Call for Proposal for The/Nudge Prize- Ashirvad Water Challenge (Publication date: 29 April, 2022) (Results)

The/Nudge Foundation, and Ashirvad Pipes, in partnership with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India announced a prize for start-ups and innovators working on solutions to provide clean drinking water to the underprivileged and rural households. The initiative aims to support solutions that address population-scale water challenges. 

With a total prize purse of ₹2.5 crore (₹75 lakh grand prize for the winning solution and runner up and milestone grants for finalists), the program will run for 18 months and will support entrepreneurs in developing, testing, and scaling solutions through a network of investors, mentors, technology and knowledge partners, and policy circle advisors.

The challenge will give impetus to the government’s Jal Jeevan Mission to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections in rural India by 2024.

The/Nudge Foundation and Ashirvad Pipes believe in the grassroot innovation capabilities and entrepreneurial mindset of Indians. The prize, therefore, is expected to not only supplement the Jal Jeevan Mission through out-of-the-box and scalable ideas but also drive a larger awareness of the issue.

The prize seeks solutions pertaining to source water purification, smart distribution and storage provisions ensuring sustained clean drinking water availability and accessibility, and recycling solutions like water source recharge, desalination, wastewater treatment to increase availability of drinking water in regions with water scarcity.

Solutions may include but not limited to

1.  Source water purification to remove metal contamination and other impurities.

2. Smart Distribution and Storage provisions ensuring sustained drinking water availability to communities.

3. Provisions for clean drinking water in difficult terrains and removing social barriers to access.

4. Recycling solutions like water source recharge, desalination, wastewater treatment to increase availability of drinking water in regions with water scarcity.

Evaluation Criteria

1. Impact 

2. Sustainability 

3. Scalability

Who is eligible to apply?

1. The/Nudge Prize- Ashirvad Water Challenge is open to individuals, groups of individuals, and organisations (profit and non-profit) that have a solution to increase access to clean drinking water for domestic use.

2. You must have a registered organisation (for, or not-for profit) in India by December 2022 in order to receive a grant.

Last Date to apply is May 10, 2022

Click here to apply .

For more details, Click here