Suqia UAE has released updated guidelines for the fifth cycle of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award, which offers a total of one million dollars in prizes across four categories.
The categories encompass innovative projects, research and development, individual contributions and crisis solutions, with all entries required to utilise renewable energy in addressing water production or purification challenges. The foundation indicated that the main criterion for judging remains the innovation’s ability to produce measurable impact by supplying clean and safe water to communities in need.
According to the guidelines, applicants retain full ownership of their intellectual property with no patent necessary for participation while evaluation includes environmental impact assessments, financial viability analyses and adaptability to local settings. Creativity and innovation criteria have been bolstered by the incorporation of artificial intelligence to speed up scalable solutions, Suqia UAE noted. Entries must also align with World Health Organization water quality standards and demonstrate production capacity along with stakeholder engagement.
United Nations data shows nearly two billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, a statistic that underscores the importance of awards like this one in fostering new technologies. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to encourage sustainable solutions to water scarcity worldwide. SkyJuice Foundation won the Innovative Crisis Solutions category in the prior cycle for its contributions, the organisation announced on June 13, 2025.
Submissions for the current cycle close on April 30, 2026, and can be filed through the official award website with inquiries directed to the provided contact email. For project and crisis solution categories, the technology must be owned by an organisation holding a registered commercial licence while research and development submissions require formal accreditation from a sponsoring institution. The guidelines allow for redirection of applications to more appropriate categories if needed to facilitate fair assessment.
The award has attracted significant international interest in past editions with participants from various sectors presenting a wide array of solutions. Financial assessments must cover lifecycle costs, payback periods and internal rates of return to prove long-term viability of the proposed innovations, according to the guidelines. Suqia UAE continues to highlight the evaluation criteria that support impact-driven innovation across the water sector.
