The Hero Dubai Desert Classic (HDDC), together with Deloitte as Strategic Knowledge Partner, has launched the Green Incubator Challenge, a global call for sustainable event solutions. Their shared goal is to inspire innovation and drive measurable improvements in environmental performance across sports, entertainment, and the broader events industry.
The collaboration aims to identify both nascent ideas and ready-to-deploy technologies that can scale. Submissions are open to entrepreneurs, start-ups, students, and companies globally—so the Challenge is about more than theory; it’s about prototypes that can be implemented at a marquee event. The winning concept will be activated at the 2027 DP World Tour Rolex Series tournament in Dubai.
Deloitte’s role is to ensure that ideas are not just visionary but feasible and impactful. Through mentoring, evaluation, and support, HDDC and Deloitte want to guarantee that innovations can move from concept to reality.
A further objective is leadership positioning: the HDDC already achieved GEO Certified® Tournament status three years in a row, and as the first golf event in the Middle East within the Rolex Series to launch a sustainability-crowdsourcing initiative, it seeks to set a benchmark.
Shortlisting of proposals will happen 18 November 2025, with finalists revealed in December. During the 2026 tournament week they will pitch to an expert panel, with the winner working toward realizing their vision at the 2027 edition.
For associations and event organisers, this collaboration offers key takeaways: the power of partnership in sustainability, the importance of scalable and implementable innovation, and the reputational gain of being aligned with leading global sustainability initiatives.
