WEDC Conference
WEDC Conference is the annual international conference and knowledge platform of the Water Engineering and Development Centre at Loughborough University, serving researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students working on water and sanitation in low- and middle-income countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersLoughborough, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What WEDC Conference does
WEDC Conference is the annual flagship event of the Water Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC), an academic research center established in 1970 and embedded within Loughborough University's School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering in the United Kingdom. The conference (43rd edition in September 2024) brings together participants from research, practice, and policy communities across more than forty countries to discuss water engineering, sanitation, and development issues, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. WEDC operates the My WEDC web platform, which serves as the gateway for abstract submissions, registration, profile management, and access to a searchable knowledge base developed over 45+ years and containing over 2,000 peer-reviewed conference papers, books, guides, posters, and graphics.
The organization's product portfolio centers on the annual conference, the WEDC Bookshop (which sells the four-book Water Safety Plans series at £19.95-£24.95 per copy, including the IRA-WDS GIS-based decision support software manual), curated resource collections, and the proprietary IRA-WDS (Improved Risk Assessment for Water Distribution Systems) software, which combines Contaminant Ingress, Pipe Condition Assessment, and Risk Assessment models for piped water systems in developing-country urban areas. WEDC also co-develops the WEDC/WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies series with the World Health Organization and has partnered with DFID/FCDO, UNICEF, and other international agencies on country-level water and sanitation initiatives.
WEDC's business model is primarily academic and non-commercial: the 2024 conference was offered free of charge to all delegates, supported instead by voluntary donations to the John Pickford Scholarship Fund via the Loughborough University Online Store. Revenue derives from low-margin book sales, voluntary donations, and likely institutional grant funding tied to research collaborations, rather than from priced access or enterprise contracts. The customer base spans researchers, practitioners, policy professionals, international agencies, and students globally, with no disclosed enterprise customer concentration or external investment.
WEDC Conference firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WEDC Conference
- Legal name
- Water Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC), Loughborough University
- Website
- https://wedcconference.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WEDC Conference is the annual international conference and knowledge platform of the Water Engineering and Development Centre at Loughborough University, serving researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students working on water and sanitation in low- and middle-income countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WEDC Conference industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Engineering Conferences and Knowledge Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)
Keywords
Where WEDC Conference is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Loughborough
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
WEDC Conference business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Conference Registration: While the 43rd WEDC International Conference offers free access for all delegates, earlier conferences likely had registration fees. The conference attracts keynote speakers, authors, reviewers, agencies, exhibitors, and delegates.
- Book and Publication Sales: WEDC publishes and sells books through the WEDC Bookshop. Publications include the Water Safety Plans series (Books 1-4) priced between £19.95-£24.95, WEDC Guides available for free download or purchase, and other technical publications.
- Donations: Voluntary donations accepted for the John Pickford Scholarship Fund, which supports disadvantaged students to study educational programmes in the UK or by distance learning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Conference attendance (free tier) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Water Safety Plans Book 4: IRA-WDS Software Manual |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Water Safety Plans Book 3: Risk Assessment |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
WEDC Conference product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WEDC (Water Engineering and Development Centre) organizes the annual WEDC International Conference, now in its 43rd edition, bringing together research, practice, and policy communities working on water engineering and development in low- and middle-income countries. It maintains the My WEDC online gateway, which provides access to a searchable knowledge base of over 2,000 peer-reviewed conference papers, books, guides, and the IRA-WDS GIS-based decision support software for water distribution system risk assessment.
Product overview
WEDC (Water Engineering and Development Centre) at Loughborough University operates a knowledge management platform centered on My WEDC, which serves as the gateway for accessing resources and managing conference participation. The core offerings include the WEDC International Conferences (annual events attracting participants from over 40 countries), a Database of Resources with over 2,000 conference papers and numerous publications, and curated Resource Collections organized by series (Books, Guides, Posters, Graphics, Technical Notes) and themes (Water and Sanitation, Emergency WASH, Equity and Inclusion, Knowledge Management). The Water Safety Plans Book Series provides specialized guidance on water safety management for developing countries. The platform supports the 43rd International Conference (Water and Climate Resilience, September 2024) with online access for all delegates.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WEDC Books: Substantial body of knowledge in water, sanitation and related subjects developed over 40 years.
- WEDC Conference Papers
- WEDC Guides
- WEDC Graphics
- WELL Resources
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2000 peer-reviewed conference papers in the collection
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use WEDC Conference
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WEDC Conference technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
WEDC Conference partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Loughborough UniversitycoreWEDC (Water Engineering and Development Centre) is an integral part of Loughborough University's School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering. The university hosts WEDC's operations, provides institutional infrastructure including the repository for archiving conference proceedings, and supports the John Pickford Scholarship Fund.
- World Health Organization (WHO)coreWEDC and WHO collaborate on producing Technical Notes for Emergencies, providing guidance for practitioners responsible for safe water supplies and sanitation facilities during and after emergencies or disasters.
- UNICEFmajorUNICEF is referenced as a key partner in various WEDC resource collections and projects, including the WEDC/WHO Technical Notes series and multiple country-level water and sanitation initiatives.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
WEDC Conference competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
WEDC Conference social profiles
Digital presenceWEDC Conference financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WEDC Conference leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
WEDC Conference funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WEDC Conference M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WEDC Conference
What does WEDC Conference do?
WEDC (Water Engineering and Development Centre) organizes the annual WEDC International Conference, now in its 43rd edition, bringing together research, practice, and policy communities working on water engineering and development in low- and middle-income countries. It maintains the My WEDC online gateway, which provides access to a searchable knowledge base of over 2,000 peer-reviewed conference papers, books, guides, and the IRA-WDS GIS-based decision support software for water distribution system risk assessment.
Is WEDC Conference a public or private company?
WEDC Conference is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was WEDC Conference founded?
WEDC Conference was founded in 1970. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WEDC Conference based?
WEDC Conference is headquartered in Loughborough, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does WEDC Conference make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Conference Registration is the primary driver. The others are book and Publication Sales and donations.
Does WEDC Conference have an API?
No public API is recorded for WEDC Conference.
What industry is WEDC Conference in?
WEDC Conference's product category is Water Engineering Conferences and Knowledge Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAD, Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAJAJ, Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance. Its NAICS code is 541330 and its SIC code is 8731.