Water Breakthrough Challenge 7
Funds highly collaborative water-sector innovation projects led by an appointed English or Welsh water company, with up to £50 million available across the round.
The round opens on 7 September 2026, when full details of its Catalyst and Transform funding streams will be published. As in past rounds, the lead entrant must be an appointed water or sewerage company in England and Wales, though the project itself is meant to be highly collaborative. The previous round, Breakthrough 6, made 19 awards totalling £58 million.
Breakthrough 7 is looking for bigger, bolder water-sector innovations than previous rounds, putting more weight on spreading knowledge and getting proven innovations adopted more widely across the sector. It runs through Ofwat's Water Innovation Fund, delivered by Challenge Works with Isle Utilities and Arup.
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