JEDDAH: The fourth Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference, organized by the Saudi Water Authority, is underway in Jeddah, drawing global attention to breakthroughs in water technology and governance.

Running until Dec. 10, the event has attracted more than 55 investors from leading companies in the US, UK, Germany, Mexico, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi honored the winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Water, as well as the 12 winners of impact medals following a global competition that drew more than 2,500 innovators from 119 countries.

The Grand Impact Prize was awarded to Han Qing Yu of China, while the Grand Discovery Prize went to Guihua Yu of the US.

The total value of the awards across all stages was $10 million, recognizing efforts to transform research ideas into technologies ready for real-world application.

The winning innovations spanned six key tracks vital to the water sector: advanced water production technologies, water quality improvement and reuse, smart treatment solutions, scaling-reduction technologies, digital models for process optimization and automation, and sustainability-focused innovations.

A roundtable at the conference provided a platform for international dialogue on the future of water governance and water-sector economics between Saudi Arabia and the US.

The session looked at advanced global models for water governance and explored opportunities for cooperation to enhance regional management of infrastructure, transportation, and treatment services, the SPA reported.

The discussion highlighted the Orange County Water District’s model for groundwater management, showing how integrated coordination among local entities can sustain water resources and ensure reliable supplies.

Additionally, 36 startups showcased scalable innovations in desalination, treatment, reuse, network management, loss reduction, and artificial-intelligence-driven smart systems.

The event is establishing itself as a key economic platform, helping to convert innovations into market value exceeding SR1 billion ($266 million) by connecting startups with investors and decision-makers locally and internationally.

Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim, Saudi Water Authority’s president, spoke of a gap between the importance of water in the global economy — in which it contributes about 60 percent of global output — and the low investment in environmental innovation, which does not exceed 1 percent.

He added that water-related patents represented only 5 percent of total environmental patents, while venture investment in the sector remained below 0.5 percent.

Al-Abdulkarim stressed that transcontinental challenges required combined efforts across disciplines — not only in technologies but also in business models, financing mechanisms, and policies — and that global innovation exchange was the true driver of the future.

Jeddah’s governor announced the launch of the Water Oasis in Rabigh at the event, one of the world’s most advanced integrated research and innovation ecosystems for water and supply-chain solutions.

He also toured the conference site, which features more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest in desalination, water reuse, digital transformation, regulatory governance, and emerging water technologies.