The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), in partnership with the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), the Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDI), and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), has invited innovators, researchers, startups and technology teams to participate in the Future Makers: AI Challenge for Critical Sustainability, an open innovation challenge mobilizing innovators across DCO Member States to develop and validate AI-enabled solutions for water resilience.
The challenge brings together innovators, researchers, startups and technology teams across DCO Member States to develop AI-enabled solutions with the potential to improve water-system efficiency, reduce water losses and energy consumption, strengthen operational and resource efficiency, and advance circular-economy practices. It also seeks to enhance resilience across the water value chain by applying AI to some of the sector's most pressing challenges.
The Future Makers challenge is delivered through NexaBridge, DCO's open innovation initiative, which connects real-world challenges with innovators and creates scalable pathways for solutions to move from development to market. The Critical Sustainability challenge marks the first activation of the Future Makers model, bringing together government priorities, research capabilities, and cross-border innovation ecosystems to accelerate applied innovation.
The Challenge supports Saudi Arabia's ambitions under Saudi Vision 2030 and its national water priorities, drawing on the Kingdom's capabilities in digital transformation, sustainability and emerging technologies. The challenge is designed to help translate these capabilities into practical solutions that improve resource efficiency, strengthen environmental sustainability, and build greater resilience across the water sector.
Applications are open to innovators, researchers, startups and technology teams across DCO Member States with AI-enabled solutions capable of addressing the identified water-sector challenges. Applications close on 4 October 2026.
Interested applicants are encouraged to review the challenge requirements and submit their applications through: stride.