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Suqia UAE highlights impact driven innovation in fifth cycle of Mohammed bin Rashid Global Water Award · DEWA Podcasts

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  Welcome back. Today we're highlighting Supia
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  UAE's updated guidelines for the fifth cycle
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  of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global
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  Water Award. The headline? One million U .S.
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  dollars in prizes. And submissions are open until
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  the 30th of April, 2026. The biggest clarification
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  for innovators. You do not need a patent to apply.
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  And your intellectual property stays protected.
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  applicants retain ownership throughout the submission
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  process. What matters most in evaluation is impact.
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  Sukia emphasizes measurable, real -world results,
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  solutions that actually deliver clean and safe
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  water to communities in need. The award includes
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  four categories, innovative projects, innovative
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  research and development, innovative individual,
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  and innovative crisis solutions. Across all of
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  them, The goal is to advance technologies that
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  desalinate or purify water using renewable energy.
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  That includes solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric
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  power, osmosis -based approaches, and geothermal
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  energy. And if your application fits better elsewhere,
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  Sukia notes it may be redirected to a more suitable
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  category. Proof is key. Applicants should clearly
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  demonstrate water quality and safety. plus production
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  capacity, aligned with World Health Organization
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  guidance and relevant local environmental and
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  social standards. This cycle also strengthens
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  the creativity and innovation criteria by integrating
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  advanced technologies like artificial intelligence,
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  with an emphasis on accelerating the deployment
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  of practical, scalable solutions. You'll need
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  to show how renewables are integrated or utilized.
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  supported by an environmental impact assessment,
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  whether it's water production, desalination,
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  purification, or even project management. Financial
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  viability is encouraged too. Life cycle cost
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  analysis, payback period, and internal rate of
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  return. And don't forget adaptability to local
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  environments, plus how the solution can improve
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  over time. Submissions should plainly state what's
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  new. show efficiency and replicability, and outline
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  stakeholder engagement . Finally, watch the ownership
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  rules. For innovative projects and innovative
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  crisis solutions, the technology must be owned
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  by the applicant organization and supported by
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  a registered commercial license. And for innovative
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  research and development, The project must be
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  owned by the sponsoring institution, submitted
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  by project supervisors, and formally accredited
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  by that sponsor. That's the quick brief. Impact
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  first, safety and capacity proven, renewables
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  integrated, and a clear path to scale. Thanks
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  for listening.