💧 Do Conferences in the Water Sector Drive Commercial Impact? The water industry is no stranger to conferences and events, but how often do these gatherings translate into real financial growth for companies, both large and small? Impact Beyond Networking: Many companies attend conferences hoping to grow their business, secure partnerships, or attract investors. But the reality is that while networking and knowledge-sharing are invaluable, true commercial impact—measurable revenue growth, expanded market reach, and successful partnerships—is harder to achieve. Many companies find themselves walking away inspired but without actionable outcomes that boost their bottom line. Challenges to Commercial Impact at Water Conferences, Lack of Targeted Opportunities: Often, companies are left competing for attention among a crowded field. This can make it challenging to stand out and secure meaningful business connections. Insufficient Financial Support Channels: Small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) may struggle to access investors and decision-makers directly, especially when larger, more established brands dominate the event floor. Follow-Through on Leads: Without structured follow-up, promising connections made at conferences can fizzle out, limiting commercial opportunities. How Can We Increase True Financial Growth from These Events? To maximize the commercial value of water industry conferences, we need to take actionable steps toward supporting growth across the entire sector. Curated Matchmaking & Funding Opportunities: Events could include dedicated spaces for one-on-one meetings, targeted pitches to investors, or curated matchmaking sessions where SMEs can directly connect with large buyers or funding bodies. Showcasing Real Success Stories: Highlight case studies of companies that gained traction, revenue growth, or partnerships as a direct result of a past event. Seeing what’s possible provides a roadmap for others. Structured Follow-Up and Accountability: Establish post-event touchpoints where companies can reconnect with leads, explore deals, and track the progress of business discussions that began at the event. At their best, conferences should be catalysts for commercial growth. Let’s make these events a place where deals happen, investments flow, and companies of all sizes experience real financial impact. Are we doing enough to achieve this? I’d love to hear your thoughts! #WaterIndustry #CommercialGrowth #WaterInnovation #BusinessDevelopment #WaterTech #Investment #FinancialImpact
Personally I am a bit tired of "water conferences" where there is A LOT of talk about the challenges and possibilities, and way too little of how to create strong businesses and how true collaboration (monetizable) can happen. Pilots, testing, MOU's, handshakes, good intentions and strong purpose do not solve the massive challenges.
Pia Boyer
1mo
Great post Christos! Preparing a conference by planning out visits before hand, and also post-conference follow-up is so important. I love the magic of the unexpected discussions that can take place, the serendipity of bumping into someone you’ve only seen from behind a screen, and am doubly grateful for in person conferences in the post-covid era. But a successful conference experience requires a roadmap. The cost of attending these conferences is not negligible, with travel and fees and a selection of comfortable shoes; it is an investment and needs forethought to pick the panel discussions that are the most promising. And as commenters here have mentioned, it takes followup. Your youtube channel is a nascent library of information - what about organizing post-conference roundtables, for IDRA for example if that is the next big water conference on the calendar?💧
Fazal Abbas
1mo
Thanks Christos Charisiadis and Jesper Munkholm (جيسبر مونكهولم). I completely agree, moving from discussions to action-oriented partnerships is essential for generating real impact. Structured matchmaking and dedicated business acceleration tracks can indeed play a transformative role in turning these initial connections into valuable collaborations. Consistent follow-up is key to maintaining momentum and driving measurable results. Let’s work together to bridge these gaps and make the shift towards concrete outcomes.
Guy Cohen
1mo
Totally with you on that. I've attended many water conferences, and your takeaways are spot on. The conference's impact was much higher when one-on-one meetings were scheduled in advance and the booth. When people saw the gathering, they joined and stopped to check. A large TV screen with a compelling demo or presentation works like magic. Conference follow-ups are a must. Thanks Christos Charisiadis!
Absolutely agree! For conferences in the water sector to truly drive commercial impact, we need actionable steps that go beyond networking. Curated matchmaking, structured follow-up, and showcasing tangible success stories are essential to help companies, especially SMEs, translate connections into measurable growth. In fact, as an industry executive suggested back in GWS London 2018, when executing projects, allocating a small percentage (1-2%) of production capacity and CAPEX to new technologies could accelerate adoption and drive real innovation in the industry. Let’s make these events not just about ideas, but about tangible outcomes that benefit the entire sector.
Good advice…
I find your AI graphic generator is fabulous. Thank you for tackling important issues related to the water industrial complex!
Ovie Oniyamah
1mo
Great advice
Qualidade e Tratamento Águas // Resiliência Hídrica
1moGreat insight! 👏 I still find participating in conferences and exhibitions in the water sector highly valuable. They provide excellent opportunities to exchange experiences and to see how others have creatively tackled common challenges. What excites me the most, though, is the chance to be surprised by "out-of-the-box" solutions or presentations – and, fortunately, these moments still happen at these events! However, I completely agree that the practical and comercial applicability often falls short once we return to our workplaces. I believe there’s a strong need for more ongoing engagement between participants after the event, and this could be supported by the event organization. For example, setting up chat rooms on the conference site, where attendees could continue discussions about specific practical topics post-event, would be an effective way to solidify connections, facilitate ongoing knowledge exchange and commercial opportunities.