More than 4,400 students from 150 countries participated in this year’s challenge, which asked young innovators to tackle three critical water problems: reducing ocean plastic waste, raising awareness about sustainability and water conservation, and lowering indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with enhanced water purification methods.
“As global water challenges escalate, it’s more important than ever to provide a platform for the next generation of innovators,” said Austin Alexander, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. “We’re thrilled with the water conservation solutions that this year’s challenge winners have proposed. The work of these and other young innovators will have a major impact on the water sector for years to come.”
This year’s grand prize winner in the high school division was “Team AGWE – God of Water: Be Empowered. Take Action.” The team, from the Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science in the Philippines, developed the concept for an experiential tool, which uses augmented reality to inspire action on water conservation.
The grand prize winner in the university division was “The Blue: Immersive Water Conservation Learning Experience.” The team, from the University of Boumerdes in Algeria, developed its idea for a dynamic and gamified learning experience focused on topics ranging from the benefits of rainwater capture to the importance of wastewater management.
Challenge participants were supported by volunteer mentors from Xylem, and nearly 260 teams worked on projects that were evaluated by judges from Xylem and global nonprofit organization EarthEcho International.
The winning teams, announced during a virtual awards ceremony on June 20, share a $20,000 prize pool and can join the Xylem Ignite Innovation Incubator to further develop their solutions. Participants in the incubator program will be paired with experienced water industry mentors from Xylem and receive grants to develop their projects further over a six-month period.
Now in its fourth year, the Global Student Innovation Challenge is part of Xylem Ignite, a global youth program designed to build a strong network of passionate student leaders and empower them to drive change in the water industry. Student participation in the program has grown nearly sevenfold since its inception in 2021, and the number of countries represented has tripled.
Source: Xylem Inc.
