Zayed Sustainability Prize funds all finalists for 2027 cycles

The UAE continues to play a leading role in global humanitarian and development efforts, allocating $1.46 billion in 2025 to support communities around the world. Building on this commitment, the Zayed Sustainability Prize is expanding its support for innovators by funding all finalists for the 2027 cycle, following the same approach introduced in 2026.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize has announced that all finalists for the 2027 cycle will receive funding, following the same approach introduced in 2026. This step reflects the Prize’s evolution from a recognition platform into a comprehensive support system-one that accompanies innovators through different stages of their journey and helps accelerate the implementation of their solutions on the ground.

All finalists will receive grants of $100,000 for organisational projects and $25,000 for student teams. Reaching the finalist stage is no longer the end of the journey-it is the true beginning of scaling impact. This approach reinforces the Prize’s commitment to supporting solutions that are ready to deliver tangible, measurable benefits within their communities.

Organisers confirmed that in the latest cycle, 33 finalists were selected across categories including Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools.

While a smaller group was named winners, the remaining finalists also received funding, with 22 projects supported to help further develop and scale their solutions-ensuring that promising innovations are not left behind, but actively enabled to grow and deliver impact.

This direction builds on the UAE’s broader role in advancing initiatives that address global development and environmental challenges. Through the Prize, the UAE continues to strengthen its position as an active partner in enabling innovation and empowering communities to respond to challenges across water, energy, food, and health. Dr Hassan Arafat, Senior Director of the Research and Innovation Centre for Graphene and 2D Materials at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said, “Beyond recognising innovators, the Prize builds meaningful partnerships with them-providing the support needed to scale their impact and strengthen community resilience. Resilience lies at the heart of sustainability. As members of the selection committee, we look for solutions that enable communities to adapt, grow, and live with dignity.

“Over the years, we have witnessed how continued support-through funding, visibility, and global reach-can drive real, transformative change. When innovation is combined with financial support, mentorship, and empowerment, it becomes a powerful force that advances humanity and contributes to a more sustainable future for generations to come.” This approach is reflected in real-world impact. In the Republic of Korea, E Green Global, a small and medium enterprise, has developed an innovative agricultural solution that produces disease-free potato seeds using microtuber technology within indoor plant factories. This innovation now delivers over 10 million potato seeds annually, benefiting around 15 million people-demonstrating how innovation can strengthen food security and improve agricultural efficiency.

In Lebanon, a team of public school students developed a surface water purification system that combines solar energy with artificial intelligence. With support from the Prize, the team was able to refine and test their prototype in real-world conditions-transforming a student idea into a viable, scalable solution.

The most recent cycle of the Prize recorded 7,761 submissions from 173 countries-a 30% increase compared to the previous cycle-highlighting growing global engagement and trust in the Prize’s role in supporting innovators and scaling impactful solutions. Submissions spanned a wide range of solutions, including AI-enabled healthcare technologies, circular food systems, climate adaptation initiatives, and innovations in energy and water-reflecting both the scale of global challenges and the diversity of solutions being developed to address them.

To date, the Prize has improved the lives of more than 411 million people worldwide through its 139 winners. This includes providing safe water to 12 million people, ensuring access to nutritious food for 27 million, expanding healthcare services to 79 million, and bringing electricity to 54 million homes.

The Prize further extends its impact through the “Beyond 2020” initiative, which has improved the lives of 429,800 people across 19 countries by deploying solutions from winners and finalists to communities most in need.

WAM