Friesland, European hotspot for water technology
Leeuwarden is well on the way to becoming the European WaterHub, a place for the sector to come together and a place to foster and nurture inspiration. New tech-starters are springing up around Wetsus all the time. Subsidies, venture capital, facility sharing and siting arrangements are in place to help these young entrepreneurs set up their new water companies. Vitens has the most advanced drinking water lab in Europe situated in Leeuwarden. There are a number of globally trendsetting water technology companies in a 50km radius around Leeuwarden, including Landustrie, Hubert and Paques.
To ensure that Friesland grows to become the top European water region, it must continue to attract academic institutions and commercial companies specialized in this area. This process includes the creation of a number of water technology demonstration sites. These new sites allow practical testing, development and demonstration of new technologies. It is only after demonstration that new technological concepts have a serious chance at commercial implementation and export. Given the worldwide market for this technology, practical demonstrations are an important prerequisite for realizing the economic value of these concepts and spurring on the entrepreneurial spirit.
