The Thuringian Water Innovation Cluster ThWIC can continue its work: The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is funding the second implementation phase of the future cluster with around 15 million euros over the next three years. This will allow the University of Jena and its partners to further expand their activities for sustainable industrial water management. The aim is to bring innovative technologies into application more quickly and thus support the transition towards sustainable water management.

With the ?Clusters4Future? initiative, the BMFTR is supporting 14 future clusters across Germany in establishing new innovation ecosystems and transfer channels in various subject areas. The aim of the initiative is to link excellent research more closely with economic application and to translate new technologies into added value more quickly.

ThWIC expands its role as a centre of excellence

?In the first implementation phase since 2023, we have succeeded in building a powerful alliance that transfers cutting-edge technologies from universities and non-university research institutions to the regional economy. In the second phase, we want to consolidate ThWIC into an internationally visible innovation ecosystem—from the Saale Valley to the world?, says cluster spokesperson Prof Dr Michael Stelter from the University of Jena and the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS.

ThWIC bundles high technologies, processes and services for industrial water management issues and combines technological research with social science expertise. In this way, the cluster supports companies in making their water management more sustainable and resilient.

Network grows, transfer is expanded

The cluster now includes around 50 partners from science, business, public administration and civil society from the Jena/Saaletal region, Thuringia and neighbouring federal states. ThWIC supports companies in overcoming water-related challenges—from the prevention of pollutant discharges to the realisation of closed water cycles.

The cluster structures will be further expanded in the second funding phase. Plans include an industry and science network as well as a central platform for products, processes and services. It is intended to facilitate access to technologies, consultation and information on industrial water management.

With the new funding phase, ThWIC is intensifying cooperation between science, industry and practice and accelerating the transfer of innovative solutions into application.