Wazoku is delighted to announce that the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination (GPID) is launching a groundbreaking series of Prize Challenges to accelerate advancements in desalination technologies, approaches, and solutions. In this second annual edition of the GPID, Solvers can win up to US$10m in cash awards, pilot program value, and subsequent business.
The 5 Challenges comprising the GPID will all close on August 31st, 2024, so be sure to take part before the due date:
- Change the world with your desalination ideas;
- Develop technologies with acceleration and boosting pilots in Saudi Arabia;
- Have the opportunity to attend a global water conference to network with leaders across the industry. Shortlisted Solvers and Award Winners will be invited to the three-day Innovation Drive Desalination Event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 11-13 November 2024, with all expenses paid.
*Please note: this page is the homepage for the GPID Challenges. You will not be able to submit ideas here. You can access the GPID Challenge categories at their respective links by visiting the GPID Community or by following the links below.*
With a total of $10 million USD available in cash awards and subsequent pilot funding for awarded Solvers, this program aims to address the critical need for freshwater by transforming saltwater into a vital resource.
The GPID invites individual Solvers, teams, research groups, start-ups, accelerators, and organizations to submit their cutting-edge solutions across five distinct Challenges, each designed to tackle different aspects of desalination and water technology:
- Discovery Award – $100,000 Prize – Designed for TRL1-3 Submissions.
Grand Prize Winners in this Challenge will have the opportunity to pilot their ideas with $200,000 worth of funding, and there are other cash awards available for winners of the $50,000 Impact Prize categories in this Challenge, as well as discretionary pilot opportunities.
- Breakthrough Award – $100,000 Prize – Designed for TRL4-7 Submissions
Grand Prize Winners in this Challenge will have the opportunity to pilot their ideas with $200,000 worth of funding, and there are other cash awards available for winners of the $50,000 Impact Prize categories in this Challenge, as well as discretionary pilot opportunities.
- Most Innovative Idea in Water Production – Special Mention Prize with cash incentives – Policy/Economics focus to recognize thought leaders, provide information about water technologies at market deployment level, and celebrate other developments in the thematic space.
- Venture Capital Deal of the Year in Water Production – Special Mention Prize with cash incentives – this Challenge is organized to celebrate the attention of global markets to the developments, scale, and innovation displayed in water technologies and production.
- Most Impactful Lab/Accelerator in Water Technology – Special Mention Prize with cash incentives –
this Challenge aims to recognize major movers in water technologies, not just in desalination, providing market-level technologies and applications that are shaping the future of the industry.
The Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination, founded in 2023, is dedicated to advancing the technologies and practices of water desalination to address global water scarcity and improve the lives of people worldwide.
Pilot programs for awarded Solvers would be hosted at Saudi Water Authority (SWA) and Water Technologies Innovation Institute and Research Advancement (WTIIRA) facilities. The SWA, the world’s largest producer of desalinated water, operates 30 plants and is committed to promoting sustainable water solutions through innovation.
Solvers who work for, are associated with, or have financial links to the GPID, SWA, or WTIIRA are not eligible to receive awards for this Challenge.
This Challenge is open to individuals, teams, and organizations from across the globe.
Previous winners of the GPID cannot be awarded again, and the prize cannot be awarded to the same innovative solution twice (e.g. for the Grand Prize in the Discovery Award and for the Materials Science Impact Medal category).
As of the date of submission, each applicant must own, or hold appropriate license rights to, all technologies, methods, resources, and Intellectual Property (IP) included in the submission.
Desalination and associated technologies are a massive area of development worldwide to provide fresh, potable or usable water for millions of people. Water scarcity is a pressing global issue, affecting over a quarter of the world’s population. This process is particularly crucial for regions like Saudi Arabia, where water scarcity poses a significant challenge.
However, there is a pressing need for further innovation to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impacts.
The GPID seeks to drive the next generation of desalination technologies, ensuring sustainable and accessible water resources for all. Last year’s GPID Prize awarded 7 winners: the 2024 edition will see 2 Grand Prize Awards ($100,000 each), 10 Impact Prizes ($50,000 each), and 6 Special Mentions (no cash award but collaboration/networking opportunities).
This series of Prize Challenges is designed for water tech innovators – no matter their affiliation, Technology Readiness Level (TRL), or development status – to advance access for millions.
Awarded Solvers in this series of Challenges can earn cash awards and grow their approaches with collaborative pilot programs, and shortlisted Solvers could be invited to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in November for a world-leading three-day desalination and water tech conference.
The GPID is designed to lead the future of water, and your involvement will make real change happen: for you, for your business, and for the world.
The Challenge
The Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination Challenges aim to find and support groundbreaking solutions that:
- Improve the environmental footprint of desalination processes.
- Reduce energy consumption and operational costs.
- Introduce new technologies and innovative business models.
- Provide scalable and sustainable solutions to meet global water demands.
The 5 Challenges are broken up by Technology Readiness Level (TRL), to give Solvers across the development spectrum the chance to change the world. Solvers are encouraged to submit proposals that demonstrate theoretical innovation, practical applicability, and potential for significant impact. All Challenges seek both early-stage ideas and mature technologies ready for deployment.
The 5 categories of the GPID 2024 are designed to give Solvers at each Technology Readiness Level (TRL) the opportunity to win big with GPID.
1. The Discovery Award Challenge, for TRL1-3, is designed for promising ideas, concepts, and developments – the GPID’s aim is to guide awarded submissions from this Challenge through to proof-of-concept.
There are also Impact Medal awards in categories for TRL1-3 solutions, submissions, and technologies which are as follows:
- Advanced Water Production Technologies
- Water Quality Improvement and Reclamation
- Circular and Zero Liquid Discharge Water Reduction Processes
- Digital Business Model Process Optimization and Automation Management
- Sustainable Water Production and Environmental Conservation
- Special Category:Â Wastewater solutions
Grand Prize winners ($100,000 Prize) and Impact Medal winners ($50,000 each) in the Discovery Award section will have access to a 12-month boosting program to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The piloting value for this award is up to $200,000 USD: any further investment/piloting expenses would be negotiated with the GPID and may include discussions around IP and rights to solutions. There are subsequent discretionary pilot programs available for winners of the Impact Medal prizes, subject to the maturity of proposals.
2. The Breakthrough Award Challenge, for TRL4-7, is designed for those Solvers with experimental validation and proof-of-principle/proof-of-concept for their desalination technologies and solutions. The GPID’s aim with awarded solutions for the Breakthrough Award Challenge is to reinforce them with a pilot program.
There are also Impact Medal categories for TRL4-7 solutions, submissions, and technologies in the Breakthrough Award, which are as follows:
- Advanced Water Production Technologies
- Water Quality Improvement and Reclamation
- Circular and Zero Liquid Discharge Water Reduction Processes
- Digital Business Model Process Optimization and Automation Management
- Sustainable Water Production and Environmental Conservation
- Special Category:Â Wastewater solutions
Grand Prize winners ($100,000) and Impact Medal winners ($50,000 each) in the Breakthrough Award section will have access to a 12-month acceleration program to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The piloting value for this award is the same: up to $200,000 USD, with any further investment/piloting expenses needing to be negotiated with the GPID which may include discussions around IP and rights to solutions. There are subsequent discretionary pilot programs available for winners of the Impact Medal prizes, subject to the maturity of proposals.
For the last 3 Challenges, these are designed for TRL8-9 & Market submissions: information about desalination technologies at market deployment, and other developments in the thematic space. Solvers are encouraged to inform the GPID about exciting venture deals, water tech labs/accelerators, and the most innovative policy/economics ideas in the desalination space.
These will be awarded with Special Mentions – with cash incentives accorded to these Challenges from GPID and unique networking, marketing, and collaboration value opportunities for winners in these categories at the Innovation Drive Desalination event in November 2024.
3. The Most Innovative Idea in Water Production Challenge is designed for those Solvers with details about developments in the desalination market space, personal experience innovating policy and economics around the topic, and those with market-defining solutions and technologies at a higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL).
4. The Venture Capital Deal of the Year in Water Production Challenge for TRL8-9 and Market submissions is designed for those Solvers with market details about deals, developments, and upcoming technology/financial opportunities in the water technology and production industry.
The GPID’s aim with this Challenge is to recognize and celebrate the movers and shakers in water innovation and solutions
5. Finally, the Most Impactful Lab/Accelerator in Water Technology Challenge is designed for those Solvers affiliated with labs/accelerators across the water industry to shout about their accomplishments, letting GPID know about their technological developments, and informing the Prize about their opportunities for the future. Valuable networking opportunities will be given to shortlisted Solvers/teams/labs/accelerators in this Challenge, so please tell us in detail how you’ve been changing the world of water!
The GPID’s aim with this Challenge is to recognize and celebrate technologies, companies, and solutions across the Water Technology sector.
Awards:- $10,000,000
Deadline:- 31-08-2024
