Global water systems are under mounting strain from climate volatility, pollution and rising industrial demand, increasingly characterized by “too little, too much and too polluted” water. Utilities are struggling to ensure reliable supply, while water-intensive sectors such as manufacturing, energy and data centres face rising operational and financial exposure. Despite continued infrastructure investment, systems remain fragmented and reactive, constrained by delivery bottlenecks, capacity gaps and complex governance. As pressures intensify, water is emerging as both a systemic risk to economic resilience and a significant investment opportunity, requiring a structural shift in how water is sourced, managed, reused and governed.
The Transforming Water Systems Challenge responds by mobilizing early-stage innovation across three priorities: next-generation AI solutions to transform water systems, reducing freshwater dependence in critical industries and securing water supply reliability. Together, these innovations aim to accelerate the transition towards integrated, circular and resilient water systems.
Led by UpLink, in collaboration with the HCL Group and the World Economic Forum’s Food and Water Initiative, the Challenge activates a global ecosystem of partners. It positions selected innovators not only as technology providers but also as contributors to systemic transformation. By connecting breakthrough solutions to the right ecosystem of actors, the initiative aims to translate early-stage innovation into scalable impact, strengthening water security and economic resilience worldwide.
Winners will gain access to a global network, visibility and engagement opportunities to support deployment and scale, and will each receive a CHF 175,000 prize by the HCL Group. Learn more about the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative.
This Challenge is part of the UpLink Innovation Challenge Series – Spring 2026, a global call for early-stage solutions ready to move from innovation to real-world deployment at scale, shaping the markets, industries and systems of tomorrow.
