Spring is honoured to host the Water Innovation Hub at Utility Week Live, the UK’s only pan-utility exhibition aimed at uniting utilities across the UK. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to bring together diverse individuals and organisations to accelerate collaborative innovation and address the critical challenges facing the water sector.

Are you curious to learn more about Spring’s origin story and the work Spring is doing to catalyse breakthrough innovation? Don’t miss Spring’s Managing Director, Carly Perry, dive into conversations on these topics in two fireside chats with water sector experts as panellists.

Panel talk #1: Spring’s Origin Story

Between 13:15 and 14:15 on May 17thour host, Carly will be joined by:

  • Angela MacOscar — Head of Innovation at NWG;
  • Tom Arnot — Co-Director, Water Innovation & Research Centre at University of Bath; and
  • Lila Thompson — Chief Executive Officer at British Water.

The group will unpack the innovation barriers facing the UK water and utilities sector, how Spring came to be in response to those challenges, and discuss Spring’s service offerings and ecosystem.

Reflecting on his experience working with Spring, Tom Arnot stated “The work Spring is doing today will only provide more benefits into the future. As Spring facilitates the coordination and integration of research, innovation and development and improves trust throughout the supply chain…the indirect benefits to the customer from improving water companies’ efficiency should not be overlooked”.

Angela MacOscar shared a similar sentiment with respect to the effects of water companies’ innovation efforts, she expressed, “I genuinely believe that all of the innovation work we are doing benefits the customer – improving our products and services for customers is why I come into work every morning”.

Panel talk #2: Challenge Accepted: How Spring is using innovation Challenges to catalyse breakthrough innovation

Next, on May 17th between 15:30 – 16:30 Carly will be joined by the panellists:

  • Kieran Brocklebank — Head of Innovation at United Utilities;
  • Laura Underhill — Innovation Supplier Engagement Manager at Anglian Water; and
  • Ben Tam – Chief Executive Officer at Isle Utilities.

The group will be discussing the need for structured innovation challenge processes in the sector, how Spring’s Innovation Challenge service will address sectoral needs and share case studies and lessons learnt from Spring’s recent Specific Challenge.

These fireside chats will involve both a discussion between the panellists and Q&A with the audience, so be sure to join us with your questions, comments and ideas for a lively and collaborative discussion on accelerating water sector innovation.

“I am so looking forward to UWL, it will be great to be there in person, shoulder to shoulder with Spring and the UK Water Sector” says Richard Powell, Innovation Relationship Lead at Severn Trent, one the partners of the Water Innovation Hub, Richard expressed “Being together in person will contribute to much healthier and stronger relationships, and I can’t wait to see what great ideas spark from the day”.

Together with all of our partners, Anglian Water Services, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Severn Trent, United Utilities, NWG (Northumbrian Water Group), and Southern Water, we hope to see you all at NEC Birmingham on the 17th and 18th of May for two days of fascinating fireside chats and inspirational idea-sharing. You can find the Water Innovation Hub in the Water Zone of Hall 12 of the NEC.