Xylem Global Student Innovation Challenge 2026

Water is essential to healthy communities, thriving economies, and a sustainable future. Yet growing demand, pollution, aging infrastructure, climate change, and unequal access continue to put pressure on water resources around the world.

The Xylem Global Student Innovation Challenge 2026 is your chance to tackle these critical issues head-on. Over eight weeks, students ages 13-25 from around the world will team up, get creative, and build solutions that make a real impact.

Challenge Statements

1. Water Quantity – Meeting the water demands of a changing world
2. Develop innovative solutions that help communities and industries meet growing water demands through efficiency, reuse, replenishment, smart technologies, and responsible water management.
3. Water Quality – Safeguarding water resources from pollution and degradation
4. Develop innovative solutions that protect water quality and human health by preventing, detecting, monitoring, removing, or reducing contaminants and pollution.
5. Water Access – Enabling universal access to reliable, affordable WASH services
6. Develop innovative solutions that expand reliable, equitable, and affordable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene by addressing infrastructure, economic, environmental, and geographic barriers.

Why Join?

1. $20,000 prize pool split between high school and university tracks
2. Mentorship and expert workshops to guide your ideas
3. A global stage to showcase your innovations

Whether you’re a coder, designer, or just passionate about making a difference, this is your chance to create something meaningful. Form a team of up to five people and get ready to innovate.

The future of water starts with bold ideas. Will yours be one of them? Register today.