The Zayed Sustainability Prize just hit a milestone: more than 10,000 ideas from countries around the world, all competing to win funding for solutions that help people and the planet.
The award, based in Abu Dhabi and now in its 18th year, closed submissions for its 2027 cycle with a record 10,233 entries from 177 countries. That's 32% more than the previous year — a sign that grassroots innovators everywhere are hungry for support.
Since it began, the Prize has helped 139 winners who have gone on to positively impact over 411 million lives worldwide. Those winners work on everything from solar energy to clean water to food systems, often in the communities that need help most.
Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the UAE Minister overseeing the Prize, said this surge in applications shows the world wants practical answers to urgent problems. "This historic level of participation reflects the growing global demand for practical solutions that build resilience, strengthen essential systems and deliver lasting impact," he said.
This year's applicants tackled big challenges using smart, community-focused ideas. In Health, many submitted AI-powered tools that can diagnose diseases cheaply and quickly. In Food, farmers are getting help through agricultural apps and better ways to store and process crops. Energy submissions focused on small solar systems and batteries that work in remote areas. Water innovations tackled groundwater access, wastewater recycling, and cheaper ways to clean drinking water.
Climate Action drew the most interest, with 2,505 entries about adapting to changing weather, reducing waste, and protecting nature. Young people also got involved: Global High Schools submitted 1,710 student-led projects on topics like clean energy, water filtration, and food production.
About two-thirds of all submissions came from developing countries, with Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Kenya, and the UAE showing particularly strong participation. But rich countries joined too — the USA and UK both had notable entries.
Now the hard part begins. A panel of experts will review every submission, checking that the ideas are real and can scale up. Winners will be chosen by September 2026 and announced the following year. The Prize money goes to groups and schools with solutions that can genuinely help vulnerable communities — not just in theory, but in practice.