3rd BlueArk Challenge: CHF 50,000 to reward innovations in water management

Jointly organized by the BlueArk Entremont Innovation Cluster, The Ark Foundation and ALTIS, the BlueArk Challenge is a call for projects designed to use open innovation methods to solve water management challenges. The BlueArk Challenge website features a dozen problem areas. Engineers, companies active in the fields of water and digitalization, or any other player who thinks they have a suitable solution, are invited to submit their solutions by November 4. A jury of experts will then select the most relevant proposals, which will be awarded CHF 10,000 cash each. Winners will also have the opportunity to co-create their solution with industry professionals.

For the third year running, the BlueArk Challenge takes the form of a call for projects. The aim is to use innovative ideas and technologies to solve the various water management challenges facing professionals in the field, particularly local authorities and industrial services. To this end, a dozen challenges are published on the BlueArk Challenge website. They relate to water supply, water treatment and resource optimization.

Any person, company or institution interested in the field of water and/or its digitization can submit their solution by midnight on November 4. To be eligible, the solution must provide a concrete response to one of the proposed issues (at least in part), and an application form must be completed. Entries will then be evaluated according to the following criteria: relevance and added value of the solution, innovative or creative character, technical feasibility, economic and development potential.

Up to five winners rewarded

From the proposals received, up to five solutions will be chosen by the BlueArk Challenge jury of experts. Each will win a cheque for CHF 10,000 in cash. They will also benefit from various forms of support to help them develop and implement their project. The challenge sponsors will monitor the development of the winning solutions and make their infrastructures available for field-testing the prototypes. For its part, the Entremont BlueArk offers personalized coaching, particularly on the economic aspects of the project.

The winners of this year's event will be announced at the Smart Water conference in Le Châble on December 1.