Applications have opened for the fifth cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award, inviting innovators, researchers, companies and institutions worldwide to submit solutions aimed at tackling water scarcity and sustainability challenges, the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE) announced this month.
The award, which offers prizes totalling USD 1 million, is open for submissions through April 30, 2026, with entries accepted via the official portal. It seeks technologies and approaches that address water production, distribution, storage, desalination and purification using clean and renewable energy sources.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of Suqia UAE’s Board of Trustees, urged universities, research centres, companies and innovators to participate in the programme, highlighting the importance of collaborative solutions to the global water crisis. According to United Nations data cited by organisers, an estimated 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and nearly 10 per cent of the global population lives in areas of high or critical water stress.
The Global Water Award is structured across multiple categories, including Innovative Projects, Research and Development, Individual Innovators and Crisis Solutions, each designed to recognise scalable and impactful work in water innovation. Previous cycles have drawn hundreds of applications and recognised innovators from around the world for pioneering cost-effective water solutions.
Applications and detailed submission guidelines are available on the award’s official website, with organisers encouraging early application ahead of the April deadline.
To apply or for more information, visit the website.
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