Award Ceremony, presented by drs. Ed Nijpels, chair Wetsus Supervisory Board
    • Pitch by last year’s winner Ruixuan Qi
    • 2026 Award Ceremony
  • Vincent Karremans, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management

12:00 – 14:00
Lunch, matchmaking, visit exhibition floor and posters

14:00 – 16:30
Plenary session

Chair: Hein Molenkamp, director Water Alliance

  • Keynote Christopher Gasson, owner Global Water Intelligence
  • WIS Award 2026: the pitches
    • Jasper Schakel, CIWI
    • Mees Beaumont, Deep
    • Baker Bozeyeh, Flowless
    • Maarten Kieft, Luper Technologies
    • Reuben Moore, Solaq
    • Girts Ozolins, Spectromarine
    • Samira Ehsani, Versa Solution

Judges: Cees Buisman, Wetsus / Cora Uijterlinde, STOWA / Judith Le Fèvre, FerrTech

  • Intermezzo: winner WIS Award 2024 Dennis Luiten, Bubbleflush
  • Panel discussion with global water technology cluster representatives: Bryan Stubbs, President & CEO Cleveland Water Alliance, Angela MacOscar, Head of Innovation Northumbrian Water, João Simão Pires, Executive Director Portugal Water Partnership
  • WIS Award 2026 Winner Announcement

16:30 – 18:00
Drinks, matchmaking, visit exhibition floor and posters

19:00 – 21:00
Congress dinner (by invitation and pre-registration only)