Zayed Sustainability Prize Named 2027 Finalists
The 18th annual awards competition selected finalists from a record-breaking 10,233 entries across 177 nations.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Environmental
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The Zayed Sustainability Prize has announced its 2027 finalists, marking the 18th year of the international competition. The entries represent a 32 per cent increase in participation compared to the previous year.
Why it matters
The prize aims to scale impact in health, food, energy, water, and climate action by providing significant capital to organizations and schools. The increased funding reflects a strategic shift to recognize the potential of solutions that advance to the final evaluation stage.
Finalists are now guaranteed $100,000 for organizational categories or $25,000 for global high schools. These amounts supplement the grand prizes of $1 million and $150,000, respectively, awarded to winners.
The players
Zayed Sustainability Prize
An international awards program based in the UAE that funds technological and social solutions across health, food, energy, water, and climate sectors.
The details
The prize evaluates submissions across six categories: health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools. A jury selects the finalists based on the impact and scalability of their environmental or social solutions. Historically, the initiative has reached more than 411 million lives worldwide through its funded projects.
Timeline
Finalists were announced on September 28, 2026.
Winners will be announced on January 12, 2027.
The Tech Race
The prize operates within the competitive landscape of international sustainability funding, where capital is increasingly directed toward scalable green technology. This cycle reflects an accelerating trend in environmental innovation as the program reaches its 18th year.
The program provides a direct funding pipeline for innovators and students tackling urgent health and climate challenges. While the current finalists are established, prospective applicants can monitor the platform for the opening of the next annual submission window.
The takeaway
The prize demonstrates a significant scaling of international interest in sustainability-focused technologies and community programs. Readers should track the January 12, 2027 announcement for the list of winning projects and their potential deployment timelines.
What happens next
The winners of the 2027 awards will be officially announced in an award ceremony held in Abu Dhabi on January 12, 2027.
Further reading
For broader trends in global conservation and green initiatives, visit the Environmental section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The National.
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