Leading organisations from across the worlds of technology, engineering and data are once again coming together to support Northumbrian Water’s Innovation Festival, as the landmark tenth event returns next month.

Taking place at Newcastle Racecourse from 6–9 July 2026, the festival will bring together innovators and sponsors from around the globe to tackle some of the biggest environmental and societal challenges facing the water sector and beyond.

Over 95 organisations are joining forces to support the festival through sponsorship, from large global multinational companies to local SME’s - bringing expertise, insight and cutting-edge technology into the heart of the event.

These businesses play a vital role in helping to shape the festival’s ‘sprints’, which are fast-paced, collaborative sessions designed to develop innovative solutions to real challenges in a short space of time.

Neon sponsors, who are all returning after years of success at the event, include:

• AI experts, CKDelta, will be running a sprint on driving efficiencies in the water sector.
• Digital intelligence leaders, Kohtarti, are focusing on how to predict algal blooms.
• Software giants, Microsoft, and cyber-security gurus, ANS Group, will be teaming up for a joint sprint on unlocking further value from AI.
• Global data company Cognizant, will be looking at using nature-based solutions to make better environmental decisions and sharing data across the sector.
• The Living Water Enterprise, which is a collective group of some of Northumbrian Water’s fantastic construction and delivery partners, will be leading sprints on accelerating capital design, creating sustainable partnerships and how to simplify decision-making.
• IFS Copperleaf will also be a gold sponsor for the event, alongside 50 more incredible organisations.

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

“Our sponsors are absolutely fundamental to the success of the Innovation Festival.

“They bring expertise, collaboration and fresh thinking that help turn ideas into action.

“By working together, we’re able to push boundaries and create solutions that make a real difference for our customers, communities and the environment – and with this being our tenth celebration, we are hoping to push these further than ever before.”

Over the past decade, the Innovation Festival has attracted more than 20,000 participants from thousands of organisations and led to hundreds of ideas being developed, many of which are now delivering tangible benefits in areas such as water quality, leakage reduction and environmental protection.

Angela added:

“As the festival enters its tenth year, the continued backing of sponsors and partners reflects the growing importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges and driving sustainable innovation.

“We couldn’t have this event, and make it free for delegates to attend, without each and every one of them.

“Hosting a free event helps remove barriers for our attendees to enter, meaning we are able to get a hugely diverse audience which is an essential tool for open innovation to take place, and for that we are incredibly grateful.”

The theme for the event is ‘The Power of 10’ - meaning that innovators are challenged to think ten times bigger, faster and more creatively than ever before.

It will also take a look back over the previous ten years of the event, with a showcase taking place where innovators can look over past festival successes such as Pipebot Patrol, River Deep Mountain AI and the National Underground Asset Register.

The festival-style get-together is expected to see thousands of attendees descend on the racecourse, including students who are set to take on the Young Citizens Work Experience Festival – which is a second event running parallel to the main festival.

This Young Citizens event will see students from local schools and colleges expand their skills and gain career knowledge within the water sector and other STEM based industries as future places of work.

Click here for the full list of sprints 

Click here to register for the festival