Registration has officially opened for Northumbrian Water’s tenth annual Innovation Festival – the event is set to be the biggest yet.

Innovators and creative minds from all over the world are set to gather at Newcastle Racecourse for Northumbrian Water’s tenth iteration of the festival, with over 3,000 people expected to attend.

Tickets for the free event, which is taking place 6-9th July, are now available, but are expected to be in very high demand as the water company promises it to be the most spectacular event yet.

The festival has built a global reputation for uniting experts from the worlds of science, technology, energy and beyond to transform bold thinking into practical outcomes that benefit customers, communities and the environment.

Since its beginnings in 2017, the festival has seen over 20,000 attendees from 5,000 organisations and 45 sectors across almost 50 countries. Over 290 ideas have been progressed, with a potential project value of £50 million per year.

The theme for this year’s event is “The Power of 10”, meaning that innovators are challenged to think ten times bigger, faster and further than ever before. It will also give a nod back over the past ten years, showcasing some of the festival’s biggest successes.

Major ideas, such as the UK Government’s National Underground Asset Register, which helps to prevent fatal utility strikes, and Smart Sewers, which helps to reduce storm overflows have been generated from the event and are now making a real-life impact.

Other innovations, such as advanced leakage solutions, predictive modelling tools and water quality monitoring technologies, have also been brought to life through the festival, helping to improve services for customers and drive progress across the water sector.

Across the week, participants will take part in a series of fast-paced ‘sprints’ and the water company promises that there is ‘something for everyone’ – as teams will tackle some of the water sector’s biggest challenges, including:

• Predicting harmful algal blooms.
• Improving river water quality and understanding emerging contaminants.
• Developing net zero and nature-based solutions.
• Advancing robotics and asset health.
• Using AI for good.
• Creating impactful partnerships.
• Driving long-term water-saving behaviors.
• Delivering faster, more personalised support for vulnerable customers during emergencies.

There will also be appearances from celebrity guests, music, comedy and wellness activities taking place across the week.

Register early to secure your place

Angela MacOscar, Head of Innovation at Northumbrian Water, said:

“We now have nine festivals under our belt, which makes me feel confident that this tenth event will be an absolute sensation.

“This year, we are pulling out all the stops, with more sprints taking place than ever before, more space for creativity, more ideas and more of the fun stuff too.

“However, it’s going to be hard work. We are already locking in all of the sprints, and there are going to be some really tricky challenges that we want to focus on – such as reducing storm overflows and making sure our priority service customers are fully supported during difficult times.

“The festival has our customers at the heart, so the 60 sprints will each look at how we can really make our services the best they possibly can be for the people in our communities.

“I can’t wait to see everyone put their brains together to come up with some fantastic solutions.”

With more than 3,000 people expected to attend, Innovation Festival 2026 is set to be the biggest and most ambitious yet, offering a unique opportunity to collaborate, learn and be part of shaping a more sustainable future.

Registration is now open – the water company is encouraging people interested in attending to sign up early to secure their place.

Click here to register