emirates7 - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the winners of the fourth Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award during a ceremony held at Emirates Towers in Dubai. The event was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
Organised under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and overseen by the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE), the Award recognised 12 winners from eight countries in its fourth edition, distributing a total prize of $1 million.
The Award is divided into four main categories: Innovative Projects, Innovative Research and Development, Innovative Individual, and Innovative Crisis Solutions.
During the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasized the UAE’s dedication to expanding its humanitarian efforts and harnessing innovation to enhance the quality of life globally. He highlighted that water scarcity is one of the most urgent challenges humanity faces today and reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to developing sustainable, innovative solutions aligned with its vision of using technology to serve humanity and assist communities suffering from water shortages.
He added that the UAE takes pride in its institutions’ contributions in this critical area and will continue to back every project or idea that positively impacts people’s lives. His message remains rooted in humanitarian values, supported by knowledge and innovation, with the goal of ensuring aid reaches those most in need worldwide.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Suqia UAE, expressed his appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for honoring the Award winners and his ongoing support for humanitarian and development initiatives. He stated that the Award reflects His Highness’s vision for practical, forward-thinking solutions to urgent global challenges and highlights the UAE and Dubai’s firm commitment to combating water scarcity.
Al Tayer cited United Nations statistics showing that 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, and UNICEF data revealing that over 1,000 children under five die daily from diseases related to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene. Many communities still endure severe clean water shortages.
Celebrating Suqia UAE’s 10th anniversary, Al Tayer noted that it has completed over 1,000 sustainable water projects with partners like Emirates Red Crescent, positively affecting around 15 million people across 37 countries. These achievements demonstrate the crucial role of innovative solutions in addressing the global water crisis.
Named after a visionary leader and symbol of hope, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award acts as a worldwide platform that showcases the UAE’s pioneering humanitarian role, rooted in the noble values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This legacy continues under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who stated the UAE’s ongoing dedication to supporting hope and inspiring initiatives as a beacon of optimism in the Arab world.
Al Tayer explained that under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the Award has become a key hub for companies, research centers, institutions, and innovators globally, recognized for its humanitarian and developmental impact. The Award encourages individuals and institutions to develop innovative, sustainable water production, desalination, and purification solutions powered by clean energy.
Since its inception, the Award has honoured 31 winners from 22 countries across its first three editions. The fourth edition received applications from 46 countries and recognised 12 winners from eight nations for pioneering innovations addressing water scarcity and providing safe drinking water to vulnerable populations.
Winners in the “Innovative Projects Award – Large Projects” category included:
Green Waste Solutions Trading DMCC from the UAE, awarded first place for their LANDCO Tech project that transforms organic waste and wastewater into renewable energy, clean drinking water, and bio-fertilizers. The system uses solar energy and biogas, along with AI and blockchain, treating 100m³ of water daily.
ustainability Investment Promotion and Development Joint Stock Company (SIPCO) from Vietnam won second place for supplying safe drinking water to vulnerable schools and communities using ceramic impregnated nano-silver pot filters that efficiently remove bacteria, viruses, and sediments.
Sotrad Water Srl from Belgium took third place for their Pump&Drink - Hydro1000, a solar-powered system that sustainably pumps, treats, stores, and distributes water, currently serving over 200,000 people.
In the “Innovative Projects Award – Small Projects” category, winners included:
Kumulus SAS from France, first place for its ‘Kumulus Water – Drinking Water From Air’ project, a solar-powered device producing about 30 liters of drinking water per day, scalable for schools and rural areas.
Jiangsu Fenghai New Energy Seawater Desalination Development Co Ltd, alongside Hangzhou Sunup Environmental Technology Co Ltd from China, received second place for their Intelligent Microgrid Seawater Treatment project. This solar- or wind-powered reverse osmosis system produces up to 100 tonnes of water daily, serving residents of ZS Island in China.
FountAir LTD from Hong Kong won third place for its AIR4WATER project, a renewable energy-powered split VAC-WG system producing up to 150 liters of water daily and implemented in several countries.
For the “Innovative Research and Development Award – International Institutions”:
STEM SAS from France won first place for AQUAHIVE, an energy-efficient membrane distillation technology using solar, geothermal, or waste heat energy. The AI-optimized system reduces carbon footprint and treats 0.3m³ per hour.
The Energy and Water Company (ENOWA) – NEOM from Saudi Arabia received second place for a project extracting valuable minerals like salt and lithium while recovering desalinated water from seawater or brine, operating at 1,200m³ daily with reduced energy use.
For the “Innovative Research and Development Award – National Institutions”, Khalifa University from the UAE earned first place for its Biomimetic Freshwater Generator that mimics mangrove evaporation to desalinate seawater without brine discharge, producing over five liters per day using 10 units.
In the “Innovative Crisis Solutions Award” category, Australia’s SkyJuice Foundation Inc won first place for its SkyHydrant Emergency Safe Water Solution, a lightweight portable ultrafiltration system producing over 5,000 liters daily, deployed in 74 countries to aid crisis-affected communities.
For the “Innovative Individual Award – Distinguished Research Award”, Professor Guihua Yu from the USA received first place for breakthroughs in solar-powered water purification and atmospheric water harvesting, including solar desalination with energy hydrogels and biodegradable nanocellulose hydrogel filters. He holds over 20 patents and leads sustainability research at the University of Texas.
Finally, for the “Innovative Individual Award – Youth Award”, Zhenyuan Xu from China was recognized for his Passive Solar Distillation system, offering ultra-high efficiency and extreme salt resistance, producing more than 1.5 gallons of fresh water per hour per square meter. The affordable, field-tested technology supports sustainable development through education and community engagement.
Organised under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and overseen by the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE), the Award recognised 12 winners from eight countries in its fourth edition, distributing a total prize of $1 million.
The Award is divided into four main categories: Innovative Projects, Innovative Research and Development, Innovative Individual, and Innovative Crisis Solutions.
During the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum emphasized the UAE’s dedication to expanding its humanitarian efforts and harnessing innovation to enhance the quality of life globally. He highlighted that water scarcity is one of the most urgent challenges humanity faces today and reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to developing sustainable, innovative solutions aligned with its vision of using technology to serve humanity and assist communities suffering from water shortages.
He added that the UAE takes pride in its institutions’ contributions in this critical area and will continue to back every project or idea that positively impacts people’s lives. His message remains rooted in humanitarian values, supported by knowledge and innovation, with the goal of ensuring aid reaches those most in need worldwide.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Suqia UAE, expressed his appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for honoring the Award winners and his ongoing support for humanitarian and development initiatives. He stated that the Award reflects His Highness’s vision for practical, forward-thinking solutions to urgent global challenges and highlights the UAE and Dubai’s firm commitment to combating water scarcity.
Al Tayer cited United Nations statistics showing that 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, and UNICEF data revealing that over 1,000 children under five die daily from diseases related to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene. Many communities still endure severe clean water shortages.
Celebrating Suqia UAE’s 10th anniversary, Al Tayer noted that it has completed over 1,000 sustainable water projects with partners like Emirates Red Crescent, positively affecting around 15 million people across 37 countries. These achievements demonstrate the crucial role of innovative solutions in addressing the global water crisis.
Named after a visionary leader and symbol of hope, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award acts as a worldwide platform that showcases the UAE’s pioneering humanitarian role, rooted in the noble values of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. This legacy continues under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who stated the UAE’s ongoing dedication to supporting hope and inspiring initiatives as a beacon of optimism in the Arab world.
Al Tayer explained that under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the Award has become a key hub for companies, research centers, institutions, and innovators globally, recognized for its humanitarian and developmental impact. The Award encourages individuals and institutions to develop innovative, sustainable water production, desalination, and purification solutions powered by clean energy.
Since its inception, the Award has honoured 31 winners from 22 countries across its first three editions. The fourth edition received applications from 46 countries and recognised 12 winners from eight nations for pioneering innovations addressing water scarcity and providing safe drinking water to vulnerable populations.
Winners in the “Innovative Projects Award – Large Projects” category included:
Green Waste Solutions Trading DMCC from the UAE, awarded first place for their LANDCO Tech project that transforms organic waste and wastewater into renewable energy, clean drinking water, and bio-fertilizers. The system uses solar energy and biogas, along with AI and blockchain, treating 100m³ of water daily.
ustainability Investment Promotion and Development Joint Stock Company (SIPCO) from Vietnam won second place for supplying safe drinking water to vulnerable schools and communities using ceramic impregnated nano-silver pot filters that efficiently remove bacteria, viruses, and sediments.
Sotrad Water Srl from Belgium took third place for their Pump&Drink - Hydro1000, a solar-powered system that sustainably pumps, treats, stores, and distributes water, currently serving over 200,000 people.
In the “Innovative Projects Award – Small Projects” category, winners included:
Kumulus SAS from France, first place for its ‘Kumulus Water – Drinking Water From Air’ project, a solar-powered device producing about 30 liters of drinking water per day, scalable for schools and rural areas.
Jiangsu Fenghai New Energy Seawater Desalination Development Co Ltd, alongside Hangzhou Sunup Environmental Technology Co Ltd from China, received second place for their Intelligent Microgrid Seawater Treatment project. This solar- or wind-powered reverse osmosis system produces up to 100 tonnes of water daily, serving residents of ZS Island in China.
FountAir LTD from Hong Kong won third place for its AIR4WATER project, a renewable energy-powered split VAC-WG system producing up to 150 liters of water daily and implemented in several countries.
For the “Innovative Research and Development Award – International Institutions”:
STEM SAS from France won first place for AQUAHIVE, an energy-efficient membrane distillation technology using solar, geothermal, or waste heat energy. The AI-optimized system reduces carbon footprint and treats 0.3m³ per hour.
The Energy and Water Company (ENOWA) – NEOM from Saudi Arabia received second place for a project extracting valuable minerals like salt and lithium while recovering desalinated water from seawater or brine, operating at 1,200m³ daily with reduced energy use.
For the “Innovative Research and Development Award – National Institutions”, Khalifa University from the UAE earned first place for its Biomimetic Freshwater Generator that mimics mangrove evaporation to desalinate seawater without brine discharge, producing over five liters per day using 10 units.
In the “Innovative Crisis Solutions Award” category, Australia’s SkyJuice Foundation Inc won first place for its SkyHydrant Emergency Safe Water Solution, a lightweight portable ultrafiltration system producing over 5,000 liters daily, deployed in 74 countries to aid crisis-affected communities.
For the “Innovative Individual Award – Distinguished Research Award”, Professor Guihua Yu from the USA received first place for breakthroughs in solar-powered water purification and atmospheric water harvesting, including solar desalination with energy hydrogels and biodegradable nanocellulose hydrogel filters. He holds over 20 patents and leads sustainability research at the University of Texas.
Finally, for the “Innovative Individual Award – Youth Award”, Zhenyuan Xu from China was recognized for his Passive Solar Distillation system, offering ultra-high efficiency and extreme salt resistance, producing more than 1.5 gallons of fresh water per hour per square meter. The affordable, field-tested technology supports sustainable development through education and community engagement.