WAVE – Wetnet Water measurement Everywhere

Project funded under POR FESR Toscana 2014-2020.

In 2009 B.R.E. Elettronica Srl has developed a revolutionary flow sensor (co-patented) that has changed the way water systems are managed in Tuscany. The system (called Wetnet is also developed thanks to the EU EcoInnovation program [http://www.wetnet.it]). It has been certified at European level as an environmental technology (ETV). Wetnet allows intelligent management of the aqueduct service networks, with early identification and reduction of the life time of the leaks, dynamic optimization of the pressures and in the end an enormous saving of energy and water.

During 2016 B.R.E. conducted a preliminary study which showed that there is an important and attractive potential market in some areas of the world where there is a shortage of aqueduct control devices, water scarcity, a strong urbanization trend. Wetnet systems are ideal for solving the technical problem at low cost and positively affecting the environmental and social (access to water). The potential of these markets has been considered by the management as a strategic opportunity not to be missed. Hence the slogan and the acronym of the “WAVE” investment project, Wetnet Water measurement Everywhere (23/08 / 2017-23 / 08/2018).

B.R.E. has devised a community and market intelligence project to allow the company to understand and adapt to the market and at the same time to establish an influential technical and commercial relationship. To adopt and introduce the necessary tools, B.R.E. has decided to acquire specialized external services and experts intended to start the process of building a community of professional operators and technical decision makers in the most important areas (India, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, all the countries of Central and South America and Mexico, some countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Australia and New Zealand, some non-EU Council of Europe states, including Russia).

Among the goals achieved stand out:

a) the development of a WAVE community that today has a total of over 500 members, including over half of the water industry professionals (Dealers, Distributors, Engineering, VARs, OEMs, Consultants, Ö.) with a clear majority coming from the areas target set by the project (Eastern Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Oceania, South and Central America). The total number of users reached is over 20,000. The community was developed based on the massive use of social media, tools that more than any other allow you to explore new business frontiers, spread innovative ideas and content, participate in the construction of a more direct, deep and engaging relationship between a company and all those who are part of its relational environment. In particular, this was achieved through the professional use of LinkedIn, membership of The Water Network and adherence to social activities promoted by the International Water Association (IWA), as well as the continued use of the facebook platform.

b) Promotion of B.R.E. Electronics for water networks in non-European markets through market intelligence & automation and co-marketing with the co-actors most involved in the sector and in the area. As expected, this objective was achieved through the use of a professional Marketing Intelligence and Automation service through which 7 Marketing campaigns were created and disseminated to over 1,000 possible distributors / partners. There are 120 countries where the distributors contacted reside.

c) Resale commercial agreements entered into and ongoing negotiation activities with resellers and / or distributors. In the last phase the company collaborators – already involved in the implementation of the project – were supported to improve skills and autonomous management skills, also in a logic of structured open innovation that is assumed as the future evolution of the project, in view of the development of sensors even more integrated with customer operations (cybersystems and IOT).