Spring, the leading innovation center for the water sector, has just rolled out a new strategic resource aimed at helping innovators navigate, access, and engage with the innovation ecosystem in the UK and Ireland's water sector.
The Water Innovation Strategy Ecosystem Guide offers a straightforward and organized look at the innovation activities happening across the water sector. It details the roles of utilities, regulators, funders, and delivery partners, making it easier for innovators to identify where support is available and how to tap into it.
Designed for innovators both inside and outside the water industry, this guide serves as a practical tool for navigating the journey from initial ideas to real-world implementation and scaling. It also aims to foster collaboration across different sectors, assisting innovators from fields like energy, nuclear, oil and gas, and agri-tech in breaking down barriers to engaging with the water industry.
Carly Perry, Managing Director of Spring, shared her thoughts:
“We’re excited to introduce the Water Innovation Strategy Ecosystem Guide and a living database on behalf of the water sector in the UK and Ireland.
“By collaborating with a diverse range of partners, we’ve developed a practical tool that helps innovators—whether they come from utilities, academia, supply chains, start-ups, or entirely different sectors—navigate the intricate landscape of water innovation more effectively.
“The outcome is a two-part resource: a broad overview of the innovation ecosystem and a dynamic database of organizations and available support. Spring is honored to be the custodian of the Ecosystem Guide, ensuring it remains a living resource that welcomes feedback and serves as a shared reference point.”
This Ecosystem Guide complements the Water Innovation Strategy 2050, which is spearheaded by UK water companies and for which Spring also serves as custodian.
Since the Strategy was published in 2020, there’s been a noticeable surge in innovation activity throughout the sector, leading to a more intricate and challenging environment to navigate. With an increasing number of organizations getting involved, new collaboration models emerging, and evolving regulatory and environmental pressures, it’s become less straightforward for innovators to know where to engage. The Ecosystem Guide tackles this issue by making access simpler and enhancing clarity across the sector.
The guide highlights six essential functions within the water innovation ecosystem:
Each function is thoroughly explained, detailing when innovators should get involved and how to maximize the benefits from the support available.
Alongside the guide, there’s a live, open-access database of organizations and support mechanisms. This database is designed to grow and adapt with the sector, allowing organizations to submit or update their information through an online form, ensuring that the innovation landscape stays current, accurate, and inclusive.
Perry mentioned:
“The guide doesn’t change strategic priorities. Instead, it enhances the existing innovation strategy by clarifying the innovation process and helping innovators pinpoint the right support at the right moment.
“We hope this resource makes it easier for both newcomers and seasoned innovators — including those from other sectors with solutions that can be adapted — to engage meaningfully with the water industry and its stakeholders. We’re thankful to everyone who helped create this valuable tool that fosters collective progress in innovation.”
The Ecosystem Guide is in line with the recommendations from the Independent Water Commission’s 2025 review, which emphasized the importance of enhancing collaboration and improving access to funding. In his final report, Sir Jon Cunliffe pointed out that embracing innovative technologies could bring about broader benefits, such as lowering carbon emissions, boosting environmental health, and achieving long-term cost savings.
The Water Innovation Strategy Ecosystem Guide, along with its database, is now available for everyone to access through the 2050 Water Innovation Strategy – Spring Innovation platform.
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