• The number of participants increased by 32% compared to last year, reflecting the continued momentum of local projects and initiatives to achieve a broad global impact.
• More than 411 million people worldwide have benefited from the projects of the 139 winners in previous cycles.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – The Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’s flagship award to recognize innovative sustainability solutions that address global challenges, has announced the closing of applications for its 2027 cycle, with a record 10,233 applications from 177 countries across its six categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools.

In its eighteenth year, the award continues to attract increasing numbers of small and medium-sized enterprises, non-profit organizations, and high schools that offer innovative solutions that contribute to improving the quality of life, especially in the communities that need it most .

This year’s applications reflect a growing trend toward fostering resilience, adaptability, and sustainable impact through practical solutions that focus on the needs of local communities and address pressing global challenges. These solutions span a wide range of areas, including AI-powered healthcare, agricultural technologies, decentralized energy systems, enhanced access to groundwater, and circular economy applications, all of which contribute to expanding access to essential services and driving inclusive development .

The current cycle has seen a 32% increase in the number of applications compared to the previous cycle, reflecting the growing global momentum towards adopting widely applicable and community-based innovations .

On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director-General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said : “The Zayed Sustainability Prize continues its unwavering commitment to contributing to the realization of the wise leadership’s vision and supporting balanced and inclusive development, with a focus on consolidating the legacy of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. We are proud that the Prize has recorded unprecedented levels of participation this year, reflecting the growing global interest in finding practical solutions that enhance the resilience of communities, strengthen essential service systems, and achieve a sustainable impact. This year’s participants presented innovative solutions led by local talent, combining artificial intelligence technologies and adaptive capabilities to address pressing challenges in areas suffering from a lack of reliable and affordable basic services. The Prize will continue its efforts and support for pioneers around the world who strive to provide effective solutions aimed at serving humanity and making a positive impact on communities.”

More than two-thirds of the applications came from developing and emerging economies, led by Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Kenya, and the United Arab Emirates. The award also saw significant participation from developed economies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, reflecting its growing global presence and influence .

The Climate Action category received the largest share of applications with a total of (2,505 applications), followed by the Food category (2,261 applications), then Health (1,807 applications), International High Schools (1,710 applications), Energy (994 applications), and Water (956 applications) .

The solutions submitted demonstrated a number of key trends within each award category, including :

Health: Solutions that focus on expanding access to healthcare services in resource-limited and underserved environments, most notably AI-powered diagnostic solutions, low-cost medical devices, healthcare delivery models, and healthcare financing solutions, thereby enhancing the efficiency and responsiveness of health systems .

Food: Solutions for farmers, including agricultural support and extension services, agricultural technologies, food safety technologies, food processing, and value chain improvement, contributing to building more efficient and resilient food systems .

Energy: Solutions that focus on energy efficiency and storage, decentralized renewable energy, smart grids, and energy applications that contribute to increased productivity, reflecting a growing interest in aspects related to affordability, reliability, and energy demand management .

Water: Innovations that focus on enhancing access to and monitoring of groundwater, wastewater treatment and reuse, water desalination, water quality management, and improving consumption efficiency, thereby supporting the conservation of water resources and improving access to them in water-scarce communities .

Climate action: Solutions that focus on improving adaptation capacities and enhancing the resilience of communities, circular economy models, waste reduction, nature-based solutions, conservation of natural resources, and mitigation of the effects of climate change .

Global High Schools: Student projects have shown an increasing trend towards developing integrated solutions linking multiple sectors, including renewable energy, water purification, waste management, food production, biodiversity protection, and community awareness initiatives, reflecting young students’ willingness to adopt a holistic approach to addressing local challenges .

With the closing of the application period, the award begins the application evaluation phase, where all applications will undergo an independent review process to ensure they meet the eligibility criteria, followed by a thorough evaluation process by the selection committee, which includes a select group of international experts. The winners will then be chosen by the judging panel in September 2026 .

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on January 12, 2027. For the institutional categories, the winner in each category will receive US$1 million, while each finalist will receive US$150,000. Six winning high schools, each representing a different global region, will each receive US$150,000 to implement or expand their projects, while each finalist will receive US$25,000 .

Since its inception, the award, through the solutions of its 139 previous winners, has contributed to making a positive impact on the lives of more than 411 million people around the world, cementing its position as a leading global platform in supporting sustainable and inclusive development .

About the Zayed Sustainability Prize

The Zayed Sustainability Prize is the leading award launched by the United Arab Emirates to honor and support innovative solutions that address global challenges, with the aim of advancing sustainable development in the world, embodying the legacy of the founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan , may God rest his soul, in the fields of sustainability and humanitarian work.

Each year, the Zayed Sustainability Prize recognizes institutions and high schools that offer innovative solutions contributing to sustainable progress and enhancing community resilience. The prize is awarded across six categories: health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools. Over the past 18 years, its 139 previous winners have positively impacted the lives of more than 411 million people worldwide, inspiring innovators to expand their reach and translate ambition into tangible progress. The Zayed Sustainability Prize is an initiative of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation .

-I finish-

#GovernmentData

Disclaimer regarding the content of press releases
The content of this press release is provided by a third-party provider. We do not assume any responsibility for, nor do we have any control over, such content. This content is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis and is not edited in any way. Neither we, nor our affiliates, will be liable for the accuracy, endorsement, or completeness of any opinions, views, information, or materials contained in this content.
This press release is provided for informational purposes only; the content does not constitute legal, investment, or tax advice, nor does it offer any opinion on the suitability, value, or profitability of any particular portfolio or investment strategy. Neither we nor our affiliates will be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions you take based on that content. You expressly agree and acknowledge full responsibility for your use of the information contained in this press release.
To the extent permitted by applicable law, Refinitiv, its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, relevant shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers, and licensors (collectively, the 'Refinitiv Parties') shall not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive, or exemplary damages; This includes, but is not limited to, losses of profits, savings, or revenues, whether due to negligence, tort, contract, or other theories of liability, even if the parties to Refinitiv were advised of the possibility of any such damages or losses occurring or actually anticipated them.