Enter before 15 October!
Programme de résidence
Bring your projet to life in a unique ecosystem!
After four editions organised as a call for projects, the BlueArk Challenge is getting a makeover! It is becoming a residency programme for SMEs, start-ups and/or water specialists. In 2024 and 2025, the BlueArk Challenge will focus on the multi-use of water.
As a company or specialist, you can now apply for this programme, which will allow you to set up for three months in the municipality of Val de Bagnes (Valais/Switzerland) and benefit from the region’s water-related facilities and data. This will enable you to test your innovations in the field, under real conditions. A financial package of up to CHF 50,000 will be awarded to support your installation and development work.
take part in the BlueArk Challenge before 15 October
why?
As a company or water specialist, the BlueArk Challenge residency programme offers you the following services for a maximum of three months and up to a financial envelope of CHF 50,000:
- Privileged access to infrastructure and data related to water in the Val de Bagnes area, so you can test your solution in real-life conditions in an alpine environment
- A minimum cash grant of CHF 10,000 to finance the initial technical elements or costs related to your installation
- Direct feedback from a first customer (the municipality of Val de Bagnes and its water management service ALTIS)
- Logistical infrastructure (offices and accommodation) so that you or your team can set up and work as close as possible to the Val de Bagnes water networks
- Tailor-made support to roll out your solution and seek additional funding
- A network of water specialists to complement the technical or economic aspects of your innovative solution.
take part in the BlueArk Challenge before 15 October
how?
Conditions
The following conditions must be met in order to apply for the BlueArk Challenge programme:
First and foremost, you must propose a solution that addresses the challenge of multi-use water from the perspective of infrastructure, governance and user awareness of their consumption (see details below).
Your solution, project or idea must have reached a certain stage of maturity, with technology that has moved beyond the research stage (Technology Readiness Level – TRL 4 to 7).
You must be committed to developing your solution in real-world conditions.
You must live in the Entremont region for the duration of the tests.
Do you meet these requirements? Register by 15 October using the application form.
Process
1
Fill in the application form
2
Your request will be reviewed within one month of submission.
3
If your application is accepted, you will receive an invitation to present your project/solution to a selection committee (either digitally or in person).
4
The selection committee will decide on your application and the amounts to be awarded.
5
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Enter before 15 October!
Promoting innovation in multi-use water systems
In this era of climate change and its impact on water resources, the issue of multi-use of blue gold is becoming increasingly important. Between preserving water quality, meeting irrigation needs for agriculture, protecting the environment and ecosystems, and meeting the needs of tourism, particularly through artificial snowmaking, it is becoming imperative to find the right balance to maintain the viability of the system, while taking into account the different users.
Although there are many issues surrounding this multi-purpose use, we would like to focus on three areas:
Infrastructures
- How can existing infrastructure be optimised? Leak detection, improved water collection, etc.
- How can new infrastructure be created to optimise water management? Recovery of ‘lost’ water for other uses (e.g. rainwater recovery for cleaning solar panels, grey water reuse for cleaning, etc.), capture of new unexploited sources, etc.
- How can existing networks be connected and converged? Heating and cooling using drinking water, wastewater or surface water, electricity or hydrogen production via drinking water and wastewater networks, etc.
Governance
- How can we prioritise uses and users? Who can withdraw what quantity? What is the minimum quantity that must be guaranteed for whom?
- How can data be best used to manage water networks? Collecting all data, using it but also storing it, transparency and data protection…
- How can water pricing models be transformed? Overcharge for abuse, find new models for valuing water, etc.
Awareness
- How can we improve users’ water footprint? How much water do we consume on average? Compare users’ consumption with that of their neighbours, measure the human impact on the water cycle, etc.
- How can gamification be used to raise awareness of water consumption? Raising awareness of personal behaviour, communicating quick actions to reduce impact, etc.
Enter before 15 October!
What awaits you in Val de Bagnes?
With an area of 302 km2, Val de Bagnes is the fourth largest municipality in Switzerland. It has over 10,000 inhabitants of 65 different nationalities. According to the latest survey conducted by the Swiss Confederation, residential and infrastructure areas accounted for 2.6% of its surface area, agricultural areas 14.5%, wooded areas 16.2% and unproductive areas 66.7%. In terms of employment, the municipality has 6,657 jobs: 4.3% in the primary sector, 17% in the secondary sector and 79% in the tertiary sector. Tourism is one of the leading economic sectors, particularly through the resort of Verbier.
The Val de Bagnes water networks have the following characteristics:
Drinking water
- 23.1 km of aqueducts and tunnels between Louvie and Pierre Avoi
- 1 dam at Louvie, 1 hillside reservoir at Moneyeux
- 56 SCAV distribution networks, including 31 private networks
- 142 springs, 98 catchment and collection chambers
- 5 treatment plants, 6 pumping stations
- 51 reservoirs
- 526 hydrants
Wastewater
- 1.5 million cubic metres of treated water
- 125 km of public collectors
- 7,500 rooms
- 447 exhaust vents
Irrigation
- Approximately 2.6 to 2.8 million m³ used (estimate according to the Master Plan of June 2023)
Available data
- Flow rate, pressure, quality
Previous editions
2024 - Call for projects
Using artificial intelligence and a digital twin to guarantee drinking water supplies in municipalities and promote rainwater infiltration with an innovative infiltration box. These are the functions of the two innovations recognised by the jury of the 6th BlueArk Challenge.
2022 - Call for projects
Continuously monitoring wastewater using artificial intelligence, better quantifying the value of water via a digital tool, analysing water quality directly at source using a connected container, and preventing water hammer in pipes using an innovative solution: these four concrete ideas were recognised at the fifth edition of the BlueArk Challenge.
2021 - Call for projects
A filter to remineralise rainwater collected in isolated high-altitude locations, dynamic valves integrated into the network and coupled with algorithms to prevent stagnation of drinking water, a microturbine for measuring and regulating irrigation flow that adapts to weather conditions and soil needs using artificial intelligence, and infrared cameras for determining torrent flow rates: these four innovative concepts were recognised in the BlueArk Challenge 2021 call for solutions.
2020 - Call for projects
No fewer than 59 companies took part in the BlueArk Challenge call for solutions aimed at improving water management. Of the 41 proposals submitted, five were selected by a jury of experts. The winners each received a cheque for CHF 10,000 and proactive support from the BlueArk Entremont Innovation Hub to implement their promising solutions.
2019 - Hackathon
For one weekend, the Bagnes region was transformed into the capital of water management! Two major events on this theme (a hackathon and a conference) were organised at the Espace Saint-Marc in Le Châble, bringing together nearly 250 people. The Aquavision project, an IT solution that continuously monitors water quality in the network, won the second edition of the BlueArk Challenge hackathon. The 30 or so IT developers in attendance worked tirelessly on six real-life challenges faced by water professionals on a daily basis. The Smart Water conference, which took place at the start of the hackathon, welcomed more than a hundred people for its first edition. Both events were organised by the BlueArk Entremont Innovation Cluster, ALTIS Group and the Ark Foundation.
2019 - Hackathon
The Naïade project, which enables the management of a complex water network using an IT solution, won the first edition of the BlueArk Challenge, a hackathon dedicated to energy, on Saturday evening in Le Châble. Organised by the BlueArk Entremont Innovation Cluster, ALTIS Groupe, Monthey Industrial Services and The Ark Foundation, the event welcomed more than 100 people, including 55 developers. They worked tirelessly on 11 real-life challenges faced by energy professionals in their daily work. Three other projects were awarded prizes at the end of 24 hours of intensive work.
Questions ?
If you have any questions about the application process, the context, or any other topic related to the BlueArk Challenge,
please contact us immediately at the following address: contact@blueark-challenge.ch
Votre personne de contact
Anyssia Bovier
058 332 21 20
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