Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW) 2026 – YOA

Deadline: September 30, 2026

Applications for the Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW) 2026 are actually open. The Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW) is the biggest of its type in the world. It was launched in 2023 as an initiative by the Saudi Water Authority, reaffirming the Kingdom’s pioneering function in selling analysis, fostering innovation, and adopting new breakthroughs in the water sector. The prize goals to honor individuals and help pioneers from across the globe.

Categories

The Global Prize for Innovation in Water honors modern options that drive the water sector towards sustainability and effectivity, masking 6 predominant classes:

• Advanced Water Production and Desalination Technologies
• Water Reclamation, Circular Economy, and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD)
• Water Efficiency, Conservation, and Consumption Management
• Digitalization, Automation, and Smart Water Management
• Environmental Sustainability and Water Resource Conservation
• Accessible and Cost-Effective Wastewater Solutions

Awards

The GPIW provides a monetary prize purse, devoted recognitions, and chosen piloting help to advance the event, validation, and market adoption of excessive-potential water improvements. Awards are distributed as follows:

• Grand Prizes – USD $100,000 per winner: Two winners in complete, one winner from Track A (TRL 1-3) and one winner from Track B (TRL 4-7)
• Impact Medals – USD $50,000 per winner: Twelve winners in complete, six winners from Track A (TRL 1-3) and 6 winners from Track B (TRL 4-7)
• Special Mentions – non-financial recognition: Up to six winners in complete below Track C (TRL 8–9), with as much as two recognitions in every class.

Eligibility

The GPIW is designed to be open, inclusive, and accessible to a broad vary of candidates working to advance innovation in the water sector. Applications are welcomed from, amongst others:

• Early-stage startups and enterprise-backed scale-ups;
• Multinational firms and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs);
• Universities, public or non-public analysis institutes, and laboratories;
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and civil society teams;
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), municipal water utilities, and utility consortia;
• Individual innovators, analysis groups, and undertaking groups.

Applicants should be certain that their submission is aligned with at the very least one Prize observe and class and complies with all eligibility necessities set out in these Guidelines.

Application

The application is organized into 8 sections and will be accomplished at your personal tempo: your progress will be saved as a draft, permitting you to depart the shape and return at any time earlier than the submission deadline. Applications are solely thought-about as soon as formally submitted; saving a draft doesn’t represent submission.

Before starting, candidates are inspired to organize the required supporting supplies and to evaluation the related observe and class steerage in this doc, because the questions offered will fluctuate in line with the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) observe chosen.

The application is structured as follows:

• Applicant Information — Contact particulars and details about the applicant and their group.
• Innovation Overview — A excessive-degree description of the innovation, the chosen TRL observe and prize class, and the water problem addressed.
• Technical Questions — Questions on the scientific, technical, and developmental foundation of the innovation, tailor-made to the chosen TRL observe.
• Impact & Market — The scale of the problem, anticipated or demonstrated impression, goal beneficiaries, aggressive panorama, and obstacles to adoption.
• Team & Organizational Maturity — Team experience, mental property standing, funding historical past, and improvement milestones.
• Supporting Materials — Upload of the required paperwork and video presentation (see beneath).
• Review — A abstract of all responses, which candidates can evaluation and edit earlier than continuing.
• Declaration & Submit — Confirmation of accuracy and settlement to the Terms and Conditions earlier than ultimate submission.

Click here to apply

For extra info, go to Global Prize for Innovation in Water.