UAE-backed $119m prize pushes innovation in desalination

Abu Dhabi: The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative and XPRIZE on Monday announced that 143 teams from 29 countries have advanced to the next phase of the XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition, a five-year global challenge with a total prize purse of $119 million. The initiative is funding the competition with $150 million. Announced during Climate Week NYC, the challenge seeks to develop efficient, reliable and sustainable solutions to improve the performance and reduce the cost of seawater desalination technologies.

Launched in March 2024 by the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative in partnership with the US-based XPRIZE Foundation, the competition is the largest of its kind worldwide. It serves as a key platform in the initiative’s drive to support innovative and impactful solutions to tackle the global water scarcity crisis.

Desalination: A leading solution

Aisha Al Ateegi, Executive Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, said: “Desalination remains one of the most promising solutions to address water scarcity. However, many existing systems still consume large amounts of energy and face limitations related to efficiency, cost and sustainability, which restrict their deployment in regions most in need of clean water. The launch of the XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition is intended to harness the potential of desalination technologies by driving the development of effective and innovative solutions to overcome these challenges.”

She added: “Our goal is to accelerate the development of novel systems and materials that deliver reliable, sustainable and low-cost solutions that can be applied across diverse communities worldwide. Beyond technical innovation, we aim to create opportunities that enhance water resource sustainability, support development in water-stressed regions and build a future where safe access to clean water is ensured for all. We are proud to support these innovators as they advance to the next phase of the competition and look forward to seeing their ideas evolve into practical solutions with real-world impact.”

143 teams advance from 670 applicants

The 143 advancing teams were selected from more than 670 applicants representing 86 countries, following a rigorous evaluation of technical merit, originality and potential impact.

They will now compete across two tracks:

Track A: Desalination – System-Level Innovation – 93 teams will design and demonstrate desalination systems capable of producing at least 1,000 litres of potable water per day for two weeks under natural conditions.

Track B: Desalination – New Materials & Methods – 50 teams will focus on advancing materials and methods to improve traditional reverse osmosis desalination, aiming to boost efficiency, cut energy consumption and enhance environmental sustainability.

Advancing teams in both tracks will move into a decisive stage involving multiple tests, prototype development and solution validation.

$118.9 million in prizes

Prize allocations include $108 million for Track A and $10.9 million for Track B.

The competition will conclude in 2028, awarding a grand prize of $40 million for the most effective system-level innovation and $8 million for the most advanced separation material. Additional prizes will be awarded to other top-performing teams.

Inspiring global innovation

Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE, said: “Water is one of humanity’s most essential needs, yet billions face increasing threats of scarcity as climate change reshapes our world. While seawater desalination is a promising solution, current methods face serious challenges of high energy use, environmental impact and limited scalability. The XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition inspires innovators worldwide to design sustainable, scalable and cost-effective solutions — ensuring access to clean water without harming the ecosystems we all rely on, and paving the way for desalination to become a truly viable solution for the future.”

Lauren Greenlee, Executive Vice President for Food, Water and Waste at XPRIZE, added: “The diversity of teams and the level of innovation they bring give us real confidence in advancing toward a more sustainable water future. Participants — from academic labs and tech startups to multi-disciplinary consortia, including teams from water-stressed regions—are addressing desalination challenges from every angle. Their solutions aim to reduce costs, minimise environmental impact and make seawater desalination accessible to the communities that need it most.”

Toward a sustainable water future

The announcement marks a major milestone in the competition, reinforcing the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative’s role as a global platform for fostering and recognising innovation. It also highlights its contribution to building a worldwide network of water innovators capable of delivering effective, sustainable and scalable solutions.

In addition, the initiative has launched the Water for Agriculture Challenge, focused on improving water-use efficiency in agriculture. With a prize purse of $2 million, it is the first in a series of challenges under the broader Water Challenge Program, which aims to address water scarcity across multiple sectors.