What Water4All Partnership does

Water4All Partnership — legally the European Partnership Water4All — is a public research-funding consortium launched in 2022 under the EU Horizon Europe programme with a seven-year horizon (2022-2029) and an 86 million EUR first-phase budget. It coordinates 90 partner organisations across 33 countries, including national research funding agencies (e.g., ANR in France, UKRI in the UK, FCT in Portugal, MUR in Italy, TACR in the Czech Republic), research institutes, water authorities, and civil-society bodies. Its primary instrument is a series of annual Joint Transnational Calls (JTCs) through which co-funding from the EU and national agencies is competitively allocated to transnational research and innovation projects on water topics. JTC 2022 covered hydroclimatic extreme events, JTC 2023 aquatic ecosystem services, JTC 2024 water for circular economy, and JTC 2025 water and health; calls for 2026 (sustainable water management) and 2027 (water for ecosystems and biodiversity) are pre-announced. Over 77 RD&I projects have been recommended for funding across the first four calls.

The partnership's core product surface extends beyond funding calls to a Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) network for demonstration and validation of water innovations, a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) that aligns national programmes, Thematic Annual Programming (TAP) Actions such as AQUA-WISE for cross-programme clustering, a Knowledge Hub for dissemination, and a FAIR-aligned Data Sharing Facility underpinning a European water data ecosystem. Education-oriented outputs include toolkits for schools, 360° tours, and Train-the-Trainer master classes for water-sector startup support organisations. Strategic Research Infrastructure documentation includes an Atlas of WOLLs and white papers on data ecosystems and Water Framework Directive implementation. The partnership is governed by a Governing Board (chaired/anchored by ANR's Paris-based secretariat) and a Scientific and Technological Board; leadership includes CEO Ariane Blum, Coordinator Benjamin Lopez, and Vice-Chair-elect Amanda Loeffen.

Water4All does not sell a product or charge participation fees; it is funded through Horizon Europe co-funding combined with annual national contributions pooled into Joint Transnational Calls. Customer-facing 'users' are research institutions, water-management authorities, technology innovators, and policymakers across Europe, while 'funders' are the European Commission and the 33 national/regional funding agencies. Commercial go-to-market is not applicable; instead, the partnership pursues an event-driven model centred on the annual September JTC launch, Thematic Annual Programming actions, WOLLs demonstration activities, and international engagement through UNESCO IHP, the UN Water Conference 2026, and Global-South partnerships.

Name

Water4All Partnership

Legal name

European Partnership Water4All

Website

https://water4all-partnership.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Water4All Partnership is a European Union-co-funded research consortium of 90 partners across 33 countries that runs annual transnational calls, living-lab demonstrations, and knowledge-sharing programmes on freshwater challenges under the 2022-2029 Horizon Europe framework.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Research Funding Partnership

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH)

Keywords

• Water research funding
• Transnational research calls
• Horizon Europe partnership
• Freshwater research innovation
• Water living labs

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU Horizon Europe Co-funding: The partnership is co-funded by the European Union within the Horizon Europe programme. The EU provides substantial co-funding for the partnership's operations and research calls.
2. National Funding Contributions: 90 partner organizations from 33 countries contribute national funding to jointly fund transnational research projects through the Joint Transnational Calls. Each participating country provides funding through its national research funding agency.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Water4All Partnership is a European co-funded research funding programme that aggregates national and EU contributions to jointly finance transnational water research and innovation projects. It operates annual Joint Transnational Calls (JTCs), coordinates a Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) demonstration network, and maintains a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda spanning the water RDI chain from fundamental research to demonstration and market uptake.

Product overview

Water4All Partnership is a European funding programme for scientific research in freshwater, co-funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe (2022-2029). It operates as a multi-faceted platform comprising: (1) Joint Transnational Calls (JTC) for funding cross-border R&D projects on annual themes; (2) Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) Network for demonstration activities; (3) Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) guiding priorities; (4) Thematic Annual Programming (TAP) Actions for national project alignment; (5) Knowledge Hub for results dissemination; and (6) educational initiatives including toolkits, 360° tours, and master classes. The programme brings together 90 partners from 33 countries with an 86M€ first phase budget to tackle water challenges related to climate change and achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Joint Transnational Calls (JTC) Annual co-funded research funding calls for transnational water research and innovation projects. Each JTC runs on an annual September cycle with sub-topics; JTC 2022 (hydroclimatic extreme events), JTC 2023 (aquatic ecosystem services), JTC 2024 (water for circular economy), JTC 2025 (water and health), and upcoming JTC 2026 and JTC 2027. For research institutions, universities, and consortia across Europe and beyond.
• Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) Network Pan-European network of demonstration sites and living labs for testing and validating innovative water solutions in real or near-real conditions. For water technology innovators, research institutions, and water management authorities seeking real-world validation environments.
• Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) Strategic document outlining Water4All's research priorities and themes (sustainable water management, water for ecosystems and biodiversity, water infrastructure, governance). For policymakers, funding agencies, and research institutions to align programmes and reduce fragmentation.
• Thematic Annual Programming (TAP) Actions Alignment instrument that fosters collaboration between national research projects and creates clusters of excellence on specific water research topics (e.g., AQUA-WISE TAP Action on water and biodiversity). For national funding agencies and research institutions.
• Knowledge Hub Platform for knowledge sharing and valorization of R&I project results, connecting project outcomes to key stakeholders and increasing the outreach of funded research. For the European water research and policy community.
• Educational Toolkits for Young Generations Practical educational kits for young generations covering hydrogeology experiments, water quality assessment, green gold/soil shape, water treatment, and climate change/NBS themes. Developed across partner countries for schools and youth programmes.
• 360° Tour Initiative Immersive training programme for students on freshwater issues, climate change awareness, and water management careers across European countries. For secondary and higher education students.
• Train the Trainer Master Classes Online and in-person master classes to strengthen entrepreneurial skills among startup support organization staff in the water sector, including sessions on problem/solution fit, market/solution fit, and investor readiness. For water-sector incubators, accelerators, and cluster organizations.
• Data Sharing Facility & FAIR Data Ecosystem Infrastructure for building a European water data ecosystem aligned with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable), supporting project data sharing and reuse. For funded research projects and the European water data community.
• Booklets of Funded Projects Published booklets documenting funded projects from JTC 2022, JTC 2023, and JTC 2024 calls, including project abstracts, objectives, and participating countries. For the research community, policymakers, and stakeholders.
• Atlas of Water Oriented Living Labs Comprehensive mapping and documentation of Water-Oriented Living Labs across Europe. For innovators seeking demonstration sites, policymakers, and researchers.
• Vision of a European Water Data Ecosystem White Paper White paper outlining the vision for a European water data ecosystem aligned with FAIR principles. For policymakers, data infrastructure builders, and the European water research community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77+ research and innovation projects funded across 4 Joint Transnational Calls (2022-2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• UNESCO IHP (Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Water4All collaborates with UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme through joint workshops on Ecohydrology. The partnership works with UNESCO IHP Council members and contributes to global SDG agenda alignment. Workshop conducted in Radom, Poland at UNESCO IHP Ecohydrology Demonstration Site.
• UN Water Conference 2026flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Water4All is preparing coordinated contributions for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi. Participation in the High-Level Preparatory Meeting in Dakar (January 2026) and establishment of task forces for visibility, digital transformation, capacity building, and international cooperation.
• Human Right 2 WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Human Right 2 Water was approved as a new beneficiary by the Water4All Governing Board in November 2025, strengthening openness to civil society perspectives. Led by Amanda Loeffen as Vice Chair from January 2026.
• World Water Forum / World Water CongressflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Water4All participated in the 19th World Water Congress in Marrakech and maintains active engagement with international water governance forums. Special sessions focus on North-South collaboration and expanding partnership to global interest.
• PRIMA PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Mediterranean partnership for research and innovation on agro-food systems and water-related challenges. Collaboration on cross-Mediterranean cooperation, governance, and policy integration in water management.
• African Academy of Sciences / SD-WISHEEScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for widening activities in Africa, supporting innovation pathways research, and building cooperation between Global North and Global South in water research.
• I4WASH (Innovation for WASH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Water4All co-hosted panel at I4WASH conference in Malindi, Kenya on bridging innovation, research, and finance for WASH solutions. Focus on SDG 6 achievement through data-driven water management and local capacity building.
• Pollutec / Cluster H2OcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Water4All participated in Pollutec Lyon 2025, the leading international environmental trade show. Presented at Cluster H2O session alongside Water Smart Territories, International Cleantech Network, and Water Europe for EU water networks collaboration.
• Water Smart Territories (WST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025International network for water innovation presented alongside Water4All at Cluster H2O session, focusing on water-smart territorial development and innovation.
• International Cleantech Network (ICN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Global cleantech network collaborating with Water4All on bridging innovation and finance, particularly for WASH solutions in developing regions.
• Water EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025European water technology platform presented alongside Water4All at Cluster H2O session for joint representation of EU water innovation ecosystem.
• Imagine H2OminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Water technology accelerator providing the Top Deployment Awards programme demonstrated during Water4All Train the Trainer Master Classes for startup support.
• Clean (Danish Water & Environmental Cluster)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Danish water and environmental cluster collaborating with Water4All on startup support, innovation acceleration, and international cooperation events.
• WaterCampus (Wetsus)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Hosts the WaterCampus Business Challenge demonstrated during Water4All Train the Trainer Master Classes. Co-organizer of EU Green Week Partner Events.
• 90 Partner Organizations from 33 CountriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The consortium includes 90 partners from 33 countries including national funding agencies (ANR France, UKRI UK, FCT Portugal, CNRS France, etc.), research institutions, water agencies, and government bodies. Partners include: CNPq (Brazil), MUR (Italy), CNRS, FECYT (Spain), UKRI (UK), TACR (Czech Republic), SYKE (Finland), LNEC (Portugal), and many others.
• Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) - FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022ANR hosts the Water4All Partnership Coordination office in Paris. As the French national research funding agency, ANR serves as the institutional host and coordinating body for the partnership secretariat.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• International Cleantech Network (ICN): Global cleantech network collaborating with Water4All on innovation and finance for WASH solutions; comparable as a cross-border innovation intermediary, but with broader cleantech scope beyond water.

Direct peers

• Imagine H2O: Global water technology accelerator; Water4All showcased Imagine H2O's Top Deployment Awards in its Train the Trainer Master Classes, making it a comparable accelerator for water startups with overlapping innovation deployment goals.
• Water Smart Territories (WST): International network for water-smart territorial innovation that co-presented with Water4All at Pollutec/Cluster H2O; comparable as a multi-stakeholder water innovation platform with territorial deployment focus.
• Clean (Danish Water & Environmental Cluster): Danish water and environmental cluster collaborating with Water4All on startup support and innovation acceleration; comparable as a national-level water innovation cluster that bridges research and commercial deployment.
• Wetsus WaterCampus: European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology in Leeuwarden; Water4All partner and co-organiser of EU Green Week events, comparable as a leading European water RDI hub with strong demonstration infrastructure.
• PRIMA Partnership: Mediterranean co-funded partnership for agro-food and water research under Horizon Europe; directly comparable as a sibling Horizon Europe co-funded partnership with similar JTC mechanism and multi-country funding agency model.
• Water Europe: European water technology and innovation platform; co-presented with Water4All at Cluster H2O sessions and shares the goal of mobilising EU water innovation ecosystems, though more industry-facing than research-funding.
• Cluster H2O (French Water Cluster): French national water cluster that Water4All actively partnered with at Pollutec 2025; comparable as a cluster organisation focused on water innovation deployment and stakeholder coordination.
• Water JPI (Joint Programming Initiative): Predecessor pan-European water research coordination initiative; Water4All was designed to succeed and scale Water JPI under Horizon Europe, making it the most directly comparable peer in mission and structure.

Broad incumbents

• UNESCO IHP (Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme): UN-affiliated global hydrology programme; Water4All ran joint workshops with IHP on Ecohydrology. IHP operates at a larger global scale with a broader remit (hydrology beyond freshwater research funding).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/water4all-eu.bsky.social
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/water4all-partnership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 →

Frequently asked questions about Water4All Partnership