Application Deadline: September 30, 2026
LOCATION: Saudi Arabia
The Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW) is an international initiative established by the Saudi Water Authority (SWA) to identify, recognize, and accelerate breakthrough innovations addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing the global water sector. The prize aims to honor participants and support pioneers from around the globe.
ELIGIBILITY:
The GPIW is designed to be open, inclusive, and accessible to a broad range of applicants working to advance innovation in the water sector. Applications are welcomed from, among others:
Early-stage startups and venture-backed scale-ups;
Multinational corporations and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs);
Universities, public or private research institutes, and laboratories; – Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and civil society groups;
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), municipal water utilities, and utility consortia; – Individual innovators, research teams, and project teams.
Applicants must ensure that their submission is aligned with at least one Prize track and category and complies with all eligibility requirements set out in these Guidelines.
To preserve the integrity, independence, and impartiality of the Prize, employees, representatives, and members of the GPIW management and delivery teams are not eligible to submit applications. This exclusion includes personnel directly involved in the design, administration, evaluation, governance, or delivery of the Prize within the Saudi Water Authority and The European House – Ambrosetti (TEHA Group).
All applications must be submitted in English and must contain complete, accurate, and truthful information. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they possess all necessary rights, permissions, and authorizations related to the submitted innovation, project, initiative, or nomination. Participation in the GPIW must not infringe any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights, confidentiality obligations, contractual restrictions, or applicable laws and regulations. The GPIW reserves the right to exclude or disqualify any application that is incomplete, misleading, inconsistent with the eligibility requirements, submitted by an ineligible party, or otherwise incompatible with the principles of fairness, transparency, and independence of the Prize.
Applications to the GPIW are submitted online through the official application portal. The application is organized into 8 sections and can be completed at your own pace: your progress can be saved as a draft, allowing you to leave the form and return at any time before the submission deadline. Applications are only considered once formally submitted; saving a draft does not constitute submission.
For more information, visit: https://gpiw.net/auth/terms-conditions
BENEFIT:
The GPIW offers a financial prize purse, dedicated recognitions, and selected piloting support to advance the development, validation, and market adoption of high-potential water innovations. Awards are distributed as follows:
Grand Prizes—USD 100,000 per winner: Two winners in total, 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 total, six winners from Track A (TRL 1-3) and six winners from Track B (TRL 4-7)
Special Mentions—non-monetary recognition: Up to 6 winners in total under Track C (TRL 8–9), with up to two recognitions in each category.