The economic value of water systems was recently valued for the first time by the WWF, estimated at $58 trillion, equivalent to 60% of the world’s GDP. Their director, Dr Kirsten Schuijt, states: “Healthy rivers, lakes and wetlands are essential for water and food security, adapting to climate change and sustaining biodiversity”.Since 1970, the world has lost one-third of its remaining wetlands, while freshwater wildlife populations have, on average, dropped by 83%.In the EU, 90% of river basins studied are projected to still be unhealthy by 2027, despite 20 years since the adoption of the Water Framework Directive.According to Treehugger, freshwater demand is projected to surpass supply by 40% by 2030.This landscape maps the water tech startups working on sustainable and efficient management of water as a resource, specifically freshwater. Water tech is distinct from the blue economy's, which is geared towards coastal and marine ecosystems.