Water scarcity is one of the defining challenges of our time—and solving it will require more than large-scale infrastructure. It will require new ideas, technologies and entrepreneurs capable of addressing the problem at its source.
This year, that innovation came from the 2026 EF Hult Prize winner, Flow Guard Solutions, a team of student entrepreneurs at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
“Meet @flowguard.solutions: the 2026 EF Hult Prize winner!
Watch their four-minute pitch ]above] and hear them answer questions from the judges at the Global Finals at @ashridgehouse in the UK.
Based at @kaustofficial in Saudi Arabia, Flow Guard Solutions is developing affordable, AI-powered smart meters that detect leaks, reduce water waste, and help address water scarcity —turning a pressing global challenge into an opportunity for scalable innovation.
Their journey began among 18,000 student startups from 130 countries. After progressing through Qualifiers, Nationals, the Digital Incubator, and the EF Hult Prize Accelerator, they earned their place on the Global Finals stage and secured $1M USD in seed funding.
Congratulations to Flow Guard Solutions, and to all our finalist teams for taking their ideas to the global stage! 🌍
© Hult Prize Foundation 2026