Two awards that highlight technology suited to the Chinese water and wastewater industry have been launched. The China BlueTech Awards will focus on market readiness and will be awarded to one technology company from China and one from elsewhere in the world.
The Awards are the brainchild of market intelligence specialist BlueTech Research in partnership with China strategy consultant Mandarin Environment and Aquatech China, the prestigious exhibition held in Shanghai in June 2016.
Emerging technology
Founder and Chief Executive of BlueTech Research, Paul O’Callaghan said: “We believe this award is the first of its kind. The idea is to highlight the sorts of technologies China needs in order to deal with its urgent environmental concerns and increasing levels of regulation.
“The purpose of the new award is twofold – to help make identify the most effective and relevant technology suitable for the Chinese market and to help emerging technology from China to find new markets.”
The sorts of technologies currently being developed in China include ceramic membranes, capacitive deionisation, zero liquid discharge systems and advanced oxidation techniques.
Paul O’Callaghan said: “There are many international businesses which would like to break into the market in China, but making the right sort of contacts and connections can be difficult. The China BlueTech Awards will help make Chinese decision-makers and investors aware of technologies which could be used to resolve the challenges they face.”
“Within China there has been a significant rise in patent applications and increased investment in research and development. We believe some of these home-grown Chinese technologies have the capacity to be successfully exported elsewhere and one of the main ambitions of this new award is to make this happen.”
Tough challenges
John Robinson, Principal Consultant of Mandarin Environment said: “China is facing immense environmental challenges, combined with rapid urbanisation and a hyper-competitive market.
“China has been dealing with water and wastewater challenges for some time but there is now a great sense of urgency – particularly when it comes to issues such as stormwater management. Urban flooding has become a huge problem in recent years and there is a strong drive to find effective ways of dealing with the issue.
“What the China BlueTech Awards will do is create an orderly exchange of ideas – which will be of great interest both to investors and decision-makers.”
“The focus on market readiness is key. This is not just an innovation award, we are looking for technologies which are a good fit for the Chinese market – or which, in the case of Chinese technologies are ready to be adopted elsewhere.”
Stefanie Poelmann, Marketing Communications Manager at Aquatech Global Events said, “Aquatech China is one of the most important events in the Chinese water industry and is expected to attract over 50,000 visitors and 1,400 exhibitors this year.
“We are delighted to be working with BlueTech Research and Mandarin Environment to launch the China BlueTech awards, which will showcase technology and innovation both from China and from overseas.
“China is one of the most important international markets for water technology and this award will create a focus, both for the technology which is ‘market ready’ for China and for innovative technology emerging from the homegrown water industry.”
Who can enter?
Entry will be open to companies specialising in municipal treatment, industrial treatment stormwater management and biosolids. International entrants will be scored on market readiness for the water and wastewater market in China while Chinese companies will be scored on readiness for entering the global market.
Entrants to the BlueTech China Awards must be able to show at least one successful commercial pilot in the last 12 months and be ready to fulfil an order within one year. A team of specialist judges will consider each entry on the grounds of market readiness; assessing scalability, competitiveness, strength of management, sustainable advantage over time and other market factors.
The shortlist will be announced in April and all eight finalists, four Chinese, four from elsewhere in the world, will be invited to join the BlueTech Innovation Pavilion at Aquatech China, held at the National Exhibition and Conference Centre, Shanghai, from 15-17 June. The two winners will be announced on 15 June during a gala awards dinner in Shanghai.
Publish your content with EB Publishing
It's about who you reach. Get your news, events, jobs and thought leadership seen by those who matter to you.
