Today, global water technology company Xylem announced the continued operation of its international student development program Xylem Ignite.
Since the program’s inception last year, Xylem Ignite has engaged more than 6,600 students in creative water-oriented hackathons and sustainability events, including participants from 47 countries competing in the company’s Global Student Innovation Challenge. The event’s challenges included reducing the water footprint of everyday products, gamifying water quality education, predicting urban floods and designing a water system for life on Mars.
The program expands upon Xylem’s 25-year sponsorship of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) with innovation competitions, community outreach initiatives and a global innovation incubator program. SJWP is one of 60 youth-oriented events Xylem invests in, around the world, under the banner of Xylem Ignite.
The winner of the 2021 SJWP will be announced at a ceremony on August 24, during World Water Week. The annual competition brings together students from 40 countries and has enabled an estimated 125,000 youth innovators to bring forward solutions to urgent water challenges since the competition began in 1996.
“Stockholm Junior Water Prize celebrates young people’s determination to be part of a better future,” said Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director at Stockholm International Water Institute. “The passion and ingenuity that all participants show is truly inspiring and an important contribution to the global water world.”
Participants can also apply to be a part of the Xylem Ignite Innovation Incubator. The Incubator program provides up to 12 months’ support for participants to scale up their innovations and advance them toward market readiness.
Through Xylem’s partnership with City Football Group and its global foundation program, Cityzens Giving, youth can use the power of football to provide water education to millions of fans around the world. And through Xylem’s corporate citizenship program, Xylem Watermark, youth-led community outreach initiatives can promote water, sanitation and hygiene practices.
SOURCE: Xylem
