Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the winners of the fourth Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award. The ceremony, at Emirates Towers in Dubai, was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai.

Overseen by the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE), the award is organised under the umbrella of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. In the fourth event, 12 winners from eight countries were recognised, with total prize of $1 million. The award features four main categories: Innovative Projects, Innovative Research and Development, Innovative Individual, and Innovative Crisis Solutions.

On this occasion, Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE remains committed to expanding its humanitarian impact and leveraging innovation to improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world.

He said: “Humanity today faces numerous challenges, and the scarcity of clean water is among the most pressing. We are committed to driving innovation to deliver sustainable solutions that advance the UAE’s vision of harnessing technology to serve humanity and extend support to communities suffering from water scarcity.

“We take pride in the contributions of our institutions in this vital field, and we will continue to support every project, idea or innovation that makes a real difference in people’s lives. Our message is humanitarian, our tools are knowledge and innovation, and our goal is to ensure the UAE’s support reaches those who need it most, wherever they are.”

In his speech during the honouring ceremony, Saeed Al Tayer, chairman of the board of trustees of Suqia UAE, expressed his gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for honouring the winners of the fourth awards and for his continued support for humanitarian and development efforts.

Mr Al Tayer affirmed the award reflects Sheikh Mohammed’s vision of fostering practical, forward-thinking solutions that address critical global needs. He said that it also highlights the UAE’s and Dubai’s unwavering commitment to contributing to global efforts to combat water scarcity, one of the most pressing challenges facing communities worldwide.

According to UN reports, 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water. Unicef also highlights that more than 1,000 children under the age of five die each day from diseases linked to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. Many communities around the world continue to face severe shortages of clean water.

“As Suqia UAE marks its 10th anniversary, it has successfully implemented over 1,000 sustainable water projects in collaboration with Emirates Red Crescent and other partners, positively impacting the lives of around 15 million people across 37 countries," said Mr Al Tayer.

"These efforts have demonstrated that innovative solutions are key to addressing the global water crisis. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award - named after an inspirational leader and beacon of hope - serves as a global platform that reinforces the UAE’s pioneering role in humanitarian work, grounded in the noble values instilled by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

"This legacy continues under the leadership of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who said that ‘The UAE remains dedicated to supporting hope and inspiring initiatives, serving as a champion of optimism in the Arab world’,” said Al Tayer.

"Guided by the vision and directives of Sheikh Mohammed, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award has become a focal point for companies, research centres, institutions, and innovators around the world, given its significant humanitarian and developmental impact. The award encourages individuals and research institutions to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for the production, desalination, and purification of water using clean energy sources.

"In its first three awards, a total of 31 winners from 22 countries were recognised. The fourth event attracted applications from 46 countries. Today, Sheikh Mohammed honoured 12 winners from eight countries for presenting pioneering innovations that help address the challenge of water scarcity and provide safe drinking water to the most vulnerable communities,” said Al Tayer.

Fourth event winners

Innovative Projects Award – Large Projects:

Green Waste Solutions Trading DMCC from the UAE secured first place for its LANDCO Tech project, which converts organic waste and wastewater into renewable energy, clean drinking water, and bio-fertilisers. The system employs COMBO containers and LANDCO modules powered by solar energy and biogas, integrating AI and blockchain technologies. It has a treatment capacity of 100m³ per day.

Second place was awarded to the Sustainability Investment Promotion and Development Joint Stock Company (SIPCO) from Vietnam for its initiative to provide safe drinking water to vulnerable schools and communities. The project uses ceramic impregnated nano-silver pot filters (CSPF) to effectively remove bacteria, viruses, and sediments, benefiting millions globally in a cost-efficient manner.

Third place went to Sotrad Water Srl from Belgium for its Pump&Drink® - Hydro1000 solution, a solar-powered system that pumps, treats, stores, and distributes drinking water sustainably. The system is already operational and serves over 200,000 people.

Innovative Projects Award – Small Projects:

Kumulus SAS from France took first place for its ‘Kumulus Water – Drinking Water From Air’ project. The solar-powered device uses a patented hybrid system to produce around 30 litres of drinking water per day and can be scaled to meet local demand, particularly in schools and rural communities.

Jiangsu Fenghai New Energy Seawater Desalination Development Co Ltd, in partnership with Hangzhou Sunup Environmental Technology Co Ltd from China, received second place for their Intelligent Microgrid Seawater Treatment project. Using reverse osmosis and powered by solar or wind energy, the system produces up to 100 tonnes of water daily and supports the residents of ZS Island in China.

Third place was awarded to FountAir LTD from Hong Kong for its AIR4WATER project—described as 'The Invisible Solution'. This split VAC-WG system, powered by renewable energy, can provide up to 150 litres of water daily and is being implemented in several countries.

Innovative Research and Development Award – International Institutions:

First place went to STEM SAS from France for its AQUAHIVE system, an energy-efficient and high-performance membrane distillation technology that uses solar, geothermal, or waste heat energy. The AI-optimised, patented heat exchange process significantly reduces carbon footprint and has a treatment capacity of 0.3 cubic metres per hour.

The Energy and Water Company (ENOWA) – Neom from Saudi Arabia received second place for its innovative project that enables the extraction of valuable minerals—such as salt, lithium, and bromine—while recovering desalinated water from seawater or brackish brine. The solar-powered pilot facility, located at the Duba Desalination Plant, operates at 1,200m³ per day and reduces energy consumption compared to traditional methods.

Innovative Research and Development Award – National Institutions:

Khalifa University from the UAE earned first place for its Biomimetic Freshwater Generator for Solar Desalination without Brine Discharge. The system replicates the natural evaporation process of mangrove trees to generate freshwater from seawater while collecting salt as a byproduct, eliminating brine discharge. Using 10 units, the system can produce over five litres of water per day.

Innovative Crisis Solutions Award:

First place was awarded to SkyJuice Foundation Inc from Australia for its SkyHydrant Emergency Safe Water Solution. This lightweight, portable ultrafiltration system produces more than 5,000 litres of potable water daily and has been deployed in 74 countries to support communities facing crises and natural disasters.

Innovative Individual Award – Distinguished Research Award:

Professor Guihua Yu from the US received first place for his breakthrough technologies in solar-powered water purification and atmospheric water harvesting. His contributions include solar desalination using energy hydrogels, a solar-powered atmospheric water harvester, and biodegradable nanocellulose-based hydrogel filters. He holds more than 20 patents and leads a research centre at the University of Texas focused on sustainability and water innovation.

Innovative Individual Award – Youth Award:

Zhenyuan Xu from China was awarded first place for his Passive Solar Distillation system, which delivers ultra-high efficiency and extreme salt resistance. The system can produce more than 1.5 gallons of fresh water an hour per square metre of solar collection area. Affordable and field-tested, it supports sustainable development goals through education and community engagement.