The Hero Dubai Desert Classic (HDDC) has announced a groundbreaking new sustainability initiative in partnership with Deloitte — the Green Incubator Challenge, a global competition calling on innovators to deliver bold solutions for greener events. The winning idea will be brought to life at the 2027 DP World Tour Rolex Series tournament in Dubai.
Open to entrepreneurs, start-ups, students and companies worldwide, the Challenge is designed to drive meaningful change across sport and entertainment by showcasing both new concepts and ready-to-deploy solutions that tackle the urgent climate challenges facing live events.
Setting The Standards
The HDDC already holds a proud track record as the first golf event in the Middle East — and the first Rolex Series event — to achieve GEO Certified® Tournament status three years running. Now, it becomes the first tournament globally to launch an international sustainability crowdsourcing challenge, further cementing its leadership in the field.
Winners will receive expert mentoring and professional support from both the tournament and Deloitte, the event’s Strategic Knowledge Partner, ensuring that concepts are not just visionary but scalable and impactful.
Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director of the HDDC, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to launch golf’s first-of-its-kind initiative, driving sustainable innovation across sport and entertainment. The Challenge will uncover bold, visionary ideas that can shape the future of sustainable events worldwide.”
Key dates:
-
18 November 2025 – Shortlist announced
-
19 December 2025 – Three finalists revealed
-
January 2026 (HDDC tournament week) – Finalists pitch their solutions to expert judges
