ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
A Global Innovation Competition to Address Urban Drinking Water Scarcity
BY 2030...
Fast-growing cities globally are facing increasing pressures on their drinking water systems
Imagine H2O’s Urban Water Scarcity Challenge 2018 will identify and deploy decentralized solutions for water-scarce cities to advance measurable progress towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 6. The Challenge’s Founding Partners, 11th Hour Racing and Bluewater, have committed up to $1,000,000 in cash awards, deployment funds and follow-on investment to three winners.
Note: This initiative is distinct from Imagine H2O's flagship annual accelerator program. Applications to the 2019 Accelerator will open in September 2018.
Call for Solutions
The competition will identify and support entrepreneurs developing drinking water solutions in the following areas:
DEVELOP AND AUGMENT URBAN DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES
STRENGTHEN DECENTRALIZED DRINKING WATER PURIFICATION AND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
EMPOWER CITIES TO MONITOR AND MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF WATERWAYS AND ECOSYSTEMS
Program Benefits
Three winners will each be eligible for $85,000 each ($10,000 cash prize and $75,000 deployment award). Investment of $750,000+ may be available from Founding Challenge Partner, Bluewater Group.
Deployment Awards and Investment Consideration
WORLD WATER WEEK 2018 SLINGSHOT@SWITCH
FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO SCALE SOLUTIONS
Imagine H2O Asia Track
Partner competition status with SLINGSHOT@SWITCH powered by Startup SG, an initiative of Enterprise Singapore, unlocks additional support for three startups through the Challenge’s Imagine H2O Asia Track.
Program Announcement: "Singapore's Next Water Story: Accelerating Urban Water Solutions Across Southeast Asia"
Learn about the 2018 Asia Track Finalists here.
Evaluation Committee
The Challenge is supported by a diverse group of industry experts, thought leaders and investors to evaluate and select the winning solutions
Ernesto Rodriguez | Innovation Head, Grupo Rotoplas
Neil Jeffery | CEO, Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor
Christine Boyle | CEO and Founder, Valor Water (a Xylem Brand)
Jennifer Sara | Director, Global Water Practice, World Bank
Kunal Shah | VP of Global Market Development, Anaergia
Kara Nelson | Prof. of Civil & Env. Engineering, UC Berkeley
Steve Kloos | Partner, True North Venture Partners
Xin Gao | Head of Innovation Hub Asia, Grundfos
Ranjiv Khush | Executive Director, Aquaya Institute
Chris Morrison | Consultant, Formerly Nalco/Ecolab
Anders Jacobson | President, Bluewater Group
Jamie Dean | Program Director, The Schmidt Family Foundation
Winners To be Announced at Stockholm World Water Week
The Challenge Winners will be recognized at a special event during World Water Week 2018.
Follow news and updates about the Challenge here
Learn more about Imagine H2O's Global Initiatives here.