The city of Jeddah witnessed a landmark global event with the announcement of the winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Water in its third edition, marking the conclusion of a highly competitive showcase that drew the attention of the international water community. The winners were revealed during the opening ceremony held as part of the fourth edition of the Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference.
During the ceremony, the names of 14 winners were announced. Their pioneering solutions succeeded in meeting the rigorous criteria set by the international jury panel. With total prizes amounting to $10 million across all stages, the award recognizes exceptional efforts in transforming research ideas into practical, real-world water technologies.
The two grand prizes this year were awarded to HanQing Yu from China, who received the Grand Impact Award, and Guihua Yu from the US, who received the Grand Discovery Prize.
In addition, 12 winners were honored across the various award tracks. The honorees included Charlie Norton, Premlal Balakrishna Pillai, Omar Daoud, and Felipe Torres from the UK; Jianan Gao from Hong Kong, China; John Gradek, Hamidreza Samouei, and Andrew Schevets from the US; Elena Campos and Ines Larrea from Spain; Walid Soufi from Turkiye; and Abrar Zafar from Saudi Arabia.
The awards ceremony marked the culmination of a competitive selection phase that included 36 finalists from 22 countries, representing distinguished universities, advanced research centers, and leading technology companies. The winning innovations span six key tracks vital to the future of the water sector: Advanced Water Production Technologies, Water Quality Improvement and Reuse, Circular Treatment and Zero Liquid Discharge Technologies, Digital Models, Process Optimization, and Automation, Sustainable Water Production and Environmental Conservation, and Cost-Effective Wastewater Treatment Technologies.
The international jury, comprising 28 experts from 12 countries, praised the high caliber of submissions, noting that the winning solutions demonstrated strong economic feasibility, positive environmental impact, and the ability to address global challenges related to water scarcity and climate change.
