11:32 am - February 14, 2026
**Dubai**: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s CleanTech Hackathon attracted 193 applications from seven countries, focusing on innovative solutions for climate change, water scarcity, and sustainability. Winners presented groundbreaking technologies, supporting the UAE’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and fostering collaboration among innovators and investors.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) recently hosted the third edition of the CleanTech Hackathon at its Sustainability and Innovation Centre, attracting an impressive 193 applications from seven countries. This event is part of DEWA’s involvement in the ‘UAE Innovates 2025’ initiative, which aims to foster innovation and creativity in the UAE.
The focus of this year’s competition was on developing innovative solutions to combat climate change, address the global issue of water scarcity, and promote environmental sustainability. Participants included companies, innovators, university students, and specialists in sustainable innovation, all eager to propose advancements in crucial areas such as desalination, decarbonisation, digitisation, energy efficiency, and carbon emission reduction.
DEWA’s Managing Director and CEO, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, remarked on the initiative’s significance, stating, “The Sustainability and Innovation Centre supports our efforts to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of the Emirate’s energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.” He added that the centre has emerged as a global platform uniting innovators, investors, and experts to develop projects promoting clean energy and energy efficiency while reducing the carbon footprint.
Waleed bin Salman, DEWA’s Executive Vice President for Business Development and Excellence, highlighted the opportunities for the winners, noting that they could connect with local and global investors, researchers, and industry leaders. Moreover, winning projects are showcased during DEWA’s CleanTech Innovators Exhibition and the Cleantech Connect programme.
The winners from this cycle included Hueck Solar Energy from Germany for its innovative concentrated solar power (CSP) technology, Econano Water Treatment from the UAE for its method using metal-doped ZnO nanoparticles and solar energy to purify water, and Hydrowind Energy from the UAE which proposed solutions for clean electricity, grid-scale energy storage, and seawater desalination. Other notable winners were Ecobeat from the UAE, which developed an AI-powered solution for water and energy management, and DoGood People from Spain, a platform aimed at empowering individuals to make sustainability a reality.
Historically, the CleanTech Hackathon has seen growing participation, with the inaugural cycle attracting 100 participants from various backgrounds, and the second cycle receiving over 160 applications from 25 different nationalities across 20 universities globally.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- http://www.mbrsic.ae/en/join-us/cleantech-hackathon/ – This URL supports the information about the CleanTech Hackathon, including its focus on desalination, decarbonisation, and digitalisation, as well as its connection to the UAE Innovates initiative.
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2025/02/dewa-launches-3rd-cycle-of-cleantech-hackathon – This URL corroborates the details about the third cycle of the CleanTech Hackathon, including the number of applications and participating countries, and its alignment with UAE Innovates 2025.
- https://techxmedia.com/en/dewa-to-host-cleantech-innovators-exhibition-in-february-2025/ – This URL confirms the hosting of the CleanTech Innovators Exhibition by DEWA, which showcases winning projects from the CleanTech Hackathon.
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/our-vision-and-mission/dubai-clean-energy-strategy-2050 – Although not directly provided in the search results, this URL would typically support information about DEWA’s efforts towards achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.
- https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/our-vision-and-mission/dubai-net-zero-carbon-emissions-strategy-2050 – Similar to the previous URL, this would typically provide details on DEWA’s commitment to the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This URL is mentioned as the source of the original article but does not provide additional corroboration beyond the text itself.
- https://www.emirates247.com/business/energy/dewa-launches-3rd-cycle-of-cleantech-hackathon-2025-02-26-1.738075 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The event is recent, occurring in February 2025, and is part of ongoing initiatives like ‘UAE Innovates 2025’. There are no indications of outdated information.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Quotes from Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer and Waleed bin Salman are provided but could not be verified as original or first-time usage. No earlier references were found online.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from Emirates247, which is not as widely recognized as major international news outlets like BBC or Reuters. However, it is a regional publication with some credibility.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the CleanTech Hackathon and its focus areas are plausible and align with DEWA’s known initiatives and goals.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to be fresh and plausible, aligning with DEWA’s ongoing initiatives. However, the source reliability is somewhat limited due to the regional nature of the publication. Quotes could not be verified as original, but this does not significantly impact the overall credibility.
