Programme de résidence
BlueArk Challenge
Residency programme
Bring your project to life in a unique ecosystem!
Following four rounds of calls for projects, the BlueArk Challenge is now trying out a new look! It is becoming a residency programme for SMEs, start-ups and/or specialists in the water sector. In 2024 and 2025, the BlueArk Challenge will be focusing on multiple use of water.
As a company or specialist, you can now apply for this programme, which will enable you to set yourself up in the municipality of Val de Bagnes (Valais, Switzerland) for three months and utilise the region’s water-related facilities and data. In this way, you will be able to test your innovations in the field under real conditions. There is also a grant of up to CHF 50,000 available to help you get started and aid your development work.
take part in the BlueArk Challenge
why?
The BlueArk Challenge residency programme will provide you as a company or specialist in the water sector with the following services for a maximum of three months and up to a total of CHF 50,000:
- Privileged access to the water-related infrastructures and data in Val de Bagnes, enabling you to test your solution under real conditions and in an Alpine setting;
- A cash sum of at least CHF 10,000 to finance the initial technical elements or fees associated with your setup;
- Direct feedback from a first customer (the municipality of Val de Bagnes and its water services provider, ALTIS);
- Logistics infrastructures (offices and accommodation) to enable you or your team to relocate and work as close as possible to the water resources in Val de Bagnes;
- Tailored support in deploying your solution and securing additional financing;
- A network of specialists in the water sector to complement the technical or economic aspects of your innovative solution.
take part in the BlueArk Challenge
how?
Conditions
The following requirements must be met to apply for the BlueArk Challenge programme:
First and foremost, you must propose a solution addressing the challenge of multiple use of water and aligned with one of three key areas: infrastructures, governance or raising users’ awareness of their water consumption (see below for more details);
Your solution, project or idea should have attained a certain level of maturity and include technology which has already gone beyond the research stage (Technology Readiness Level – TRL 4 to 7)
You should aspire to develop your solution under real conditions;
You should be willing to relocate to the Entremont district for the period necessary to conduct the tests.
Do you meet the requirements? Register now using the application form
- Avant tout, vous devez proposer une solution qui répond au défi du multi-usage de l’eau, d’un point de vue des infrastructures, de la gouvernance ou encore de la sensibilisation des usagers sur leur consommation (voir détails ci-après).
- Votre solution, projet ou idée doit avoir atteint un certain stade de maturité, avec une technologie qui a dépassé le stade de la recherche (Technology Readiness Level – TRL de 4 à 7).
- Vous devez avoir l’ambition de développer votre solution en conditions réelles.
- Vous devez vous installer sur place dans la région de l’Entremont durant le temps nécessaires pour effectuer les tests.
Vous remplissez ces conditions ? Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant au moyen du dossier/formulaire de candidature
I discover the challenge
Multiple use of water: key issues to consider
In the midst of climate change and its impacts on water resources, the issue of multiple use of “blue gold” is becoming ever more important. Between preserving water quality, irrigation needs for agriculture, the protection of the environment and ecosystems and tourism needs, especially snowmaking, it is becoming essential to find the right balance to maintain the viability of the system whilst taking the different users into consideration.
Although there are many challenges involved with multiple use, we would like to focus on three key areas:
Infrastructures
- How can existing infrastructures be optimised? Detecting leaks, improving catchment areas…
- How can new infrastructures be developed to optimise water management? Recovery of “lost” water for other uses (e.g., recovery of rainwater for cleaning of solar panels, reuse of greywater for cleaning, etc.), development of new, untapped water sources…
- How can existing networks be connected and merged? Generation of heat and cold with drinking water, wastewater or surface water, generation of electricity or hydrogen with drinking water and wastewater networks…
Governance
- How should water usages and users be prioritised? Who may use what quantity? What is the minimum quantity to be guaranteed for whom?
- How can the data best be used to manage water networks? Collecting all the data, utilising them but also storing them, transparency and data protection…
- How can the water pricing models be transformed? Surcharges for overuse, finding new models for the reuse of water…
Raising user awareness
- How can users’ “water” balance be improved? How much water is used on average? Comparing users’ consumption with that of their neighbours, measuring human impact on the water resources…
- How can gamification be employed to raise awareness of water consumption? Raising awareness of personal habits, communicating quick measures to reduce personal impact….
What awaits you in Val de Bagnes?
With an area of 302 km2, Val de Bagnes is the fourth-largest municipality in Switzerland. It is home to more than 10,000 people of 65 different nationalities. The last survey conducted by the Swiss government determined that residential and infrastructure areas accounted for 2.6%, agricultural areas for 14.5%, forests for 16.2% and non-productive areas for 66.7% of the surface area. There are 6,657 jobs in the municipality: 4.3% in the primary, 17% in the secondary and 79% in the tertiary sector. Tourism is one of the key economic sectors in the region, particularly via the Verbier resort.
The water networks in Val de Bagnes display the following characteristics:
Drinking water
- 1 km of aqueducts and tunnels between Louvie and Pierre Avoi
- 1 dam at Louvie, 1 hillside reservoir at Moneyeux
- 56 SCAV (Consumer and Veterinary Affairs Authority) distribution networks, of which 31 private
- 142 sources, 98 catchment and merging chambers
- 5 treatment plants, 6 pumping stations
- 51 reservoirs
- 526 hydrants
- 447 water chambers, 4 measuring chambers, 216 km of public and 228 km of private water pipes
- 5,800 public valves, 184 control valves (Cla-Val)
- 6,000 customer meters
- 2,035,950 m³ of distributed water
Waste water
- 1,500,000 m³ of treated water
- 125 km of public main sewers
- 7,500 water chambers
- 447 outlets
Irrigation
- Approximately 2,600,000–2,800,000 m³ used (estimate according to the Master Plan of June 2023)
Available data
- Flow, pressure, quality
Previous editions
2024 - Call for projects
Using artificial intelligence and a digital twin, the BlueArk Challenge uses artificial intelligence and a digital twin to guarantee the supply of drinking water in local communities and to encourage the infiltration of rainwater using an innovative infiltration box. These are the functions of the two innovations rewarded by the jury of the 6th BlueArk Challenge.
2022 - Call for projects
Continuous monitoring of wastewater using artificial intelligence, better quantification of the value of water using a digital tool, analysing water quality directly at source using a connected container, and preventing water hammer in water pipes using an innovative solution: these four concrete ideas have been rewarded as part of the fifth 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 drinking water stagnation, a microturbine for measuring and adjusting irrigation flow rates that uses artificial intelligence to adapt to the weather and the needs of the soil, and infrared cameras to determine torrent flow rates: these four innovative concepts have been rewarded as part of 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 to improve water management. Of the 41 proposals submitted, five were selected by a panel of experts. The winners will each receive a cheque for CHF 10,000 and proactive support from the Entremont BlueArk Innovation Pole in implementing their promising solutions.
2019 - Hackathon
L’espace d’un week-end, la région de Bagnes s’est transformée en capitale de la gestion de l’eau ! Deux manifestations d’envergure sur cette thématique (un hackathon et une conférence) ont été organisées à l’Espace Saint-Marc du Châble, réunissant près de 250 personnes. C’est le projet Aquavision, une solution informatique qui détermine en continu la qualité de l’eau du réseau, qui a remporté la seconde édition du hackathon BlueArk Challenge. La trentaine de développeurs informatiques présents ont travaillé d’arrache-pied sur six défis concrets, rencontrés dans la vie de tous les jours par les professionnels du domaine de l’eau. La conférence Smart Water, qui a eu lieu en ouverture du hackathon, a quant à elle accueilli plus d’une centaine de personnes pour sa première édition. Les deux manifestations ont été organisées par le Pôle d’innovation BlueArk Entremont, ALTIS Groupe et la Fondation The Ark.
2019 - Hackathon
Le projet Naïade, qui permet de gérer un réseau d’eau complexe grâce à une solution informatique, a remporté samedi soir au Châble la première édition du BlueArk Challenge, le hackathon dédié à l’énergie. Organisé par le Pôle d’innovation BlueArk Entremont, ALTIS Groupe, les Services industriels de Monthey et la Fondation The Ark, la manifestation a accueilli plus de 100 personnes, dont 55 développeurs. Ceux-ci ont travaillé d’arrache-pied sur 11 défis concrets, rencontrés dans la vie de tous les jours par les professionnels du domaine de l’énergie. Trois autres projets ont été récompensés au terme de 24 heures de travail intensif.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the application process, the context, or any other subject 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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