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At the landmark 25th anniversary of Global Business Week (GBW2025) in the Maldives, one of the event’s most distinguished honours — the BOSS Award 2025 Innovator of the Year — was awarded to Durga Das, Founder and CEO of Aeronero, in recognition of her visionary leadership, groundbreaking innovations in water technology, and profound social impact across continents.
The award was presented by Andrii Azarov, President of Global Business Week and Head of the Supreme Council of the European Association of Business Development (European Commission), as part of a powerful tradition of recognising outstanding contributions to innovation, sustainability, and humanity.
🌍 A Vision for Global Water Security
Durga Das has emerged as a global changemaker through her pioneering work in Air Water Generation (AWG). As the founder of Aeronero, she leads the world’s only company deploying both condensation and desiccation technologies to extract clean, potable water from humidity in the air — a breakthrough solution for the world's escalating water crisis.
Under her leadership, Aeronero Systems is now serving diverse climates and communities, from urban hubs in India to rural villages and refugee camps in Africa and Latin America. The systems offer decentralised, sustainable, and independent access to clean water, helping build resilient infrastructure and drastically improving lives.
Her mantra — “Water for all, always” — is more than a slogan. It is the mission that drives an entire movement.
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💧 Innovation Meets Social Justice
Durga’s contribution goes far beyond technology. She founded WODER, a UK-based charitable initiative, bringing together global water experts such as Amir AlKayed and Mansee Bal Bhargava to tackle water insecurity in refugee camps and empower women through water independence.
Her work has redefined innovation not only as a technical achievement but also as a human right and a tool for equality.
🏆 Accolades and Global Recognition
In 2024 and 2025, Durga Das received multiple prestigious awards, each underscoring her impact as a woman leader, sustainability champion, and innovator:
- Best Innovator – HIEx platform, World Health Assembly, Geneva
- Woman Leadership Award – presented by Kiran Bedi in Delhi
- Most Meaningful Business Award – out of 883 global nominees
- Giving Economy SDG Award – Malaysia
- FEDEX Recognition – during Global Entrepreneurship Week
- MB100 Global Award 2024 – by Meaningful Business, for innovation aligned with the UN SDGs
- and now - BOSS Award 2025 Innovator of the Year.
🎓 A Lifelong Learner and Builder of Ecosystems
Durga is not just a business founder — she is a builder of ecosystems and knowledge platforms. She has completed:
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Programme
- Vital Voices Global Women Leadership Fellowship (Washington DC)
- Programmes at IIM Bangalore (Women in Tech) and ISB (Accelerating Growth)
Her involvement spans advisory roles in:
- WICCI – Water Industry Council
- Asian African Chamber of Commerce (Joint Secretary)
- World Talent Economic Forum
Through these platforms, she guides policy, supports startups, and mentors the next generation of innovators.
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🤝 Global Collaboration for Water Equity
Durga is also the co-founder of the Global Air Water Generation Initiative, a cross-sector alliance bringing together governments, entrepreneurs, scientists, and investors to accelerate water independence worldwide.
Aeronero’s inclusion in the 2024 MB100 List opened new pathways for impact through partnerships with: EY, Hogan Lovells, Babson College, Green Frontier Capital, Kenya Climate Ventures, Innovision
🥇 Why She Earned the BOSS Award
The BOSS Award: Innovator of the Year celebrates those whose intellectual power and entrepreneurial courage result in global transformation. Durga Das was chosen because her work represents:
- Innovation with purpose
- Technology for inclusion
- Entrepreneurship that heals, not just scales
In presenting the award, Andrii Azarov stated:
“Durga Das reminds us that the best innovators don’t just build companies — they build futures. Her leadership in sustainable water solutions touches lives today and secures well-being for generations to come. This is the very essence of what the BOSS Award stands for.”
🌟 Congratulations to Durga Das!
As the world faces urgent water crises, leaders like Durga Das offer real, scalable, and sustainable solutions. Her recognition at GBW2025 as Innovator of the Year is a global salute to her vision, integrity, and tireless pursuit of ‘water for all.’
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