AquaHacking Challenge Calls Innovators to Tackle Great Lakes Water Crisis

DETROIT, MI – February 02, 2026 – A call to arms for water warriors has been issued from the heart of Detroit. As the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence watershed faces unprecedented threats from climate change, industrial strain, and population growth, the non-profit AquaAction has launched its most ambitious initiative yet: the AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes and St. Lawrence 2026 Challenge.

Announced today at the Urban Tech Xchange (UTX), the 10th-anniversary edition of the challenge invites students, engineers, scientists, and early-stage entrepreneurs from both the United States and Canada to develop tangible solutions for the region's most pressing water issues. With a goal of attracting 1,000 applicants before the April 6 deadline, the seven-month program is more than a competition; it’s an accelerator for a new generation of environmental leadership.

Cultivating the Next Wave of Water Innovators

At its core, the AquaHacking Challenge is a launchpad designed to transform ideas into impact. Participants are not just competing for a share of $70,000 in seed funding, including a $25,000 top prize, but are entering an ecosystem built to foster success. The program offers invaluable access to expert mentorship, legal and technical support, and networking opportunities with industry leaders.

"Through this program, we're inviting students and innovators to challenge themselves, build real-world solutions, and help shape the future of freshwater, on both sides of the border," said Soula Chronopoulos, President of AquaAction, at the launch event. "This is a life-changing experience for participants!"

The program has a proven track record. Over the past decade, AquaAction has helped catalyze over 120 water-tech enterprises. Past winners have tackled everything from microplastic pollution to agricultural runoff. For example, Baleena, a winner of a previous Great Lakes challenge, developed innovative filters to capture microfibers shed from washing machines. Another, Wave Lumina, created a portable device for detecting harmful PFAS “forever chemicals” in water samples. These aren't just academic exercises; they are the foundations of viable companies that contribute to a healthier planet.

"Protecting freshwater starts at the community level, in the rivers and watersheds that sustain our neighborhoods," noted Ashley Flintoff, Executive Director of Friends of the Rouge, a key challenge partner. "AquaHacking is an exciting opportunity to connect student innovators with real challenges facing the Rouge River and the Great Lakes region."

Driving a Sustainable Blue Economy

Beyond environmental stewardship, the AquaHacking Challenge is a powerful engine for regional economic development. The 120+ ventures launched through AquaAction's programs have collectively generated over $200 million in annual revenues and created more than 400 green jobs, demonstrating that environmental solutions and economic prosperity can go hand-in-hand.

This year's challenge focuses on four critical areas ripe for innovation: improving water access and community resilience; creating efficiencies in industry and energy; fostering a circular blue economy; and enhancing water quality and ecosystem health. These themes are designed to spur technologies that not only protect the watershed but also create new markets and sustainable industries.

The challenge's deep roots in Detroit, a city undergoing its own technological and economic renaissance, are significant. The premiere sponsorship by Bedrock's Urban Tech Xchange (UTX) underscores the connection between urban innovation and environmental technology.

"The AquaHacking Challenge creates a platform where students and innovators can test ideas and collaborate with industry experts," said Kevin Mull, a co-founder of Urban Tech Xchange. "Convening this community... helps develop solutions and strengthen our region's water systems, driving the economy forward."

This sentiment is echoed by the Detroit / Wayne County Port Authority. "The Great Lakes are essential not only to our environment, but to the economic vitality of Detroit and the entire region," stated Board Chairman Jonathan C. Kinloch. "Supporting AquaHacking is an investment in the next generation of innovators."

United by Water: A Binational Effort

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River do not recognize the international border they help define. Effective protection of this shared resource, which holds 20% of the world's surface freshwater, requires deep and sustained collaboration between the United States and Canada. The AquaHacking Challenge embodies this spirit of cooperation.

Co-hosted by The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers and The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, the program is fundamentally binational. It encourages the formation of cross-border teams and leverages expertise from both nations to tackle shared problems like invasive species, pollution from agricultural runoff, and the impacts of extreme weather.

"The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence are a shared responsibility--and a shared opportunity," explained David Naftzger, Executive Director of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers. "AquaHacking exemplifies the kind of cross-border collaboration and innovation needed to address complex water challenges. By working together, we can help ensure a resilient and sustainable future for the region."

This collaborative framework extends from high-level governance down to the individual innovator. By providing legal support from firms like Aurora Patents, the program also ensures that great ideas are protected and positioned to scale into real-world ventures that can be deployed across the entire watershed, regardless of their origin.

Registration is free and now open to students and innovators eager to make a difference. With a formidable coalition of academic institutions, corporate partners, and government bodies backing the initiative, the 2026 AquaHacking Challenge is poised to unleash a new wave of solutions for the vital waters that define a continent.