Saudi Arabia will host one of the world’s most influential gatherings dedicated to water innovation and sustainability this month in Jeddah.

The Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference (IDWS 2025) will take place from December 8 to 10 at The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, under the patronage of Prince Khalid Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region.

Organised by the Saudi Water Authority (SWA), IDWS 2025 will convene global leaders, policymakers, innovators, and industry pioneers to address the planet’s most pressing water challenges and accelerate the transition toward a secure and sustainable water future.

A centrepiece of the conference, the Global Prize for Innovation in Water (GPIW) will recognise and fund breakthrough solutions that reimagine how the world produces, treats, and reuses water. The GPIW stands as the largest water innovation prize in the region (worth over $2 million) and among the most significant globally. 

Returning for its second edition, Miyahthon (The Water Innovation Hackathon) invites young innovators, startups, technologists, and entrepreneurs to co-create scalable solutions spanning the entire water cycle, from production and reuse to digital transformation and efficient management.

As part of its commitment to capacity building, the Water Academy will launch a series of advanced professional development programmes in partnership with London Business School and 15 international training institutions.

IDWS 2025 will host specialised technical workshops focusing on emerging technologies, regulatory frameworks, financing models, and sustainability strategies.

A major highlight of the conference is the international exhibition, which will feature cutting-edge technologies and newly-launched products across water treatment, desalination, and resource management. Several new solutions will be unveiled for the first time in the region. Participating organisations include Siemens, ABB, Saudi Services for Electro Mechanic Works (SSEM), Saudi Investment Bank, ACWA Power, KSB, the Local Content & Government Procurement Authority, and Toray.