Innovation Competition in Morocco 2026 for Water Management with Prizes of up to MAD 150,000
Applicant criteria
- No specific age required
- Both
Opportunity criteria
Opportunity description
TAQA Morocco has opened applications for the TAQA Morocco Innovation Challenge 2026, one of the awards and competitions focused on innovation and sustainability. The challenge aims to develop practical and innovative solutions to address water management challenges in rural areas of Morocco.
The challenge targets applicants with implementable solutions, including startups, researchers, PhD students, early-career researchers, and academic teams, with a particular focus on projects that have moved beyond the initial idea stage and reached a prototype or a level that allows the solution to be tested and its impact evaluated. Projects should focus on improving access to drinking water, water treatment and quality, and the management and valorization of water resources.
The competition is part of a broader group of awards and competitions supporting environmental innovation, entrepreneurship, and scientific research. It encourages the use of technology and digital innovation, including sensors, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and modeling, to develop scalable and practical solutions that can improve water-use efficiency and strengthen sustainability in rural areas.
Target Categories
The challenge includes two main categories:
- Startups based in Morocco or operating in Morocco.
- Researchers, research students, PhD students, early-career researchers, and academic teams from universities, engineering schools, and research centers.
In the researcher category, applicants may apply individually or as part of a team of up to two people.
Challenge Areas
Projects should address one or more of the following areas:
- Access to drinking water.
- Water treatment and quality improvement.
- Water resource management and valorization.
Priority is given to solutions that use tools and technologies such as:
- Artificial intelligence.
- Data analysis.
- Smart sensors.
- Modeling.
- Digital technologies.
- Scalable solutions that can be implemented in real-world settings.
Benefits
The challenge will select:
- One winner from the researcher category.
- One winner from the startup category.
Each winner will receive a prize worth up to MAD 150,000, including:
- Participation in the 2027 World Water Forum in Riyadh.
- Coverage of travel and accommodation expenses to attend the forum from March 21 to 25, 2027.
- A high-performance laptop.
- Technical equipment to support the development, testing, or deployment of the project.
- Exposure and visibility for the project through the TAQA Morocco Innovation Program.
Eligibility criteria
- The project must address a challenge related to water management or water sustainability.
- The solution must have progressed beyond the initial idea stage.
- Applicants should have an MVP, prototype, or a clearly demonstrated level of technical maturity.
- The project should have a potential or proven social and environmental impact.
- The solution must be practical and scalable.
- The project should include a clear element of innovation.
- Applicants must have a team capable of developing and implementing the project.
- For the researcher category, applicants may apply individually or as part of a team of up to two people.
- Applicants must comply with the requirements of their selected category and submit all required information through the platform.
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