Environment ministry opens entries for 2026 water startup competition

The environment ministry said it will accept entries from Aug. 20 through Oct. 19 for South Korea's 2026 Water Industry Innovation Startup Competition, seeking climate-related water solutions.

Launched in 2020, the seventh annual contest seeks innovations to address water problems associated with the climate crisis, including floods and droughts, while advancing digital water management and water-energy integration.

The contest has an ideas category for the general public and a commercialization category for startups, covering water safety, water environment and water use, including AI-based water management and water-energy technologies. After document and presentation reviews, 18 teams -- nine in each category -- will receive boot-camp training to develop their ideas or business plans and strengthen presentation skills. The top four in each category will compete in a final event in November.

Winners will receive Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment awards and up to 20 million won ($14,174) in prize money. They will also receive patent and marketing training and opportunities to participate in domestic and overseas exhibitions through partner organizations.

Over the past six years, the competition has identified 108 innovative startups. Those businesses generated 148 billion won ($105 million) in revenue, attracted 64.1 billion won ($45.4 million) in investment and created 747 jobs. WaterTreeNes, which won the top prize last year, received an innovation award at CES 2026 in Las Vegas in January.

"In the era of climate crisis and the AI transformation, innovative water-management technologies are an important factor in strengthening national competitiveness," Kim Ho-eun, water-use policy director at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, said. "Through this contest, we will actively identify creative ideas and innovative technologies and support their development into growth engines for South Korea's water industry."