Global Breakthroughs Shine At This Year’s Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference In Saudi Arabia

The winners of the third edition of the Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW) were revealed at this year’s Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference (IDWS), running from December 8-10, 2025, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

The event saw the Grand Impact Prize awarded to Han Qing Yu of China, while the Grand Discovery Prize went to Guihua Yu of the USA. In addition, 12 winners from different tracks were honored, including Charlie Norton, Primalal Balakrishna Pillai, and Omar Dawood from the United Kingdom, Jianan Gao from Hong Kong, China, John Gradic, Hamid Reza Samouei, and Andrushevets from the USA, Alina Camps and Inés Larría from Spain, Walid Soufi from Turkey, and Abrar Dhafer from Saudi Arabia. 

The total value of the awards across all stages amounted to US$10 million, with the winning innovations covering six key tracks vital to the water sector: advanced water production technologies, water quality improvement and reuse, smart treatment solutions, scaling-reduction technologies, digital models for process optimization and automation, and sustainability-focused innovations and solutions. 

A judging panel comprising 28 experts from 12 countries selected the winners following a final qualification stage that featured 36 finalists from 22 countries, representing leading universities, advanced research centers, and global technology companies. 

A scene from IDWS 2025.

Staged at at The Ritz-Carlton Jeddah, IDWS 2025 was inaugurated by HH Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, with the event being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, and on behalf of HRH Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Region. 

In its fourth edition, IDWS—which was organized by the Saudi Water Authority (SWA) and staged by KSA-based events organizer Tahaluf this year—saw the participation of 10,000 attendees from 139 countries, with the event featuring 107 exhibitors, 188 speakers, and the presentation of 76 scientific papers.

IDWS 2025 opened with a keynote address by SWA President HE Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al Abdulkarim, who said, “The discussions held today will set the foundation for 21st-century thinking at a time when the challenges of water scarcity and stress have become universally acknowledged. Despite progress over the past decade that has enabled more than 960 million people to gain access to water, the challenges of this century remain significant, with more than two billion still lacking—a quarter of the world’s population—access to safe water sources for either the entire year or part of it.”  

“Seven hundred million people on Earth are at risk of displacement due to water scarcity,” Al Abdulkarim continued. “The challenge of the 21st century is water. Water is one of the most critical drivers of the global economy, with 60 per cent of global output linked in some way to water-dependent sectors. While $58 trillion of economic activity relies on water availability, investment in innovation within the environmental and climate sectors remains below one per cent, underscoring the need for collaboration, new policy models, and innovative financing frameworks.”

IDWS 2025 also saw SWA get officially recognized by the Guinness World Records for operating the Rabigh Water Oasis, the largest water innovation oasis in the world. Spanning 33,395.88 sq. m. meters, the Rabigh Water Oasis provides a cutting-edge environment for critical activities, including next-generation desalination testing and certification, development of treatment technologies and brine management solutions, along with optimization of municipal and industrial water systems using artificial intelligence and digital twins. 

In a statement, Basma Dawwas, Event Director at Tahaluf, said, “IDWS 2025 is designed to be a catalyst for solutions that matter. We’ve created a dynamic environment where ideas both inspire and accelerate action. By connecting innovators, investors, and policymakers, we’re driving collaborations that can shape the future of water sustainability and set new global benchmarks.”  

Muhaideb Al-Muhaideb, Vice President for Financial Affairs, at SWA, added, “In a country where ambition is our baseline, we’re building solutions that match the pace of the Kingdom’s transformation. IDWS encapsulates Saudi Arabia’s future-forward optimism and reaffirms our country’s role as a global driver of innovation in water, new technologies, and solutions for a better future. This year’s conference is the epicenter of action for impact, where collaboration becomes legacy, and where every idea has the power to change lives.”

All images courtesy Tahaluf.