The Oman Humanitarian Desalination Challenge is a 700,000 USD global water prize led by MEDRC  and The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

Announced in March 2018, the challenge calls for the delivery of a low-cost, stand-alone, hand-held desalination device, that would be suitable for short term use and rapid deployment in the event of a humanitarian crisis. The registration window for the third cycle of the competition closed on May 31, 2023 and the challenge has now entered the judging phase.

The prize has drawn interest from teams representing a diverse set of experiences and backgrounds including the world’s foremost water research centers, globally renowned companies, startups alongside individual innovators and problem solvers. Geographic diversity was also notable with applications from Africa, East Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

 From the original pool of 57 applications and following a preliminary review round when 29 teams were announced as qualified competitors, 16 teams completed the challenge within the set time frame and submitted their device for the judge’s review.

Submissions have been received in the form of a video showcasing the device in operation with an accompanying written narrative detailing how the device meets each of the prize criteria.

MEDRC will review each submission before inviting a select few devices for onsite testing.

Testing will be conducted at the MEDRC facility by an international panel of expert judges and is expected to take place in November.