The World CleanTech StartUPs Awards 2025
#WCSA2025
The #WCSA2025 Awards Ceremony
aa the ACWA Power Innovation Days 2026
January 26-28, 2026 I Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
featuring Four Distinguished Categories:
ACWA Power Innovation Award
Visionary Founder Award
(Dr. Charlie Gay Award)
Visionary Investor Award
(Paddy Padmanathan Award)
Visionary Accelerator Award
(Prof. Eicke R. Weber Award)
Powered by
Strategical Partner
Supporting Partners
Pitch Your CleanTech Disruption
#CreateTheFuture #WCSA2025
About #WCSA2025 Awards
The World CleanTech Startups Awards (WCSA) is an esteemed annual global competition that recognizes the most innovative and disruptive CleanTech startups, alongside their visionary founders, investors, and highly effective accelerators.
WCSA aims to inspire and promote growth within the CleanTech industry by providing startups with a platform to showcase their groundbreaking solutions. This initiative not only highlights significant advancements in clean technology but also supports the global movement towards sustainability by celebrating the key contributors who are driving change.
Building on the success of its inaugural #WCSA2023 and #WCSA2024 editions, #WCSA2025 features four distinct categories — one dedicated to the most innovative StartUPs and three recognising outstanding personalities within the global CleanTech StartUP ecosystem:
1. The #WCSA2025 ACWA Power Innovation Award
This award is given to the startup that demonstrates the most impactful, visionary, and disruptive technology innovation. It recognizes groundbreaking contributions to the CleanTech sector that have the potential to significantly alter industry standards and practices.
2. The #WCSA2025 Visionary Founder Award (Dr. Charlie Gay Award)
This award honors a founder who has significantly advanced clean technologies from niche to mainstream markets, thereby driving transformative change in the industry.
3. The #WCSA2025 Visionary Investor Award (Paddy Padmanathan Award)
This award is presented to an investor who has played a pivotal role in scaling clean technologies globally, supporting startups that catalyze sustainable development.
4. The #WCSA2025 Visionary Accelerator Award (Prof. Eicke R. Weber Award): This award recognizes an accelerator that has effectively nurtured groundbreaking innovations in the CleanTech sector, helping to bring disruptive technologies to the forefront of the global market.
Powered by ACWA Power and in strategic partnership with the CleanTech Business Club and supported by its leading and trusted partnering events and organisations, the #WCSA2025 Awards feature a judging panel comprised of industry experts and leading CleanTech entrepreneurs.
This panel will select the finalists and the winner of the #WCSA2025 ACWA Power Innovation Award.
The CleanTech Pioneers, after whom the three personality categories are named, have been granted exclusive authority to nominate candidates for their respective awards. Their nominations will then be formally confirmed by the jury through acclamation.
The judging panel will consider the following criteria when selecting finalists and the winner of the #WCSA2024 ACWA Power Innovation Award:
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Innovation: The level of novelty and ingenuity in the proposed solution.
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Feasibility: Is the solution feasible, taking into consideration technical, economic, and social factors?
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Impact: The potential for the solution to generate positive environmental, social, and economic impact.
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Sustainability: The degree to which the solution aligns with sustainable principles and contributes to a circular economy.
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Scalability: The potential for the solution to be implemented on a large scale and have a significant impact on the clean technology industry.
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Disruption: The extent to which the proposed solution challenges the status quo and accelerates the clean technology transformation through a disruptive approach.
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The potential for the startup to attract investment or funding, based on the strength and experience of its team, business model, technology, growth prospects, and overall fundability.
By considering these criteria, the jury members will be able to identify the most promising and innovative CleanTech startups that have the potential to make a significant contribution to building a greener, more sustainable, and regenerative future.
Startups may submit their entries between November 25, 2025 and December 12, 2025 via the dedicated submission webpage (HERE).
Winners across all four categories will be officially announced during the #WCSA2025 Awards Ceremony, held as part of the ACWA Power Innovation Days 2026 from January 26 to 28, 2026.
Why Participate?
Join us in our shared mission to accelerate sustainability and shape a greener, cleaner future.
As a finalist, you will be invited to the #WCSA2025 Hearing of Finalists and Awards Ceremony, taking place during the ACWA Power Innovation Days 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 26–28, 2026.
This unique platform will enable you to engage directly with hundreds of global industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers attending the Innovation Days.
You will also be invited to participate in an exclusive CBC Leadership TV Talk, supported by a powerful communication campaign across the marketing and social media platforms of #WCSA2025 and all partner organisations — giving your startup visibility to thousands of potential stakeholders worldwide.
The winner of the #WCSA2025 ACWA Power Innovation Award will gain the extraordinary opportunity to explore further development possibilities with ACWA Power, one of the world’s most influential players in renewable energy, desalination, clean hydrogen, and energy storage.
From bold ambition to transformative innovation, your ideas can help accelerate the global CleanTech, Clean Hydrogen and Clean Water transformation.
Share your vision. Inspire change. Help build a sustainable world.
#TogetherWeAreStronger
Key dates
November 25, 2025
Launch of the #WCA2025 Awards
November 25 - December 12
Submission Phase of participants' entries
December 12 - December 20
The Jury Evaluation Process
December 22, 2025
Reveal of the Finalists
January 26-28, 2026
The #WCSA2025 Hearing of Finalists and Awards Ceremony, taking place during the ACWA Power Innovation Days 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 26–28, 2026.
“Following two highly successful editions that collectively brought together dozens of startups from five continents, we are thrilled to power the third edition of this competition.
The incredible talent and innovation demonstrated by past winners have set a high bar, and we eagerly anticipate what this year’s visionary founders and innovators will bring.”
Thomas Altmann, Executive Vice President of Innovation & New Technology at ACWA Power
CBC Chair of Clean Water Hub and Chair of the Awards
"Winning the WCSA2023 was a significant milestone for us. It has undoubtedly propelled our efforts to reshape the storage, distribution, and utilization of renewables. The recognition and support from ACWA Power, as part of the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards, are helping us scale our solutions and expand our impact significantly. With this continued support, we are confident in making a profound impact and accelerating our growth within the clean technology industry.”
Thomas Korn, CEO of "Water Stuff & Sun GmbH”
CBC Co-Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub
Listen from WCSA Co-Initiator and its 1st Winner
Pitch Your CleanTech Disruption
#CreateTheFuture #WCSA2024
"The World CleanTech StartUp Awards 2025 provides a unique platform for CleanTech startups to showcase their innovative solutions and receive recognition for their efforts towards building a sustainable future.
This year, we are proud to introduce four distinct categories to further celebrate the diverse contributions within the CleanTech sector. By introducing these new categories, we aim to acknowledge and celebrate the broad spectrum of contributions that are driving the sector forward.”
Prof. Anis Jouini, CEO at ECM Greentech
CBC Chair of CleanTech StartUp Hub and Chair of the Awards.
#WCSA2025 Jury
The judging panel for the World CleanTech StartUPs Awards 2025 consists of industry experts and leading CleanTech entrepreneurs.
The jury members will bring their extensive knowledge, expertise, and experience in the CleanTech, Clean Hydrogen and Clean Water industries.
Chair
Prof. Anis Jouini
CEO of ECM Greentech
Chair of WCSA Jury
Co-Chair
Thomas Altmann
Executive Vice President - Innovation & New Technology at ACWA Power
Co-Chair of WCSA Jury
Jury Members
Angela Grassi
Director, ETA Florence Renewable Energies; Honorary Chair of CBC Bioenergy & Waste To Energy Hub
Dr. Samir Rachidi
Director General, IRESEN - Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies
Paddy Padmanathan
Co-Founder & Vice-Chairman at Zhero; Former CEO and President of ACWA Power; CBC Honorary Chair for the Middle East
Sampath Kumar
CEO at FEST‑Group & Feston Solar, CBC Co‑Chair of the Agriculture & Food Industries Hub (In Charge of Strategic Partnerships & Zero‑Emission Agriculture Ecosystem Development)
Charlie Gay, "Dr Solar"
Former Director of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office; CBC Visionary Advisor
Prof. Ad Van Wijk
Professor Emeritius of Future Energy Systems at TU Delft; Member of Dii Advisory Board; CBC Honorary Chair of Green Hydrogen Hub
Jean-Pascal Pham-Ba
Co-Founder at Paradigm Partnerships; Secretary General and Spokesperson at Terrawatt Initiative; CBC Chair of Financial & Investor Hub
Amit Sharma
Head of Production, Energy & Construction, Portfolio– India at Informa Markets
Chibunna Ogbonna
Co-Founder at Kiru Energy Limited; CBC Co-Chair of Under40 Leaders Hub (In Charge of Africa)
Dr. Jose Miguel Zaldo
President and Founder, Unal 3000 Asociados; Honorary Consul of Morocco in the Basque Country, Spain; CBC Honorary Chair for Morocco
Enrico Carniato
Group Deputy General Manager - Global Finance and Business Development at Upsolar Group; CBC Chair for Italy
Jan (Detlef) Haizmann,
CEO, ZETA Global
Laura Azpilicueta
European Director ESS Business
CATL - AMPACE Technology Limited; CBC Chair for Spain
Mark Mirza
Project Leader at Fraunhofer ISC; CBC Co-ordinator of the World CleanTech, Hydrogen & Water R&D and Industry Council
Mohammad Awais Ali
Sales and Business Executive, Aspen Technology; CBC Special Business Advisor for the Gulf Region
Paul Van Son
President at Dii Desert Energy; Visionary Advisor at CBC
Rajesh Shah
Managing Director, Evolve Energy Group; CBC Co-Chair of Maritime Industry Hub (In Charge of India Relations)
Dr. Hitesh Doshi
Chairman at Waaree Group; CBC Co-Chair for Asia & Chair for India
H.R.H Prince of Cambodia Narithipong Norodom
Business Expert & Advisor; CBC Chair for Cambodia
Pinfang Wu
"Father of Hydrogen in China", Chairman at Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co, Ltd.; CBC Honorary Co-Chair of Green Hydrogen Hub
"CleanTech Mama" Mary O'Donnell
Founder & President at Clean Power Inc; Honorary Chair at Empowering Women Hub at CBC
Cornelius Matthes
CEO at Dii Desert Energy; CBC Chair for Middle East
Prof. Dr. Sener OKTİK
Board Member at Board of Directors , Birlesim Energy Group and Clean Energy Foundation; Honorary Chairman of Turkish Photovoltaic Industries (GENSED);Senior Lecturer at Maltepe University, Turkey; Seasoned Researcher at Middle East Technical University, Solar Energy Research and Application Centre; CBC Honorary Chair for Turkey
Adamo Screnci
Hydrogen Pioneer; Vice President - Licensing & Business Development at NextChem, CBC Chair of Green Hydrogen Hub
Anastasia (Sun Ru)
CEO at JIAO YANG NEW ENERGY; CBC Co-Chair of Financial and Investor Hub (In Charge of China Relations); Chair of CBC Empowering Women Hub for China
Cory Francis Zufelt
Founder & CEO at Citez Global Pte. Ltd.; CBC Chair for Grenada; Co-Chair of CBC Global CleanTech Islands Alliance (In Charge of the Caribbean)
Dr. Rashi Gupta “Batterywali”
Managing Director, Vision Mechatronics; CBC Chair of Energy Storage Hub & Chair of Empowering Women Hub
Frank Wouters
Chairman, MENA Hydrogen Alliance - part of Dii; Chair, Advisory Board, Dii Desert Energy ; CBC Co-Chair of Clean Hydrogen Hub (In Charge of the Middle East)
Justin Gu
General Manager at GF Hydrogen Europe; CBC Co-Chair of Green Hydrogen Hub (In Charge of China Relations)
Marie Latour
European Affairs Director at Euro-Funding; CBC Co-Chair of CleanTech StartUP Hub (In Charge of the EU Funding)
Mi Yue
Founder of SNEC, Executive Vice-Chair at NEIAPP (New Energy Industry Association for Asia and the Pacific), Board Member at the Global Solar Council; CBC Co-Chair for Asia
Mostafa Boulal
CEO, COREAS HIGH-TECH; CEO at GFHA (Go For Hydrogen Africa); CBC Chair for Morocco; CBC Co-Chair of Clean Water Hub
Pierre Buchou
Manager Hyvolution, GL Events; CBC Global Partnership with Hyvolution
Rami Fedda
Co-Founder & Supply Director, Solar Juice Pty; CBC Chair for Australia & Oceania
Dr. Jianhui Zhang
CEO at Beijing HyperStrong Technology; Board Member of the US-China Green Energy Council (UCGEC); CBC Co-Chair of CBC Chair of Utilities & Energy Companies Hub (In Charge of China)
Madadh MacLine
Secretary-General, Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs); CBC Chair of Maritime Hub
Prof. Eicke R. Weber
Vice-Chairman at European Solar Manufacturing Council; Former Director, Fraunhofer ISE, Freiburg; CBC Chair of World CleanTech Awards
Antonio Celso de Abreu Junior
Solar Pioneer in Brazil, Former Director in the Ministry of Mines & Energy; CBC Honorary Chair for Brazil
Dr. Claas Helmke
Founder & CEO of newtrail.capital; CBC Co-Chair of Financial & Investor Hub
Alexis Issaharoff
Chief Renewable Energy Officer at Jubaili; CBC Chair for South East Asia
Alicia Eastman
Co-founder and Board Director at InterContinental Energy; Host of “Everything About Hydrogen”; CBC Co-Chair of Green Hydrogen Hub (In Charge of Financial & Investor Ecosystem)
Andreas Fornwald
Chief Development Officer, StarCharge; CBC Co-Chair of StorageVersity Hub (In Charge of North America)
Dr. David Renne
Founder, Dave Renne Renewables, ISES Immediate Past President USA; CBC Chair of Solar Hub
Dr. Stefan Kaufmann
Senior Adviser at World Energy GH2; Member of the German Parliament; Former Innovation Commissioner for Green Hydrogen at the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF); CBC Co-Chair of Green Hydrogen Hub (In Charge of Off-takers Ecosystem)
Hayrie Shan
CEO at Euro American Solar; CBC Chair for Bulgaria
Kilian Wehrli
CEO at KWenergy; CBC Chair for Switzerland
Marius Ion
President at Energy Investment LLC (USA); Renewable Energy Entrepreneur & Investor; CBC Chair for Romania
Moctar Toure
Founder & CEO at SMART’ÉLEC & PARTNERS; Former Special Advisor to The President of Mali & Former President of CREE (Power and Water Utilities' Regulation Commission); CBC Chair for Mali
Murat Aydemir
Managing Director MENA at px Engineering; CBC Chair of Bioenergy Hub & Waste To Energy Hub
Prof. Jaouad Boutahar
Director, EHTP, Hassania School of Public Works; CBC Co-Chair of Clean Water Hub (In Charge of R&D and Academia Ecosystem)
