DIWA aims to become a top-tier water research cluster and innovation ecosystem that generates high-impact research outputs, input to policy development and innovations facilitating the next industrial water revolution. DIWA enables a transition towards the digital representation of real-world water systems (Digital Twin) to reproduce hydrological storages, their states, fluxes and processes, as well as ecosystem responses with novel options for improved scenario analysis, planning and governance. DIWA will close the “water cycle knowledge gap” by integrating scattered national research into a “source-to-sea” concept. This integrated approach is essential to develop sustainable solutions to avoid severe cascading effects of global change on the hydrosphere, environment and socio-economic systems. DIWA adds value as it connects already existing research lines, strategies and excellence to create new opportunities for the business sector to develop solutions to solve major societal challenges. 

DIWA general objectives link to the analysis of complex systems, co-development of solutions, and decision support needs of society based on five integrated research themes. The annual global value of water business is 400-500 B€ It is estimated to rapidly increase thanks to additional investments to address climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, water service gap, etc. DIWA solutions are urgently needed as water is a critical natural resource globally, nurturing a diversity of social and economic activities and having multibillion business potential. 

DIWA ecosystem includes 276 collaborators at the application phase. For different activities we include 13 research infrastructures, 9 large EU and international 37 research organizations, 196 industrial partners, 9 public bodies, and 12 committees and NGOs. The ecosystem will increase Finnish water business in coming years. Special focus will be paid to recognize the best digital tools and opportunities for business