The Arab Youth Center (AYC) has opened registration worldwide for the eighth edition of ‘Youth Pitches’, inviting young people of all nationalities to submit innovative ideas and projects addressing water challenges by Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Participants will have opportunities to receive training, mentorship and project development support, with six teams advancing to present their solutions at the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
Through its focus on water innovation, this year’s edition aims to help young people develop practical, scalable solutions for a sector central to sustainable development, food security and economic opportunity. It also seeks to connect innovators with expertise, institutions and potential investors, encouraging partnerships that support the development of their projects beyond the conference.
The initiative is open to young people aged 18 to 35, including start-up founders, members of teams working on water challenges, and individuals with ideas and clear plans to develop products or projects. Eligible areas include water security and water use in agriculture, food, infrastructure, industry and communities, including solutions that use artificial intelligence, data, devices and emerging technologies.
Sultan Al Neyadi: Supporting youth innovation in a vital sector
H.E. Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of AYC, said: “The UAE believes that investing in young people’s capabilities is essential to strengthening communities’ readiness for the future, and that international cooperation delivers greater value when it enables young people to contribute to shared development priorities. The eighth edition of Youth Pitches, with its focus on water, reflects this approach. We seek to empower young innovators to contribute their knowledge and projects to a sector central to sustainable development, food security and economic opportunities for future generations.”
He added: “As the UAE hosts the 2026 UN Water Conference in partnership with the Republic of Senegal, we look forward to expanding youth participation in international cooperation on water and strengthening partnerships that help turn their innovations into practical solutions. We want this edition to lay the foundations for cooperation that continues beyond the conference, connecting innovators with institutions and investors that can adopt their projects and expand their development impact.”
Training, mentorship and a route to the finals for six teams
The eighth edition includes a three-week virtual training programme combining mentorship, project development and investment-readiness support. The third week will be dedicated to the top 20 participating start-ups as part of an acceleration stage. These start-ups will then present their projects virtually to a judging panel, which will select six teams to advance to the finals at the 2026 UN Water Conference.
During the conference, the six teams will present their solutions to a judging panel comprising strategic partners, water sector leaders, investors and government representatives.
Welcoming ideas and projects at different stages
Youth Pitches welcomes projects at the planning, launch and growth stages, with a focus on solutions that can be implemented, developed and scaled. Opening participation to young people worldwide will help attract innovations addressing diverse water needs and connect participants with expertise to strengthen their projects and prepare them to present to relevant institutions and investors.
AYC invites prospective participants to review the eligibility requirements and submit their applications through the Youth Pitches registration portal before applications close on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
