Transforming Water Systems Challenge 2026 (CHF 175,000 prize) – YOA

Deadline: June 4, 2026

Applications are open for the Transforming Water Systems Challenge 2026. This is a name for scalable, subsequent-era options, together with AI and superior applied sciences, that overcome systemic points, improve circularity, cut back dependencies in important industries and strengthen provide reliability.

Global water methods are underneath mounting pressure from local weather volatility, air pollution and rising industrial demand, more and more characterised by “too little, too much and too polluted” water. Utilities are struggling to make sure dependable provide, whereas water-intensive sectors reminiscent of manufacturing, power and information centres face rising operational and monetary publicity. Despite continued infrastructure funding, methods stay fragmented and reactive, constrained by supply bottlenecks, capability gaps and complicated governance. As pressures intensify, water is rising as each a systemic danger to financial resilience and a big funding OPPORTUNITY, requiring a structural shift in how water is sourced, managed, reused and ruled.

The Transforming Water Systems Challenge responds by mobilizing early-stage innovation throughout three priorities: subsequent-era AI options to rework water methods, decreasing freshwater dependence in important industries and securing water provide reliability. Together, these improvements purpose to speed up the transition in direction of built-in, round and resilient water methods.

Focus Areas

• Transforming water methods utilizing subsequent-era AI and digital applied sciences: Solutions that handle systemic constraints within the water sector, together with infrastructure supply, regulatory and allowing bottlenecks, revolutionary financing, danger administration, cybersecurity and institutional capability challenges, enabling extra environment friendly, resilient and future-prepared water methods.
• Lowering freshwater depth throughout water-intensive industries: Solutions that allow round water use, enhance industrial effectivity and cut back major freshwater withdrawals, strengthening operational resilience and supporting resilience throughout excessive-demand sectors reminiscent of information centres and AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing and power manufacturing.
• Strengthening the reliability, high quality and continuity of water provide methods: Solutions that improve system resilience underneath local weather volatility, contamination danger and rising demand by diversifying provide, enhancing therapy efficiency and reinforcing infrastructure to make sure secure, dependable and steady water supply.

Benefits

Approximately 10 submissions can be chosen as winners, acknowledged as UpLink Ventures and grow to be part of the UpLink Innovation Ecosystem, a curated programme designed for Founders, CEOs, Executive Directors, and so on.,
which gives:

• Access: Participation in World Economic Forum and accomplice-led occasions, initiatives and communities.
• Visibility: Global publicity through the Forum’s and UpLink’s digital media channels.
• Connections: Strategic introductions to pick out organizations within the Forum’s and UpLink’s community.
• Targeted assist: Programming and assist on technical, enterprise and operational issues.
• Prize cash: 175,000 CHF in prize cash to every winner, generously made accessible by HCL Group.

Eligibility

UpLink is on the lookout for ventures that:

• Operate as a for-revenue entity
• Are on the pre-seed, seed or Series A stage
• Have raised lower than $50 million in whole funding
• Demonstrate credible benefits which might be laborious to repeat

Application

Click here to apply

For extra data, go to Transforming Water Systems Challenge.