Centre International UNESCO sur l'Eau de Montpellier - ICIREWARD

What Centre International UNESCO sur l'Eau de Montpellier - ICIREWARD does

Centre International UNESCO sur l'Eau de Montpellier (ICIREWARD) is an international water research, education, and training center affiliated with UNESCO and hosted by the Université de Montpellier in Montpellier, France. It is the only UNESCO center in France focused exclusively on water, and it serves three primary constituencies: researchers and academics in hydrology and water resources management (organized through the FRIEND-Water international network of six regional groups spanning Europe, the Mediterranean, Latin America & the Caribbean, Southern Africa, West & Central Africa, and Asia-Pacific), students and young innovators (engaged through the Water4Future program offered in juniors, highschool/lycéens, and étudiants formats), and water-sector professionals and practitioners (served via field schools, summer schools, workshops, and the Prix Aqua Scientia award).

The center's core platforms are the FRIEND-Water research coordination network, the INITIATE platform for PhD researchers in water-related sciences, and the Water4Future competition program. The Water4Future Hackathon Lycéens 2024 (5th edition) engaged nearly 140 high school students from 15 schools in 8 countries over 48 hours on the theme 'Water, Crises & Resilience,' building on prior editions that drew participants from Europe, Africa, North and South America, and Asia. The center also convenes seminars (including the Séminaire ICIREWARD-SHS scheduled for March 30, 2026), innovation breakfasts, and workshops, and coordinates partnerships with academic institutions (Université de Montpellier), regional research groups, and associations such as CEMD and Tous Entreprenants.

As a UNESCO-associated non-profit institutional center with approximately 10 employees, ICIREWARD operates under a grant- and partnership-funded institutional model rather than a commercial revenue model. Pricing for training programs, workshops, and events is determined on a per-program basis and is not publicly disclosed. The organization has no equity funding, no publicly disclosed revenue, no M&A activity, and is structured to deliver public-good research coordination, capacity building, and youth engagement in water science rather than to generate commercial returns.

Name

Centre International UNESCO sur l'Eau de Montpellier - ICIREWARD

Legal name

Centre International UNESCO sur l'Eau de Montpellier - ICIREWARD

Website

https://unesco-montpellier.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ICIREWARD is a UNESCO-affiliated international water research and training center hosted by the Université de Montpellier in France, coordinating the global FRIEND-Water hydrology network, the INITIATE PhD platform, and the Water4Future youth innovation competition for students and researchers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Research and Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Environmental & Earth Sciences (EDAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Water research education
• Hydrology training programs
• International research networks
• Water innovation programs
• PhD researcher platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpellier

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICIREWARD is a UNESCO-affiliated international water research and education center that coordinates hydrology research through the FRIEND-Water network, supports PhD researchers via the INITIATE platform, and runs the Water4Future international student hackathon and innovation program. It also delivers field schools, summer schools, workshops, and training programs on water resource management through its affiliation with the University of Montpellier.

Product overview

Centre ICIREWARD is an international water research and education center operated by the University of Montpellier under UNESCO's auspices. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including Water4Future (an international innovation competition for juniors, highschool students, and university students), the INITIATE PhD platform, and coordinates the FRIEND-Water international research network with multiple regional groups. Additional offerings include field schools (Écoles de terrain), summer schools (Écoles d'été), workshops, and the Prix Aqua Scientia award. The center focuses on water resource management, interdisciplinary research, and youth education in water-related challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Water4Future: International competition program for youth (juniors, high school students, and university students) focused on water innovation, creating projects addressing water challenges.
• FRIEND-Water
• INITIATE
• Prix Aqua Scientia

Products and services

• Water4Future International Hackathon Program International competition program mobilising students and young people to develop innovative projects addressing water challenges. Offered in three formats (juniors, high school, university) where teams develop innovative, technical, and social projects in 48 hours on themes such as 'Water, Crises & Resilience' and 'Water and Health'.
• INITIATE Platform for PhD Platform specifically designed for PhD students to support their research and professional development in water-related sciences.
• FRIEND-Water International Research Network International hydrology research network coordinated by ICIREWARD, with regional groups covering Europe, Mediterranean, Latin America & Caribbean, Southern Africa, West & Central Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions.
• Field Schools (Ecoles de terrain) Field-based training programs for water sector professionals and researchers, providing practical field experience in water resource management.
• Summer Schools (Ecoles d'été) Summer training programs in water science and management, providing professional development and intensive learning experiences for water professionals and researchers.
• Training Programs (Offres de formation) Structured training offerings in water science and management delivered through the University of Montpellier academic framework.
• Research Workshops Thematic workshops on water research topics, supporting research community knowledge exchange and collaboration.
• P.L.O.U.F Educational Action Program Educational action program focused on water awareness and innovation for young participants, including plenary sessions and hands-on activities at venues such as Exp'eau.
• ICIREWARD Research and Education Center International water research and education center affiliated with UNESCO and the University of Montpellier, serving as a hub for water-related research, training, and innovation programs including the Méditerranéen-Afrique projects and the WOc (Water Occitanie) key challenge.

Quantifiable outcome

• Engaged nearly 140 students from 15 schools in 8 countries in 2024 Water4Future Hackathon
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Université de MontpelliercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner and host of the ICIREWARD center. The Université de Montpellier provides academic infrastructure, research facilities (including UMR GEAU – INRAE Lavalette), and serves as the institutional home for the UNESCO center.
• CEMD (Cité de l'Economie et des Métiers de demain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Water4Future events and educational programs. The Cité de l'Economie et des Métiers de demain hosted the 2022 W4F Ideackathon first phase.
• Tous EntreprenantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partner that collaborated with ICIREWARD to develop the Ideackathon format for the Water4Future program. Together they created a digital platform connecting students worldwide for water innovation challenges.
• FRIEND-Water Network (Regional Groups)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICIREWARD coordinates the global FRIEND-Water network comprising 6 regional groups: EURO FRIEND (Europe), FRIEND MED (Mediterranean), FRIEND-Water LAC (Latin America & Caribbean), FRIEND SA (Southern Africa), FRIEND AOC (West and Central Africa), FRIEND AP (Asia-Pacific). Each group focuses on regional hydrological research coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unesco-montpellier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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