Articles from HCL Group

HCL Group, in partnership with UpLink - the early-stage innovation initiative of the World Economic Forum - has launched the fifth global challenge under the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative, titled Transforming Water Systems. Applications will be open from 22 April to 4 June 2026. The top 10 winners will receive a total financial award of CHF 1.75 million. For details on eligibility and application criteria, visit: UpLink - Transforming Water Systems.

HCL Group, a leading global conglomerate, and UpLink, the World Economic Forum’s early-stage innovation initiative, have announced the winners of the ‘Water Resilience Challenge,’ the fourth in a series of five challenges under the five-year, CHF 15 million Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative launched by HCL Group. The announcement marks a significant step in the ongoing mission to address global water challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Global conglomerate HCL Group and UpLink, early-stage innovation initiative of the World Economic Forum, have announced the fourth challenge of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative, the Water Resilience Challenge. The announcement was made at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China. Applications are open until August 4, 2025, with winners to be announced in January 2026. The top 10 winners will receive a total financial award of CHF1.75 million divided amongst the innovators. For detailed information and eligibility criteria, visit: https://wef.ch/4kTNwHD

HCL Group, a leading global conglomerate, and UpLink, the World Economic Forum’s early-stage innovation initiative, have announced the winners of the 'Tackling Water Pollution Challenge,’ the third in a series of five challenges under the five-year, CHF 15 million Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative launched by HCL Group. The announcement marks a significant step in the ongoing mission to address global water challenges through groundbreaking innovation and entrepreneurship.

HCL Group, a global conglomerate, and UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, announced the third challenge of the Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative, the “Tackling Water Pollution Challenge.” This announcement was made during the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia. The application deadline for submission is 31st August 2024. The winners will be announced in January 2025, and the top 10 winners will receive a total financial award of 1.75M CHF. Detailed information and eligibility requirements can be accessed through the following link.

Securing the world’s global freshwater ecosystems, under increasing threat from climate change, population growth and consumer demand, has become more critical than ever. To tackle this escalating crisis, UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, in partnership with global conglomerate HCL Group, has announced 10 water-focused entrepreneurs who will share CHF1.75 million ($1.9 million) from HCL Group to scale their innovations.

HCL Group, a global conglomerate and UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, today announced the top 10 water-focussed entrepreneurs who will receive a financial award from a total pool of 1.9 million CHF as part of the Zero Water Waste Challenge. HCL Group committed $15 million investment in total to drive freshwater sector innovation for five years until 2027. In less than a year, HCL Group’s commitment saw a 10x return on its investment as the first cohort of ‘Aquapreneurs’ collectively raised $54.5 million after joining the UpLink Innovation Ecosystem.

HCL, a global conglomerate and UpLink, the open innovation platform of the World Economic Forum, announced today that applications have opened for the Global Freshwater Innovation Challenge. This is the first out of five Challenges of the HCL and UpLink’s Aquapreneur Innovation Initiative, a programme to source innovative solutions to conserve and restore freshwater ecosystems, from ‘aquapreneurs’ (water focused entrepreneurs). The Initiative, launched during the Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in May 2022, will create a first-of-its-kind innovation ecosystem for the global freshwater sector. The last date to apply is November 08, 2022. Full details and eligibility criteria can be found at this link. HCL has committed $15 million over five years to support the water focused entrepreneurs.

Water security has never been more urgent. With the global population set to hit 8.5 billion by 2030, pressure is increasing on the world’s limited supply of freshwater. By 2030, the global demand for water will have exceeded sustainable supply by 40%. In addition to immediate and dire consequences to people’s health and food production, a lack of access to clean water can limit economic growth by up to one-third, as well as have adverse effects on natural biodiversity and social fabrics. Governments and businesses must bring freshwater to the forefront of their strategies, and innovation will play a key role in their success.

HCL Group and UNLEASH, a global innovation program for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), announced a year-long collaboration to mobilize youth and develop innovative solutions to promote aquatic ecosystem conservation. These solutions will aim to tackle challenges from Source (mountains & glaciers) to Sink (oceans and seas) and their links to terrestrial ecosystems.