Saudi Arabia-based startup Flow Guard Solutions has won the 2026 Hult Prize and its $1 million grand prize.
Co-founded by Mohammed Ahmed, a graduate of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s (KAUST) Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Master’s Program, and Omar Khalifa, a Ph.D. student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at KAUST, the startup is developing technology to reduce water loss.
Flow Guard’s solution uses intelligent monitoring to detect leaks and other infrastructure problems early, helping improve the efficiency and sustainability of water systems, according to the announcement.
The startup emerged from KAUST’s inaugural TIE cohort, a 16-month master’s program focused on turning technical innovations into commercial ventures. It first won the Hult Prize Saudi Arabia National Competition before advancing to the global competition.
Flow Guard then took part in the Hult Prize Virtual Accelerator and was selected as one of 21 ventures for the Global Accelerator in the United Kingdom. Following three weeks of development, it reached the final eight teams and went on to win the global prize.
Source: AppliedEdu
