Fundación Valenciaport joins water innovation network

Fundación Valenciaport has become a strategic member of EIT Water, a new knowledge and innovation community established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to accelerate the transition towards sustainable, resilient and inclusive water systems.

The announcement coincided with EIT Water’s official launch in Málaga, attended by Carolina Navarro, director of blue economy at Fundación Valenciaport, and Juan Manuel Díez, head of innovation at the Port Authority of Valencia.

“Being part of EIT Water as strategic partners allows us to bring the maritime and port perspective to the forefront of the debate on water in Europe,” said Navarro.

“We want to put the full potential of Valencia’s blue economy ecosystem at the service of this network, to co-design high-impact solutions that combine innovation, training and entrepreneurship.”

EIT Water aims to address challenges including water scarcity, drought, flooding, pollution and the degradation of marine and freshwater ecosystems by connecting industry, researchers, educators and policymakers. For ports, the initiative provides a platform to develop and test solutions supporting environmental protection, operational resilience and more sustainable water management.

Fundación Valenciaport will contribute expertise spanning research and development, training and entrepreneurship. With more than 22 years of experience and participation in over 400 international R&D projects, its work covers decarbonisation, the energy transition, digitalisation and the blue economy.

The organisation will also offer operational environments in which emerging technologies can be piloted, validated and scaled under real-world conditions. Its training record includes more than 1,200 courses, while Opentop, Valenciaport’s open innovation hub, connects start-ups, established businesses and investors to accelerate the adoption of new technologies across maritime and logistics markets.

The membership expands Fundación Valenciaport’s involvement in European and international innovation networks, complementing existing collaborations with organisations including ESPO, ALICE, Waterborne and IAPH. The foundation also brings previous experience within the EIT ecosystem through Climate-KIC, InnoEnergy and EIT Digital.