With the Water Future Day on November 26th, the BRYCK WaterHub, together with the Wilo-Foundation, sent a strong signal for the future of the water industry. At the BRYCK Tower in Essen, startups and experts from research, industry, and venture capital came together to discover and further develop innovative solutions for extreme weather events, modern water infrastructures, and digital monitoring systems. Extreme weather was the central theme of the inaugural event. In advance, five European startups were selected from a large number of applications to participate in a “booster program” by BRYCK, where they had the opportunity to further develop their business models with the help of experts and coaching sessions.

Startups present innovations for extreme weather events

After a welcome by Philippa Köhnk (Member of the Executive Board of the BRYCK Startup Alliance) and David Höltgen (Wilo-Foundation), the presentation of the finalists of the BRYCK Extreme Weather Program was a central part of the day. The five startups – Hydro-Berlin (Germany), FloodWaive (Germany), Riskwolf (Switzerland), Intoto (Norway), and SaferPlaces (Italy) – showcased their solutions for highly precise flood forecasts, digital twins of cities, parametric insurance models, and real-time water network analyses.

The High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) subsequently presented the HTGF Pitch Award. Riskwolf impressed the jury, which included Gero Böhmer (Group Director Global Government & Public Affairs) from the Wilo Group, with their platform for parametric insurance that enables automated, data-driven payouts for weather and climate risks. With this award, Riskwolf secured a ticket to the HTGF Family Day 2026 – one of the most important gatherings of the German tech and investor scene, where selected startups meet leading industry partners and investors.

About the BRYCK WaterHub

The BRYCK WaterHub is a strategic cooperation between the BRYCK Startup Alliance and RAG Aktiengesellschaft. The BRYCK Startup Alliance is a joint venture founded in 2024 by the three major universities in the Ruhr region (Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund, University of Duisburg-Essen), the RAG Foundation and the Initiativkreis Ruhr. As one of the Startup Factories recognized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, it is one of the key drivers of a new startup ecosystem.