Zayed Sustainability Prize Closes 2027 Cycle With Record 10,233 Entries
Submissions rose 32 percent year-on-year, with Kenya among the top-participating countries as the UAE's flagship sustainability award enters its evaluation phase ahead of a January 2027 ceremony.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize has closed submissions for its 2027 awards cycle, receiving 10,233 entries from 177 countries – the highest participation in the award’s 18-year history, organisers said on July 13, 2026.
Submissions rose 32 percent compared to the previous cycle across the Prize’s six categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action and Global High Schools. The award continues to draw a growing pool of small and medium-sized enterprises, nonprofit organisations and high schools developing solutions for vulnerable and underserved communities.
H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director-General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said the scale of this year’s participation reflects rising global demand for practical, resilience-focused solutions. “This year’s applicants have shown how AI, adaptability, innovation and local leadership can come together to address urgent challenges in communities where access, affordability and reliability remain limited,” he said.
Kenya among top-participating countries
More than two-thirds of submissions came from developing and emerging economies, with particularly strong participation from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Kenya and the UAE. Developed markets including the United States and United Kingdom also showed strong engagement, pointing to the Prize’s expanding reach across different innovation ecosystems.
Climate Action drew the highest number of submissions at 2,505, followed by Food (2,261), Health (1,807), Global High Schools (1,710), Energy (994) and Water (956). Within these categories, organisers noted a growing focus on AI-enabled diagnostics and low-cost medical devices in Health; farmer-facing advisory tools and value-chain technologies in Food; decentralised renewable energy and smart grids in Energy; groundwater access and desalination in Water; and adaptation, circular economy models and nature-based solutions in Climate Action. Global High Schools submissions increasingly featured student-led projects combining renewable energy, water filtration, waste management and biodiversity initiatives.
Following the close of submissions, entries will undergo independent review and due diligence, followed by evaluation from a Selection Committee of international experts. Final winners will be selected by the Jury in September 2026, with results announced at the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony on January 12, 2027.
Each organisational category winner will receive US$1 million, while six high schools representing global regions will each receive US$150,000 to implement or expand their projects. Organisational finalists will receive US$150,000 each, and high school finalists US$25,000 each.
To date, the Prize’s 139 winners have collectively impacted more than 411 million lives worldwide, according to organisers.
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