PLANETech Ecosystem
Step into The Market Square, the beating heart of climate innovation. Here visionaries, changemakers, and entrepreneurs meet, connect, and learn from each other. The goal? To build a stronger ecosystem and forge a path towards a sustainable future. So, whether you're a startup looking to network, an investor looking for the next big idea, or a corporation looking for specific technology, this is the database for you.
XPRIZE is a global nonprofit organization that designs and operates large-scale incentive competitions to encourage technological innovation that solves significant global challenges. Founded in 1994 by Peter Diamandis, XPRIZE works to inspire inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs to address some of the world’s most pressing issues by offering substantial monetary rewards and media recognition.
The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative
XPRIZE Water Scarcity is sponsored by The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative (MBZWI). The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative is a nonprofit organization committed to driving coordinated action to address the growing threat of global water scarcity. Founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative seeks to harness the power of international cooperation, technological innovation, and strategic deployment, to overcome global water scarcity for the benefit of current and future generations
The Competition
XPRIZE Water Scarcity is a 5-year global competition set to drive a step change in desalination technologies- reimagining systems, methods, and materials. The prize will facilitate the widespread use of desalination in a manner that supports greater socio-economic equity and environmental sustainability.
This competition will address issues across desalination and water scarcity by:
- Encouraging future desalination systems to be more robust, affordable, and sustainable.
- Advancing novel membrane materials to make existing desalination systems more robust, affordable, and sustainable.
- Exciting innovators across the globe to get involved in developing public perception campaigns to address water scarcity from a broader perspective.
Through this multi-tracked competition, $119 million in total prizes are available to competitors across three competition paths:
■ Track A- Desalination: System-Level Innovation- the winning team will reliably and most sustainably generate one milion liters of potable water per day (1,000 m3/day) from seawater at the lowest cost to ensure global accessibility, over the course of 1 year.
■ Track B- Novel Membrane Materials– the winning team will demonstrate a novel membrane that can sustainably and cost-effectively treat seawater to potable water quality, using pressure-driven salt-water separation, with an operational lifetime of 10 years or more. The novel membrane should be a direct replacement for or a novel innovation on seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes.
■ Ideas Competition– The Value of Water- the winning team(s) wil devise the most novel, inclusive, engaging, and sustainable public perception campaign to transform the global perception of the value of water.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
XPRIZE competitions are driven by teams of innovative groups and individuals, comprising subject matter experts, enthusiasts, start-ups, student teams, amateurs, and all problem-solvers in between. A winning idea can come from anyone, anywhere.
PRIZE CATEGORIES
XPRIZE Water Scarcity is a multi-track competition that focuses on addressing the challenges and opportunities related to desalination and water access. It is structured into two complementing tracks designed to individually and collectively drive meaningful impact to access to water on a global scale.
$70M Track A – Desalination: System-Level Innovation
- $20M Moonshot Awards
$9.5M Track B – Novel Membrane Materials
HOW TO WIN
In addressing global water scarcity, we focus on two strategic pathways:
■ Track A – Desalination: System-Level Innovation – the winning team will reliably and most sustainably generate one million liters of potable water per day (1,000 m3/ day) from seawater at the lowest cost to ensure global accessibility, over the course of 1 year.
■ Track B – Novel Membrane Materials – the winning team will most sustainably and cost-effectively treat seawater to potable water quality, using pressure-driven salt-water separation with a 10+ year operational lifetime, as a direct replacement or innovation on SWRO membranes.
By concurrently implementing these advancements, we pave the way for a water-secure future that is both economically viable and environmentally sustainable.
How to Apply and Stay Updated
PLANETech collaborates closely with XPRIZE to promote and facilitate access for the Israeli climate tech ecosystem to participate in the competition. By applying here, you will gain access to all webinars and content related to the competition provided by us.
If you are part of an innovative group or an individual innovator, including subject matter experts, startups, student teams, amateurs, and problem-solvers, click the link to apply and share your information.
Teams that advance and meet the criteria will have the opportunity to connect with the XPRIZE team for an introductory call to better understand the fit and requirements for the application process.
-APPLY HERE-
For more information
Join the Market Square to tap into a network of startups, investors, and corporations focused on building a more sustainable world.
Bouygues Construction employs 32,500 people around the world, all driven by the greatest and most exciting responsibility of all – building for life.
For our customers in more than 60 countries, we deliver much more than projects. We build to create spaces, connections and opportunities. We improve daily life for millions of people by creating structures and buildings that welcome life in all its diversity, serving all our needs: housing, healthcare, education, work, tourism, leisure activities, public services, etc.
We are aware that everything we build is here to stay, and our legacy as builders will be with us for generations to come. This is why every day, we look for new solutions in order to design, renovate, and build differently. Our aim is to address the critical imperatives of the environmental transition: we are committed to making construction sustainable and less resource-intensive.
We support the development of low-carbon energy production and public transport infrastructures, and we construct and renovate buildings and neighbourhoods using low-carbon materials, optimising the design of our structures and taking account of their lifecycle.
Our mission: designing, building and maintaining sustainable transport infrastructure from our local roots, around the world.
Backed by a network of 1,000 construction business units and 3,000 material production units in more than 50 countries on five continents, the Group’s 65,000 employees act locally to connect communities and foster exchanges for today and tomorrow. Colas’ ambition is to be the world leader in innovative, sustainable mobility solutions.
In 2023, consolidated revenue at Colas totaled €16 billion (60% outside of France).
Equans is a world leader in the energy and services sector, with annual revenues of nearly €18,8 billion and almost 800,000 projects.
Equans has leading positions in Europe, which is the result of the history of energy construction in these countries, and strong presences in North and South America and in Oceania.
With nearly 90,000 highly skilled employees, Equans has a strong geographic footprint, anchored by historic local brands. Equans provides its customers with excellent technical expertise in the design, installation, maintenance and operation of multi-technical facilities.
In May 2023, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) announced the launch of JLR’s Open Innovation program in Tel Aviv. The program fosters disruptive mobility innovation and strengthen relationships between JLR and Israeli start-ups, scale-ups, corporate entities, investors, and academia as part of JLR’s Reimagine strategy.
TCS has been a partner to JLR for more than a decade, contributing to the success of key transformation initiatives across its value chain, including sustainability and digital services. This latest partnership expands JLR’s Open Innovation program to Israel, and supports its Reimagine strategy to accelerate its electric first modern luxury future.
The program leverages TCS’ Co-Innovation Network (COIN™) in Israel, to identify local technology offerings and scale them to global mobility solutions and services. It explores opportunities in various domains including electrification, connectivity, digital services, metaverse, intelligent enterprise, manufacturing, supply chain and sustainability.
NTT Innovation Laboratory Israel LTD (NTT IL) is a focal point to NTT in Israel, established as a wholly owned subsidiary of NTT on 1 July 2021.
NTT IL aims to build and strengthen the relationship between the Israeli innovation ecosystem and NTTG and customers.
NTT Israel offers the NTTG a free reach-out to the Israeli innovation ecosystem where more than 9000 startups and
80 Unicorn companies (10% of the world’s unicorn) eager to collaborate. By collaborating with us you will gain key access to Israel’s novel technologies, business models and partnerships.
NTT IL collaborates with Israeli companies and academia developing cutting-edge technologies in various fields.
NTT is a 150 Years Old , Japanese telecom company leading the world in providing technology and business solutions.
With $100B in revenue and more than 330,000 employees in over 80 countries and regions, NTT has 1,000 subsidiaries, leads the Japanese communications market, and is a Fortune 100 company.
INGL is a government owned company that holds the license to plan, build and operate Israel’s natural gas transmission network, and it’s future H2 network.
We operate over 1,000Km of Natural gas transmission network below ground, and at sea, and maintain dozens of facilities across the country.
INGL operates 3 main divisions: Engineering, Construction, Operations.
We are seeking technologies around:
Climate Tech
Construction Tech
Energy Tech (H2, but not only)
Gen AI (procurement, engineering, operations)
Homeland security
Under this umbrella, we welcome startup companies as well as establish technology companies to come work with us.
Based in Hong Kong, Ekpac Group is one of the largest procurement solution providers of advanced industrial technologies in Greater China. We assist our clients in meeting their business needs by upgrading their product or service offerings and improving operational efficiency through the introduction of advanced technologies sourced globally. Our focus areas include healthcare, agriculture, water, clean energy ,industrial, and search and rescue industries.
The company focuses on leveraging global advanced technologies and financing solutions to enhance agricultural efficiency and sustainability. Ekpac’s climate strategy emphasizes innovation, operational efficiency, and the adoption of clean-tech solutions to tackle environmental challenges such as water and air pollution. This approach underlines their commitment to sustainability and climate leadership.
The Israel Electric Corporation (“IEC”) is a public and government-owned company, generating and supplying electricity to all sectors in the economy. Established in 1923, IEC is a dominant player in the Israeli electricity sector and is an essential service provider of electricity in Israel, and the sole vertically integrated provider in the electricity chain. IEC activities include the generation, transmission, distribution, supply, and sale of electricity. IEC supplies reliable and high-quality electricity, compiles with leading standards, maintaining economic, commercial, and environmental principles.
IEC is dedicated to advancing its climate and sustainability goals through various technological innovations. The company is particularly exploring solutions in the following areas, among others:
1. Digital Twin- Development of physical models for the planning and operation of the electricity grid.
2. Underground power distribution systems- Strategic solutions for cost reduction in the establishment of underground power distribution systems.
3. Grid Digital Monitoring- Implementation of digital monitoring systems across all voltage levels of the electricity grid for fault detection and predictive maintenance.
4. Storage, EV and renewable energy integration to the Grid- Development of hardware and interfaces for the integration of storage systems, EVs, and renewable energy sources into the grid.
5. Hydrogen Technology and Carbon Capture- Advancements in hydrogen technology and carbon capture for power generation.
6. Automation and Robotics- Utilization of automation and robotics to improve operational efficiency in power plant processes.
7. Heat Utilization Technologies- Technologies for residual heat utilization and efficiency enhancement.
8. Customer Service Efficiency- Optimization of customer service frameworks to reduce service costs.
9. Customer Journey Improvement- Enhancing the customer journey and accessibility of digital services.
10. AI-Based Automation- Implementation of AI-based automation in customer service and billing processes.
Note: The list of challenges provided is not exhaustive. Submissions addressing any relevant challenges that align with the core business operations of Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) are welcome and encouraged.
Netafim is the world’s largest irrigation company and a global leader in precision agriculture solutions that address food, water and land scarcity for a sustainable future. By specializing in end-to-end solutions from the water source to the root zone, Netafim delivers irrigation and greenhouse projects as well as landscape and mining irrigation solutions supported by engineering, project management and financing services. Netafim is also leading the way in digital farming, irrigation and fertigation through integrating real-time monitoring, analysis and automated control into one system. With 33 subsidiaries, 19 manufacturing plants, 2 recycling plants and more than 4,500 employees worldwide, Netafim delivers innovative, tailor-made irrigation and fertigation solutions to millions of farmers, allowing smallholders to large-scale agricultural producers and investors in over 100 countries to grow more with less.
Netafim’s Climate and sustainability goals include both internal targets, focusing on reducing our own footprint in production and supply chain, as well as significantly focusing on promoting circularity solutions, to reduce the plastic footprint around the world.
Externally we focus on promoting solutions aimed at reducing greenhouse gasses emissions, increase soil-carbon sequestration, reduce water utilization and promote regenerative agriculture on most of its facets, mainly soil health and biodiversity.
We are a multinational company changing the face of energy, one of the world’s leading integrated utilities. As the largest private player in producing clean energy with renewable sources we have more than 88 GW of total capacity, including around 61 GW of renewables. Distributing electricity through a network of more than 2 million kilometers to over 73 million end users, being the first private network operator globally, and proudly bringing energy to approximately 65 million homes and businesses. We’re leading the fight against climate change through our commitment to total decarbonization. We aim to reach zero emissions by 2040: that’s much earlier and much more ambitious than the global net zero goal set for 2050. We’re committed to eliminating emissions across all our direct operations, and indirectly through our suppliers and customers. We’ll also exit the natural gas business so that all the energy we provide to our customers is renewable electricity.
Tadiran group is a leading provider of quality products and solutions for air conditioning as well as new energy. Tadiran is driven by technological innovation and puts emphasis on renewable energy solutions.
Access will revolutionize the way we live by building a unique eco-system that encourages and promotes the introduction of new disruptive technologies in all phases of the construction industry.
With ample support from the Shapir Group, Access will become the foundation upon which startup companies will disrupt the global construction industry with new materials, processes and, means that will change the course of its future.
The strategic partnership with Shapir will expose the startups to real-life situations and the pressures of the industrial and commercial environment, constantly honing the new product specifications, accelerating the development processes and, helping the young companies reach the markets faster, better prepared, and ready for success.
We are the largest agricultural co-operative in Israel, with over 41 kibbutzim represented, located in the centre of Israel.
Our operations includes over 30 factories and corporations, mainly focused on agriculture and the needs of its members.
Key businesses are poultry and avocado production and marketing, dairy farms and livestock feed, In addition to other activities.
Granot collaborates with innovative start-ups and major domestic and international corporations to advance business development and has recentaly established a sustainability arm to leverage lessons learned into holistic solutions.
We’re leading the change towards sustainble agriculture across all sectors, reducing emissions across our direct and indirect operations, focusing on dairy, poultry, plantation and other crops. We aim to integrate novel solutions that farmers apply directly to their supply chain, solving our pressing challenges and assisting us with reaching our sustainability targets.
Konnect is the Innovation Hub of the Volkswagen Group in Israel, founded in 2018 and based in Tel Aviv – the heart of the Startup Nation. Konnect’s mission is to spearhead the discovery, evaluation, and integration of Israeli pioneering technologies in the Volkswagen Group vehicles and factories. Konnect’s startup PoC and project innovation activities support the Volkswagen Group’s mission: “Shaping Mobility for Generations to come.
The company has set clear interim targets to drive this transformation, such as reducing CO2 emissions by 50% for operations and 30% for vehicle use phase by 2030, and increasing the share of circular materials to 40% by 2040. Volkswagen is taking a holistic approach by decarbonizing manufacturing, supply chain, and vehicle use phase, while also protecting biodiversity through nature-based solutions and increasing circularity through recycling and circular business models. with ambitious targets for reducing emissions, increasing circularity, and protecting biodiversity across its operations and value chain.
Volkswagen Group’s sustainability strategy Regenerate+ has four dimensions: Nature, Our People, Society, and Business. Key goals include:
– Achieving net carbon neutrality by 2050, with interim targets for reducing emissions from operations, supply chain, and vehicle use phase.
– Increasing the share of circular materials to 40% by 2040 and supporting biodiversity protection.
– Fostering a diverse, inclusive workforce with excellent health and safety standards.
– Shaping responsible and sustainable supply chains, increasing positive social impact.
– Promoting sustainable business models, strengthening green financing, and driving electrification of its vehicle portfolio.