The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is launching the National Water Innovation Hackathon 2026 in India, inviting youth innovators, startups and community-based organizations across India to develop practical and scalable solutions to address the country’s growing water challenges.
Launched on World Water Day on March 22, the hackathon will run through to World Environment Day on June 5, bridging critical themes of water, circularity, gender and climate action. The initiative aims to promote sustainable water management and strengthen gender-equitable participation and leadership in water governance across India’s water-stressed regions.
The Water Innovation Hackathon is designed to bring together diverse stakeholders — from young innovators to grassroots institutions — to co-create solutions that are inclusive, climate-smart and scalable. The hackathon provides a platform to showcase ideas that can address pressing challenges such as groundwater depletion, inefficient water use in agriculture, and limited access to safe water.
The first category, Youth Innovators, is open to Indian citizens aged 18–35 years, welcoming individuals or teams of up to three members, including students, researchers, young professionals, entrepreneurs and grassroots innovators. Women and youth from Indigenous and marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply. This category focuses on data-driven innovations for smarter water solutions, wastewater and circular-economy innovations, and AI for disaster preparedness and early action, encouraging science-backed ideas and research-driven concepts.
The second category, Community-led Innovations, is open to NGOs, startups, self-help groups, community-based organizations, and academic and research institutions working on water-related challenges. This category focuses on inclusive, community-led water governance and climate-smart water management, encouraging science-backed innovations that demonstrate at least a prototype or proof of concept.
What participants need to submit
Proposals should clearly outline the water-related challenge being addressed, ensuring alignment with the identified themes, along with the proposed solution, its expected impact, and a detailed implementation plan including timeline and key stakeholders. Submissions should also describe the community engagement strategy, with a particular focus on women’s participation, along with an estimated budget.
Awards and opportunities
Innovation recognition and grants will be provided to support promising innovations:
- INR 50,000, INR 30,000, and INR 20,000 for the winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up in the Best Youth Innovator category.
- INR 100,000 for the Best Community-led Initiative
In addition, selected participants will benefit from certificates, recognition and mentorship from experts.
Application process
Please read the guidelines and submit your application through the submission link by April 22.
For any difficulties in submitting the form or for additional information, please contact: t.bhaduri@cgiar.org
