Isle facilitated webinars with UpLink and CWA to speak with water tech startups about Trial Reservoirs and accelerate pilot-driven innovation.

Accelerating Innovation with the Trial Reservoirs Initiative…and Beyond

In September, Isle led two webinars hosted by the newest partners of our non-profit Trial Reservoirs Initiative. 

UpLink, the World Economic Forum’s early-stage innovation initiative, is enabling and accelerating the purpose-driven entrepreneurs that are essential for a net-zero, nature-positive, and equitable future, by connecting them to the resources, experts and funding they need to scale. We spoke to a select group of their “aquapreneurs” – start-ups dedicated to solving global challenges around water access, quality, and resilience – to introduce them to the Trial Reservoir model, and address how it can help to enhance their market reach. 

We also collaborated with Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), an Ohio-based water cluster with extensive testbed infrastructure, commercialization support, and industry expertise. CWA leverages multi-sector partnerships to support market-driven innovation, economic impact, and sustainable solutions for regional and global water challenges. Isle engaged a selected portfolio of CWA innovators and end-users in a discussion about the role of trials in advancing innovation and potential partnership pathways with the Trial Reservoirs Initiative.

Piloting Progress: Updates from Trial Reservoir Alumni

At both webinars, Isle engaged in discussion with a cohort of alumni from the Trial Reservoirs Initiative, including industrial and municipal technology end-users and technology vendors.

• Cobalt Water discussed the trial of their nitrous oxide reduction machine learning platform with Purecontrol at a French utility. The trial was so successful that it has evolved into the national reference for N2O management in France. 
• Transcend Software shared about the trial of its revolutionary AI platform with Xylem Australia, which allowed Xylem to halve their turnaround time for creating wastewater treatment proposals.
• Desolenador highlighted their successful pilot of the first 100% circular solar thermal desalination system in Abu Dhabi, UAE. 
• Vortech Water Solutions Ltd. shared their success in transforming a pilot with a major food and beverage manufacturer into a flagship reference site for future clients. 
• Brabant Water shared their perspective on their trial of a non-invasive pipeline inspection technology, and what trials mean through a utility lens. 

These panelists shared direct insights into their experiences with piloting and trials: their lessons learned, best practices, and the role that Trial Reservoir has played in their technology acceleration journeys.

Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways

The panel discussions shared some key themes.

1. The Trial Reservoirs Initiative acts as a pathway to de-risk technology adoption and facilitate successful implementations. Isle is a neutral third party, acting as a bridge between the end-user and the vendor, while also providing technical and trial management expertise and guidance. The external validation provided by a Reservoir Trial can help vendors to establish a track record of excellence that acts as a reference for potential future clients. At the same time, the Trial Reservoirs Initiative has reduced the lag time between successful trials and expanded implementation, with Trial Reservoir utilities often raising purchase orders before trials end.
2. Non-technical challenges can stymie even the most technologically-sound trial. Panelists emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement early in the trial development process. Engaging management early is critical to both a successful pilot and long-term technology implementation once the trial is complete. From the end-user perspective, internal de-siloing and effective communication are key to ensuring that the end-user commitment is mutually agreeable.
3. The Trial Reservoir model offers flexibility in trial design and post-trial implementation. The model is intended to help facilitate sandbox-style comparative trials, and can also support decentralized solutions and non-utility organizations. Trial Reservoir Initiative end-users range from major industrial manufacturers to small utilities. The program has successfully implemented 12 trials around the world, and its model has also been emulated in other sectors.

Join us!

Interested in learning more about the Trial Reservoir Initiative? Join us at our next informational seminario web on November 5th, hosted by Current as part of their Third Coast Water Seminar Series.

You can also reach out directly to Jo Burgess ([email protected]), Head of Isle’s Tech Ascend Foundation, or to Reshmina William ([email protected]), Lead for the US Utilities Trial Reservoir.