GES2019: First next-generation scale-ups announced to solve global water issues
The first participating scale-ups of the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019 have been announced. Some 70 next-generation entrepreneurs from the global water sector have been selected to pitch their new technologies to the world’s top investors in The Hague, the Netherlands, on 4 and 5 June.
According to the organisers over 5,000 applications have been received and the scale-ups that now have been selected, are considered to be ground-breaking on the key themes of the event; agrifood, connectivity, energy, health and water.
Packed programme
Shortlisted scale-ups will have a full program with multiple training days and a pitch competition. Throughout the whole programme, they will have several occasions to meet investors, other businesses and potential customers. Eleven scale-ups will compete for a selection as a finalist.
Renowned Dutch business leaders, politicians, academics and researchers will be taking part in GES 2019. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands will deliver the opening speech.
Other prominent guests like Philips CEO Frans van Houten, Shell Netherlands CEO Marjan van Loon, DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma, ABP Pension Fund chair Corien Wortmann-Kool, TomTom co-founder Corinne Vigreux, and Prince Constantijn, the ambassador of StartupDelta, have already confirmed their attendance at the event (invitation only).
Participants from the Dutch water sector
Below is an overview of Dutch companies active in the water sector that have now been listed.
- ReGen Villages - redevelopment of neighbourhoods including water management
- Groasis - small container (Waterboxx) to grow trees in dry areas
- Villagepump - hand pump with a UF membrane
- CaribAlgae - algae production from wastewater and CO2-gas emissions
- Blik Sensing - measurement of ground water levels
- Elemental Water Makers - 24/7 solar desalination using gravity or batteries
- Floating Farm - a cattle farm made floatable
- BAM Infra - porous asphalt using reclaimed toilet paper from waste water
- SolarDew International - natural desalination using evaporation and condensation, relying on the sun
- LG Sonic - floating device to combat algae growth using sonar
- Vertical Rainforest - growing of plants on a vertical surface using IoT-sensors to monitor growing conditions
Water-related Dutch participants in other sectors:
- aQysta - irrigation pump that runs on the flow of a river
- Waterwatch Cooperative - satellite based app that alerts farmers on irrigation matters
- Bluerise - energy production from oceans by using the difference in temperature at different levels
- REDstack - energy production by using the different salt gradients in fresh and salt water at river mouths
- Safi Sana - production of energy and fertilizers from human faeces
See the full list of all participants in all five key themes.
