The Water Abundance XPRIZE is an open challenge to use technology to improve affordable access to clean water in high humidity areas where water is currently unavailable or inaccessible. It seeks to attract a solution to the lack of access to clean water encapsulated in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Water scarcity is a serious issue in the Indo-Pacific region. XPRIZE is a world leader in designing and operating massive incentive competitions to solve humanity’s grand challenges. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s innovationXchange is partnering with XPRIZE, and together they are calling on innovators from around the globe to participate in the Water Abundance XPRIZE to help solve this issue.

USD1.5 million will be awarded to the creator of the most innovative and effective device (plus the top five teams will receive a USD50,000 each) which uses energy-efficient technology to harvest fresh water from the air to produce a minimum of 2,000 litres of water per day from the atmosphere, using 100 percent renewable energy, at the cost of no more than 2 cents per litre.

Scientists, social change agents, engineers, academics, entrepreneurs, and other creative minds are encouraged to compete as a team or individual. They are looking for innovators across all geographies, disciplines, life stages, and all walks of life.

Registration for the Water Abundance XPRIZE closes on 28 April 2017. It is followed by a 17-month process of designing, testing and evaluating inventions, with the winning team being announced in August 2018.

Registrations can be submitted at water.xprize.org.