Key Takeaways
- XPRIZE has announced 37 Semifinalist Teams advancing in the $119 million XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition, made possible by The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative: 20 teams in Track A (System-Level Innovation) sharing $5 million, and 17 teams in Track B (Novel Materials and Methods) sharing up to $300,000.
- Track A teams demonstrated fully integrated systems producing approximately 1,000 litres of clean water per day over a two-week testing period, with innovations spanning modular, distributed, offshore, and renewable-powered desalination configurations.
- Track B teams advanced novel materials and separation approaches at laboratory scale, targeting improvements in selectivity, permeability, recovery, durability, and energy efficiency that could reshape the future of seawater desalination.
- The competition's final prizes are among the largest incentive awards ever launched globally: $40 million for the Track A winner and $8 million for the Track B winner, with Finals Testing running from 2027 to 2028 and winners announced in 2028.
- 80% of the global population faces severe water scarcity, and by 2030 global demand is projected to exceed supply by 40%, with the desalination industry having seen few major breakthroughs since the early 2000s.
XPRIZE has announced the Semifinalist Teams advancing in the $119 million XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition, a five-year global challenge designed to scale seawater desalination solutions to be more reliable, affordable, and sustainable. Made possible by The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, the competition has selected 20 teams in Track A and 17 teams in Track B following a rigorous first physical testing stage evaluating technical merit, feasibility, and operational performance.
XPRIZE Water Scarcity: Two Tracks, Two Approaches
Track A, System-Level Innovation, focuses on teams rethinking how desalination systems are designed and delivered. Semifinalists demonstrated fully integrated systems capable of producing approximately 1,000 litres of clean water per day over a two-week testing period, with many teams enabling new deployment models including modular and distributed systems, offshore configurations, and renewable-powered setups with integrated smart controls. The 20 Track A Semifinalists will share $5 million in total.
Track B, Novel Materials and Methods, focuses on advancing next-generation desalination through new materials and separation approaches. Semifinalist teams demonstrated strong laboratory-scale results in selectivity, permeability, recovery, durability, and energy efficiency. The 17 Track B Semifinalists will share up to $300,000 in total.
“With XPRIZE Water Scarcity, we are reimagining what's possible for millions of people who still lack access to safe and reliable water, by unlocking bold, transformative solutions to ensure clean water is available worldwide. The progress of the Semifinalist teams represents the next stage in the development of scalable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective desalination solutions,” said Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE.
The Global Water Scarcity Challenge
The competition responds to a mounting global crisis: 80% of the world's population faces severe water scarcity, and by 2030 global water demand is projected to exceed available supply by 40%. Despite being a mature and growing industry, desalination has seen few major breakthroughs since the early 2000s, making scalable, cost-effective innovation a strategic priority for water security worldwide.
“Global water scarcity is one of the defining challenges of our time, and The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative is committed to accelerating the development and deployment of transformative solutions to this emerging crisis. We are proud to be supporting the innovators now advancing to the semifinal stage, whose work is creating tangible opportunities to turn scientific possibilities into real-world impact for communities worldwide,” said Ayesha Al Ateeqi, Executive Director of The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative.
XPRIZE Competition Timeline and Final Prizes
Semifinals Testing will take place in 2026, with Finalists announced in 2027. Finals Testing will run from 2027 to 2028, with winners announced in 2028. The final prizes are among the largest incentive awards ever launched globally: $40 million for the winning Track A team, with additional prizes for runners-up and Moonshot Award recipients, and $8 million for the Track B winner that demonstrates a novel, durable desalination material or method capable of operating for at least 10 years.
