Singapore-based information technology consultancy Hydroinformatics Institute (H2i) and Dutch engineering and project management consultancy Royal HaskoningDHV have inked a strategic partnership on the 20th of February 2019, that will allow both to better apply digital solutions to the world’s water-related challenges.

“The fit is perfect,” said Niels Schallenberg, Director of the Water Business Line of Royal HaskoningDHV, during a signing ceremony between the two companies in Singapore yesterday. Key leadership and staff as well as the Dutch Ambassador to Singapore, Margriet Vonno witnessed the signing.

The two companies complement each other, Mr Schallenberg explained. Royal HaskoningDHV will strengthen H2i’s consultancy offerings and help extend the reach of its data science, AI, and machine-learning solutions. The former has a presence in some 30 countries, and a team that is close to 6,000-strong.

On its part, Royal HaskoningDHV, which has focused on data and digital services since 2017 and has acquired a minority stake in H2i, can leverage H2i’s climate change-related and urban flood resilience solutions to expand its digital footprint in the region.

Martin Lechner, Chairman of the Board of Directors of H2i, said that while H2i is much smaller, it is nimble and able to leverage the test-bed environment of Singapore to develop and quickly scale digital solutions. In just over four years, its innovative solutions have found favour with government agencies, private and public listed firms in the region, as well as NGOs.

Many of its projects could also be developed commercially to address water-related issues in other cities and urban environments.

This includes the company’s high-resolution rainfall detection and forecasting system that is based on state-of-the-art X-band weather radar technology and currently deployed in Singapore, and Virtual Water, a digital twin of Singapore’s water systems that it is currently developing.

“This (partnership) allows us to accelerate the development of our digital services, bid for larger and more integrated projects in more markets, and ensure that our products and solutions have greater reach,” Mr Lechner explained.

Ambassador Vonno, too, pointed to the synergy between “one of the jewels in the crown of engineering in Holland” and the young company that won the Small Business Rising Star award at the Winsemius Awards 2018. The award recognises H2i’s application of data science, AI and machine learning to the sustainable management of water and the environment.

“With the different cultures coming together, you get better results and better products,” she said.

For more details on this partnership, please refer to our joint press release.