BlueArk Entremont, an innovation hub dedicated to water management
Founded in 2018 and based in Le Châble (Val de Bagnes, Valais), BlueArk acts both as a technology accelerator and an on-site data laboratory, specialising in the digitalisation, monitoring and management of water resources.
BlueArk Entremont supports public and private stakeholders innovating in water management in Switzerland
BlueArk Entremont is aimed at all stakeholders wishing to innovate in the water sector in Switzerland:
- SMEs, start-ups, engineering firms and contractors developing water-related technological solutions and seeking a real-world testing ground, an initial client or an innovation ecosystem.
- Research institutes wishing to access field data and test their models under authentic Alpine conditions.
- Public authorities and technical services facing the operational challenges of water management (distribution, treatment, monitoring, natural hazard management).
BlueArk Entremont also aims to raise awareness among local stakeholders about water and climate change issues in Switzerland and the Alpine region. Its current ecosystem comprises over 100 recognised players in the field of water management.
BlueArk Entremont is Switzerland’s leading innovation hub for smart water management
Thanks to a comprehensive range of services — start-up incubation, field testing of projects, access to IoT data, project development and networking among various stakeholders — BlueArk Entremont accelerates the development of practical and cost-effective solutions to water-related climate change challenges. Its services are applicable both in lowland areas and in Alpine regions, two contexts where water management poses radically different challenges.
More and more countries are experiencing water stress. And Switzerland, which possesses around 6% of Europe’s freshwater reserves, is no exception. Water is becoming increasingly precious, but also increasingly difficult to ‘manage’, with climate change and the rise in extreme weather events. In this sense, BlueArk’s day-to-day work aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. The projects developed by BlueArk are a modest contribution to this global effort to ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water.
A network rooted in Valais, connected to Swiss and European water innovation institutions
BlueArk Entremont was founded in 2018 by the municipalities of Val de Bagnes, Sembrancher and Bovernier, in collaboration with The Ark, the Foundation for Innovation in Valais. It forms part of the Valais Technology Park and is part of the Canton of Valais’ innovation strategy, which has been in place since 2004.
Since 2021, the municipalities of Orsières, Liddes and Bourg-Saint-Pierre have joined the BlueArk Entremont network, strengthening its regional presence in the Entremont Valley.
BlueArk is currently led by Yvan Michellod, who is also director of ALTIS. He is supported by a team of specialists in technical project support, led by Alexandre Gillioz’s team (ALTIS). The BlueArk operational team, responsible in particular for the management of BlueArk, networking and the economic development of projects, comprises Guillaume von Roten, Anyssia Bovier, Roderick Constantin and Cédric Luisier. The BlueArk Board of Directors brings together delegates from the partner municipalities and a representative of The Ark Foundation.
BlueArk Entremont is:
- … A technology hub run by The Ark, the Valais Innovation Foundation, which has supported over 120 projects every year since its foundation in 2004
- … Member since 2020 of Water Europe, “a European association bringing together more than 200 organisations active in the water sector across Europe
- … Member of ARPEA, the Association of French-speaking Switzerland for Environmental Protection.
- … Member of consortia for various European projects such as Mount Resilience, ToDrinQ, AMETHyST and QleanUP
- … Preferred partner of public authorities in the Valais, notably for the municipalities of Val de Bagnes, Bovernier, Orsières, Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Liddes and Sembrancher
