From Failure to Innovation: Rethinking the Future of Water with Aquatech
The Failure Institute and Aquatech are transforming how we approach water innovation through failure. Aquatech, a global leader in water innovation events, has been hosting inspiring gatherings in Amsterdam, China, and Mexico for decades. These events bring together over 25,000 industry professionals to explore the latest in drinking water and wastewater innovation.
For the third time, The Failure Institute joined the official agenda of the Aquatech Forum 2025 in Amsterdam.
The goal was clear: go beyond technical solutions and open a space where learning and water innovation through failure take center stage.
The Failure Institute and Aquatech: Redefining Water Innovation Through Failure
In the world of water innovation events, failures can mean wasted resources. But they also unlock critical insights. This edition featured a customized event format designed to highlight what often stays hidden: failed prototypes, costly decisions, and, most importantly, the resilience to rise again.
By openly sharing these lessons, Aquatech and The Failure Institute showed that water innovation through failure is not just about recovery — it’s about using setbacks as a driving force for change.
Designing with Transparency: Why Failure Matters in Water Innovation Events
Failures in water innovation events offer more than pain; they offer progress. At this year’s event, three powerful speakers tackled tough topics:
Lessons from Failed Prototypes
Ralf Bufler (CEO Europe at CDM Smith), Dr. Orianna Bretschger (Founder of Aquacycl), and Nerea Uri Carreño, PhD, shared personal stories. They talked about vulnerability in technical leadership, the need to iterate with real-world data, and how failures can speed up positive change.
Such insights rarely appear on technical conference stages, making this session uniquely impactful.
Open Conversations: Vulnerability, Science, and Leadership
A standout moment came when an audience member recognized themselves in one of the stories. Laughter and applause filled the room.
This human connection underscored the value of sharing failure and created a space where water innovation through failure became not just technical but deeply human.
Real Stories That Drive Industry Change
After the main program, an open mic session invited attendees to share their own stories. Conversations flowed late into the night, forging genuine connections and sparking new collaborations.
Beyond Events: Building a Culture of Water Innovation Through Failure
The partnership between Aquatech and The Failure Institute went far beyond a single event. It confirmed that sustainability demands we embrace water innovation through failure.
In a world urgently seeking resilient water solutions, these spaces — where failures are shared without shame — can mean the difference between repeating past mistakes and creating a sustainable future.
Participants left energized, ready to co-create bold solutions for the future of water and the industries shaping it.
EN 
ES