IWW ANALYTIK UND SERVICE GMBH

Their core work

IWW is a German private water analytics and services company based in Mülheim an der Ruhr, specializing in water quality analysis, groundwater management, and smart water solutions. They provide analytical laboratory services and applied research for the water sector, bridging the gap between scientific investigation and practical water management. Their work spans from understanding subsurface water processes (hyporheic zones, soil-groundwater interactions) to developing smart data-driven approaches for water reuse and resource recovery in coastal urban environments.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IWW's early H2020 work (2015-2018) centered on fundamental water science — understanding hyporheic zone processes and soil-groundwater dynamics under agricultural pressure, both through Marie Skłodowska-Curie training networks. From 2020 onward, they made a decisive shift toward applied smart water management, taking on the coordinator role in B-WaterSmart with a focus on digital water solutions, governance innovation, and circular economy approaches. This evolution mirrors the broader European water sector's move from understanding water systems to actively managing them with data-driven tools.

IWW is moving from a supporting analytical role in research networks toward leading applied innovation projects in digital water management and circular water economy — expect them to pursue more coordination roles in water-smart city initiatives.

How they like to work

IWW started as a participant in researcher training networks and graduated to coordinating a large Innovation Action (B-WaterSmart), suggesting growing ambition and project management capacity. With 76 unique partners across 16 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia — particularly B-WaterSmart, which likely accounts for most of this network breadth. Their trajectory from participant to coordinator indicates an organization ready to take on leadership in future calls.

Despite only three projects, IWW has built a remarkably broad network of 76 partners across 16 countries, driven largely by the B-WaterSmart consortium. This gives them strong pan-European connections in the water innovation community, particularly in coastal regions.

What sets them apart

IWW combines hands-on water analytics laboratory capabilities with applied EU research experience — a rare combination for an SME. Unlike pure research institutes, they bring commercial analytical services into consortium projects, grounding research in real operational water management needs. Their jump to coordinating B-WaterSmart shows they can lead multi-country innovation projects, not just contribute technical analysis.

Highlights from their portfolio

• B-WaterSmart
  IWW's first coordinator role — a large Innovation Action (2020-2024) on smart water solutions for coastal Europe, marking their transition from research participant to project leader.
• HypoTRAIN
  Their entry into H2020 through a Marie Curie training network on hyporheic zone science, establishing their credentials in fundamental water research.
• INSPIRATION
  Focused on sustainable agricultural intensification and its groundwater impacts — connects IWW's water expertise to the food and agriculture sector.