The BOOST-IN project, funded by the European Union, is dedicated to accelerating the transition of the water sector from a linear, wasteful approach to a truly circular economy. This shift requires more than new technologies, it also demands changes in governance, business models, and social perceptions. BOOST-IN’s mission is to help transform water from a disposable utility into a valuable resource that can be recovered, reused, and reintegrated into sustainable systems supporting energy, agriculture, and industry.
BOOST-IN’s objectives focus on creating the right conditions for innovation uptake in the water sector. The project supports entrepreneurs and innovators in scaling up circular solutions, while fostering knowledge sharing and networking among key stakeholders, including investors, researchers, and policymakers. By harnessing the innovation potential of successful EU projects, BOOST-IN contributes directly to the implementation of EU policies on water reuse, resource recovery, and sustainability.
A core activity of the project is the mapping of the innovation landscape in the water sector. Led by ECOFILAE, this analysis identifies and structures solutions by type, maturity (TRL and BRL levels), sector, and geography. The mapping serves as a foundation for targeted activities such as training, policy recommendations, matchmaking, and market dissemination.
To date, the mapping has identified 156 solutions worldwide, with 140 headquartered in Europe. These include 78 technologies, 74 products (spanning software, hardware, services, and processes), as well as financing mechanisms and advisory materials. Notably, 145 solutions address key circular categories such as water, nutrient, energy, and material recovery. Importantly, 74% of these solutions have reached TRL 6 or above, while 40% report a BRL of 6 or higher, indicating strong potential for market uptake. The solutions are also categorized by the type of source water that’s most relevant for them, such as urban domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, rainwater or greywater.
An interactive mapping tool is now available on BOOST-IN’s website to allow you to look for innovative solutions that may be interesting to you, your community, or your company. Here’s a short video that shows some of the key features of the mapping tool.
Through these efforts, BOOST-IN is building a comprehensive picture of Europe’s water innovation hotspots and laying the groundwork for a more circular, resilient, and resource-efficient future.
