Water
The focus of this Flagship Destination is to ensure availability, resiliency, sustainable management, and equitable access to clean water for all people, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems while minimizing GHG emissions by 2050.
Water is the lifeblood of our planet, flowing through a single, interconnected global cycle. This delicate system faces unprecedented challenges due to human activities and environmental changes. We seek innovative solutions that address water challenges holistically. Solutions will come from groundbreaking ideas, policies, and technologies using integrated approaches across institutions, governments, communities, finance, and corporations - a solution space in which we believe Stanford is uniquely positioned to lead and make impact at the scale.
Accelerator Contacts
2025 Projects
In May 2025, 11 innovative projects were selected for work aimed at ensuring the availability, resiliency, sustainable management, and equitable access to clean water for all – encompassing people, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems. These initiatives focus on a diverse array of solutions that enhance water infrastructure while prioritizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. By fostering collaboration across various sectors, they not only strengthen the foundations of water security but also promote environmental sustainability and climate resilience. Together, these projects are set to drive significant advancements in sustainable water management while addressing the critical challenges posed by climate change.
AI for effective soil moisture management: Boosting agricultural water efficiency in India’s drylands
Decentralized AI-enabled water coordination platform
Decision support for decarbonized and affordable water distribution systems
Developing adaptation and mitigation strategies for coastal forestry communities in the Mid-Atlantic region facing saltwater intrusion and sea level rise
Enabling low-cost water infrastructure monitoring and repair with soft-growing robots
Global groundwater sustainability: Scaling and transferring innovative solutions from California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act to other parts of the world
PLAN Water (PLanning Adaptation with Non-traditional Waters)
Supplementing conventional drinking water with distributed sources of purified municipal wastewater (direct potable reuse)
Sustainable water supplies to meet urban, agricultural, and ecosystem needs: Scaling groundwater recharge solutions in California
Techno-economic analysis and optimization of water treatment processes using WaterTAP
Transforming access to safe drinking water across the United States: Innovative data and scalable solutions
Previously Funded Projects
In 2022 the Sustainability Accelerator funded its first cohort of 31 teams. Several of these multidisciplinary projects advanced sustainability solutions in the area of water.
Achieving the human right to water in California
Designing efficient and sustainable water reallocation in California
Electrochemical nutrient recovery from wastewater: creating circular nutrient economies
