Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the KidneyX Sustainability Prize, a $7.25 million challenge to drive meaningful change in the sustainability of kidney care. This challenge, the latest initiative from the Kidney Innovation Accelerator (KidneyX), aims to seize opportunities for sustainability by identifying and supporting solutions to reduce the resource demands of maintenance dialysis.
Today’s life-sustaining dialysis technology consumes large amounts of water and power, putting patients at risk during resource shortages. In a single year, hemodialysis globally requires 265 billion liters of water and uses 1.62 billion kW/h of power. Dialysis further requires a high volume of exceptionally clean water, with up to 70% of water rejected during the filtration and purification process.
Admiral Rachel L. Levine, M.D.“Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornado outbreaks, and wildfires are leaving patients without access to critical dialysis care — putting their very lives at risk. With support from our partners, HHS is addressing the urgent need to invest in transformational treatment innovations for kidney diseases.
Assistant Secretary for Health
While long-term therapies like artificial kidneys and regenerative cell therapies hold promise for the future, the hundreds of thousands of American people living with kidney failure today urgently need solutions that address the kidney care system’s vulnerability in the short term.
Identifying scalable innovations for sustainability
The KidneyX Sustainability Prize invites proposals from a diverse community of innovators — including patients, healthcare providers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. Solutions may involve technological or process approaches, and all disciplines and sectors are encouraged to develop solutions that reduce water or power usage during dialysis and promote equitable access to care.
A multidisciplinary group of KidneyX Sustainability Prize judges will review eligible submissions and recommend up to seven winners. Judges will evaluate submissions according to the six equally weighted judging criteria. Based on this evaluation, HHS may select up to seven winners to each receive an equal share of up to $7.25 million in early 2025.
Take the next steps on your submission
- Attend the info session: Register for the September 25 virtual information session to hear from the KidneyX Sustainability Prize team and ask questions.
- Review the challenge details: Learn about the timeline, awards, and judging process and criteria.
- Register your team: Set up an account so you can submit as soon as you are ready.
- Enter by October 30: Entrants should submit solution summaries and technical proposals by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on October 30, 2024.
To receive all updates, subscribe to the challenge newsletter and follow @Kidney_X on X.
Transforming treatment through KidneyX
Established in 2018, KidneyX is a public-private partnership between HHS and the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases. Through the KidneyX public-private partnership, HHS and ASN are transforming treatment for the more than 850 million people worldwide — including 37 million Americans — living with kidney diseases. KidneyX brings together patients, caregivers, researchers, innovators, and investors to transform the future of kidney treatment and care. The partnership has awarded $17 million in prizes across six competitions such as Redesign Dialysis and the Artificial Kidney Prize, accelerating the development of breakthrough innovations that could improve living quality and treatment.