Riyadh: Thirty-six startups, including 12 winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW), showcased solutions and technologies for the water sector during "Deal Day," held on the sidelines of the Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference (IDWS 2025), with over 50 investors and investment funds from 10 countries in attendance. According to Saudi Press Agency, participants presented innovative solutions for water production, treatment, and reuse, with the combined market value of the participating companies exceeding SAR1 billion, highlighting growing investment opportunities in water technology development. The event featured two main tracks: the Innovation Track, focusing on turning ideas into practical applications through hackathon stages within a collaborative and learning-oriented environment for innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs; and the Investment Adoption Track, which aims to promote the uptake of ready innovations and connect patents directly to the market, providing inv estors with opportunities and facilitating the growth of startups while accelerating technology transfer. Deal Day is organized by the Saudi Water Innovation Center, the innovation arm of the Saudi Water Authority, which focuses on developing innovations and building startups specializing in desalination, treatment, and water reuse. The center aims to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem through incubation programs, accelerators, and technology transfer from research and development stages.
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