What Pôle Aquanova does

Pôle Aquanova is a French competitiveness cluster (pôle de compétitivité) organized as a declared non-profit association (Association déclarée) under the legal name "Aquanova – Pôle Eau de la Loire au Rhin." It supports sustainable water-economy innovation across the historical regions of Centre-Val de Loire and Grand Est, with an expanding footprint into Pays de la Loire and Europe. The cluster animates a network of more than 500 actors and serves nearly 300 member organizations as of mid-2025, spanning water utilities, industrial water-treatment firms, water-technology startups, large enterprises, research institutions (ENGEES, BRGM, CNRS), and public authorities (water agencies, regional councils, métropoles). Its three offices are located in Nancy (headquarters in Tomblaine), Strasbourg, and Orléans.

The organization's core technology is not a proprietary product but a platform-plus-services model. Core offerings include (1) Network Animation — connecting 500+ water-sector actors through qualified introductions, webinars, thematic working groups, and high-level conferences; (2) Innovation Stimulation — ideation via the Aquathon hackathon, project labeling by an expert committee, funding research and application preparation, and white paper production (e.g., Plastics in Waters); (3) European/International accompaniment — trade-show participation, delegations, and adapted funding research; (4) sector networks such as the RSDE Micropolluants network and the interregional DIRMEL initiative; and (5) digital tools including the Sélectionneur DREAM water-measurement-instrument catalog (~600 instruments, 95+ parameters). It also operates training/career programs for water-sector professions.

Pôle Aquanova's revenue mechanics combine membership fees (pricing not publicly disclosed, with intake via a Wufoo membership form) with diversified public co-funding from national (Ministère de l'Économie / France Relance), regional (Centre-Val de Loire, Grand Est, Pays de la Loire), water-agency (Rhin-Meuse, Loire-Bretagne, Seine-Normandie), metropolitan (Strasbourg, Grand Nancy, Orléans, Tours), and European (LIFE Adapt'Est, Greater Green+) sources. No revenue figure is disclosed. The cluster uses a community-led, event-driven, and direct-engagement go-to-market across its three regions, with flagship annual events (Rencontres du Pôle Aquanova, launched June 2025), trade-show co-exhibitions (Village Innovation at Cycl'eau, CGLE, ENVIROpro), and thematic technical days. Leadership transitioned in June 2025 (Michel Fick to Didier Vallon as President) and again in February 2026 with the appointment of Delphine Krieger as Directrice Générale.

Name

Pôle Aquanova

Legal name

Aquanova – Pôle Eau de la Loire au Rhin

Website

https://poleaquanova.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pôle Aquanova is a French non-profit competitiveness cluster that animates a 500-actor water-sector network and serves ~300 member organizations across northern France, providing project labeling, innovation support, European accompaniment, and thematic network animation for water utilities, industrial water firms, and public territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tomblaine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Members pay fees to join the competitive cluster network, gaining access to networking, project labeling, innovation support, and other cluster services. Fee structure is not publicly disclosed.
2. Public funding and grants: The cluster is financed by public funders including the French Ministry of Economy and Finance (France Relance), Région Centre-Val de Loire, Région Grand Est, water agencies (Seine-Normandie, Rhin-Meuse, Loire-Bretagne), Eurométropole de Strasbourg, Métropole Grand Nancy, Orléans Métropole, and Tours Métropole. Funding supports operational costs and innovation programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Pôle Aquanova operates as a French water-sector competitiveness cluster that animates a network of 500+ actors and ~300 member organizations. Its core services are (1) Network Animation providing qualified introductions and strategic information, (2) Innovation Stimulation including the Aquathon hackathon, project labeling, and funding application support, and (3) European/International Accompaniment for trade shows, delegations, and EU program funding. It also runs thematic exchanges (Micropolluants RSDE, DIRMEL), co-develops digital tools (Sélectionneur DREAM), and publishes technical guides and white papers for the water sector.

Product overview

Pôle Aquanova is a competitiveness cluster (pôle de compétitivité) focused on sustainable water economy in northern France, operating across Centre-Val-de-Loire and Grand Est regions, Europe, and internationally. The organization functions as a platform-plus-services model rather than a single product company. Its core offerings include: (1) Network Animation connecting over 500 water sector actors for qualified introductions and strategic information; (2) Innovation Stimulation services including the Aquathon hackathon and project labeling; (3) International support for European and global projects; and (4) specialized digital tools such as the Sélectionneur DREAM for water measurement instrument search. Additionally, the cluster publishes technical guides (Guide Technique TAR on cooling towers) and white papers (Plastiques dans les eaux), organizes flagship events like the annual Rencontres du Pôle Aquanova and the Village Innovation collective exhibition at trade shows, and operates sector networks including the Réseaux Micropolluants RSDE and the interregional DIRMEL research initiative. The cluster also supports water sector training and careers through its formation portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aquathon: Aquathon is the water-focused hackathon organized by the pole, bringing together innovators to develop solutions for sustainable water management challenges.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 actors in the network
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ENGEES (École nationale du génie et de l'eau et de l'environnement de Strasbourg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering school whose director Jean-Marc Willer serves as President Delegate of the cluster. ENGEES co-hosted the 2026 Rencontres du Pôle Aquanova and signed a collaboration convention with ARIA and the cluster. Key academic partner.
• BRGM (Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational geological survey working with the cluster on the DIRMEL interregional micropolluant initiative and providing scientific expertise. The cluster organized member visits to BRGM platforms in Orléans during the 2025 Rencontres.
• Université de StrasbourgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner co-founding the Chaire Eau&Durabilité (Water & Sustainability Chair) with the cluster, aimed at developing innovative solutions for sustainable management of continental water systems.
• CNRScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench National Centre for Scientific Research partnering on multiple labeled projects (LIFE PERPETUAL with CEMHTI UPR 3079, SHIELD-Plus with LCPME) and represented at the 2025 Rencontres by VP Research Jean Raynald de Dreuzy and scientists.
• Graie (Groupe de recherche sur l'assainissement et l'environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch association partnering on the national micropolluants exchange network alongside Ascomade, hosting a Q&A space on the Cerema Expertises Territoires platform.
• AscomademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partnering on the national micropolluants exchange network alongside Graie, enabling knowledge sharing among collectors and partners.
• ADOPTAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation providing expertise for the GDIEP Centre-Val de Loire network, contributing to the sustainable stormwater management knowledge ecosystem.
• StadiupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatform facilitating sports sponsorship partnerships, through which the cluster sponsored athletes Ismaël Bouzid (taekwondo) and Louis Noël (paratriathlon) during Paris 2024 Olympics.
• Aqua-ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater competitiveness cluster with which Aquanova co-exhibits at trade shows (Village Innovation des Pôles EAU) and coordinates on national water-sector strategy. Key partner in the Pôles EAU cooperation representing both clusters.
• CRESITT IndustrieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology platform in Centre-Val de Loire visited during the 2025 Rencontres, representing the cluster's ecosystem of research infrastructure partners.
• L'OiEau (Office international de l'eau)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWater training and expertise organization co-awarding the Aquathon and participating in the jury for solution calls.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean business support network whose advisor Isabelle Gouriou presented at the 2026 Rencontres on EU funding and regulatory frameworks for water-sector innovation.
• Cosmetic ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeauty and cosmetics competitiveness cluster partnering with Aquanova on the Water 4 Cosmetics AMI (Call for Manifestation of Interest), identifying sustainable water management solutions for the cosmetics industry.
• Greater Green+ consortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean cooperation project involving water pôles from France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, focused on sustainable water management. First year results reported in 2025.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Isle Utilities: UK-headquartered water technology innovation accelerator running challenge programs, pilots, and venture-style scouting for water utilities. Direct comparable in water-tech innovation intermediation, though commercially focused versus Aquanova's non-profit cluster model.
• Aqua-Valley: French water competitiveness cluster based in southern France (Occitanie). Direct peer running the same p\u00f4le de comp\u00e9titivit\u00e9 model, focused on water innovation, with which Aquanova co-exhibits at trade shows under the Village Innovation des P\u00f4les EAU banner.
• NWP (Netherlands Water Partnership): Dutch public-private partnership coordinating the Netherlands water sector internationally. Comparable network-animation role with strong export-promotion focus, similar in mission to Aquanova's Europe/International accompaniment service.
• Water Alliance (Netherlands): Dutch water innovation cluster connecting companies, knowledge institutes, and governments in the Netherlands water sector. Highly comparable as a national-level water innovation network animator with public-private partnership model.
• DREAM Eau & Milieux: French water measurement/metrology cluster with which Aquanova co-developed the S\u00e9lectionneur DREAM tool cataloging ~600 instruments. Direct peer with overlapping members and complementary focus on water quality measurement innovation.

Broad incumbents

• European Water Association (EWA): Europe-wide association of water professionals and organizations promoting knowledge exchange across the water sector. Comparable as a network-animation body for water, with a broader professional/industry focus versus Aquanova's innovation-cluster mandate.
• Water Europe: European Technology Platform for Water, a broader Brussels-based partnership covering the full European water innovation ecosystem. Comparable as a network-animating organization but with continent-wide scope versus Aquanova's regional French focus.

Emerging players

• Wetskills Foundation: Dutch foundation running international water-focused innovation events, hackathons, and talent programs. Comparable to Aquanova's Aquathon hackathon and youth/talent engagement work, though operating internationally rather than regionally.
• BlueTech Research: Water innovation intelligence firm providing market analysis, investor matchmaking, and tech scouting for the global water sector. Comparable as a water innovation intermediary, though for-profit and globally focused versus Aquanova's regional non-profit positioning.
• KWR Water Research Institute: Dutch water research institute combining applied science, innovation programs, and a circular water economy platform. Comparable as a water R&D and innovation catalyst with strong public-funder relationships and member/partner network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/poleaquanova
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@poleaquanova
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/poleaquanova

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pôle Aquanova