SoSeal
Bio-based soil sealing
Bringing ideas forward
Making Waves helps innovative ideas to get past the ‘promising stage’ by connecting them to investors, organizations and policy and decision makers during a unique one-day event on the Dutch Afsluitdijk.
In acceleration sessions the people behind these innovations are connected to professionals like you. Together we will help them to reach their full potential. Share your expertise and join us!
Innovations
During six events over the past year innovations competed for a place on the Making Waves stage. Each of them dedicated to contribute to solving global challenges we face today. Only the very best made it through. Find out more on the innovations below.
Netics
Dikes made of dredge
Ioniqa Technologies
Solution to recycle all PET-plastics
Elemental Watermakers
Reverse osmosis solutions
Plastic Road
Making roads from plastic waste
Barsha Pump - aQysta
Sustainable irrigation of land
FishFlow Innovations
Hydropower energy without harm
Slow Mill
Using waves to produce energy
Texel Meet
Joint salinity measurement
NaFRAd – Wetsus
Regain and re-use phosphates
Bluerise
Converting ocean into electricity
Sunglacier
Extracts water from air
H2O Barrier
Protects the sea from plastics
EQA River
Floating hydropower installation
SolaRoad
Solar panelled roads
Program
Seventeen breakthrough innovations
Three captivating keynotes
Six acceleration sessions
Innovative food and drinks
Unique venue and location
Can-do attitudes
09:30 – 10:00
Registration & welcome
Keynote speaker Kofi Annan
The growing impacts of climate change are exacerbating the challenges and risks for a growing world population with an ever-growing demand for water, food and energy. Mr Annan will set the scene for today in his opening address.
Keynote speaker Melanie Schultz van Haegen
Whether we talk about food, health, safety, peace, climate or energy – the basis of all global challenges we face today is water. Mrs Schultz will stress that crossover innovations are needed to tackle these problems.
Pitches
Break
Pitches
Lunch break
Keynote speaker Tom Middendorp
Mr Middendorp will focus on global challenges such as freshwater scarcity from a security perspective and the way in which the armed forces can serve as a launching customer for innovative solutions.
Pitches
Break
Pitches
Acceleration sessions
Announcing the winner for Ideas from Europe
Drinks
Location
The Afsluitdijk protects the Netherlands from the Zuiderzee, was innovative in 1932 and is still operational to this day.
It is an “old” icon that is becoming a new icon in today’s zeitgeist of innovation, art, and repurposing. It is a place where energy, food, and water meet on multiple sustainability fronts.
Exactly 85 years ago the final stones were laid to seal the Afsluitdijk.
In Breezandijk, right in the middle of the Afsluitdijk, a venue will be built that can accommodate 600 people. From this location a livestream will be sent to side events in the Netherlands and at embassies around the world.
How to get there
Event busses
- From The Hague CS to venue departs at 8am
- From Amsterdam CS to venue departs at 8:30am
Public transportation
Take public transportation to busstation Den Oever/Stontelerweg. A special busservice will take you to the venue. Busses back will depart from the venue location 45 minutes after the drinks have started.
By car
Two parkings – one at each end of the Afsluitdijk – are available for you.
- At Stontelerweg ( Zuiderhaven, Den Oever)
- Projectbureau “de nieuwe Afsluitdijk ” (Kornwerderzand)
From 9-11 am event buses run regularly from these parkings to the venue (appr. 15 minutes). From 11 am untill 19:15 event buses back to the parkings – and the busstation Den Oever/Stontelerweg – will depart every half hour.
For our special guests limited parking is available at the venue. Special guests will receive more information shortly (per email).
News
Making Waves: part of a bigger plan
Chain of events
Making Waves serves as the grand finale in the selection process for the innovation that will represent the Netherlands at the European level. Beyond a stand-alone event, Making Waves is part of a chain of events and activities serving a greater purpose such as Ideas from Europe and the Innovation Expo 2018.
Ideas from Europe
Ideas from Europe inititated an EU-wide search in 2015. Entrepreneurs with potential solutions to global challenges were selected to share their ideas on TEDxBinnenhof 2016. The program has developed a methodology and is building a platform to validate ideas, validate constraints and opportunities and facilitate the joint development between stakeholders.
Making Waves timeline
Making Waves event, Afsluitdijk
Semi-finals Ideas from Europe, Estonia
Finals Ideas from Europe, The Netherlands
Innovation Expo 2018, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Partners
Making Waves is organized by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment together with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Among the participating organizations are research institutes, government agencies, and private companies. The partners of Making Waves are the Dutch Water Authorities, regional partners of the Afsluitdijk project, the Water Topsector, Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport, NLingenieurs, AT Osborne, Synergos Communicatie, and Yes!Delft/VP Delta.
