The BlueArk Challenge drives innovation in water management

By using open innovation methods, the BlueArk Challenge aims to solve the challenges related to water management.

For the third consecutive year, the BlueArk Challenge will take the form of a call for projects. The purpose of this call is to solve, through innovative ideas or technologies, various challenges related to water management that are faced by professionals in the field, including municipalities and industrial services.

Jointly organized by the BlueArk Entremont Innovation Cluster, The Ark Foundation and ALTIS, the BlueArk Challenge offers a dozen challenges to be solved as part of its call for projects. These challenges are related to water supply, water reprocessing and resource optimization.

Engineers, companies active in the fields of water and digitization or any other actor who thinks they have a suitable solution are called upon to submit their solutions by 4 November 2022. A jury of experts will then select the most relevant proposals, which will be awarded CHF 10,000 in cash each. The winners will also have the opportunity to co-create their solution with professionals in the field.

Any individual, company or institution interested in the field of water and/or its digitization can submit their solution by November 4 at midnight. To be eligible, the solution must concretely respond to one of the proposed issues (or at least partially) and an application form must be filled in. Applications will then be evaluated according to the following criteria: relevance and added value of the solution, innovative or creative nature, technical feasibility, economic and development potential.

Up to five winning solutions awarded

Among the proposals received, five solutions will be chosen by the BlueArk Challenge jury of experts. Each of them will win a check for CHF 10,000 in cash. They will also benefit from various supports to develop and implement their project. The challenge sponsors will follow the development of the winning solutions and will provide their infrastructure to test the prototypes in the field. The BlueArk Entremont will provide personalized coaching, primarily on the economic aspects of the project.

The announcement of the winners of this new edition will be made during the Smart Water conference, on 1 December 2022 in Le Châble.

For more information: www.blueark-challenge.ch