Zayed Sustainability Prize 2027 Applications Open in UAE

Applications are now open for the 2027 cycle of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the UAE, with organisers introducing expanded support for finalists to help scale their projects.
In the most recent cycle, 33 finalists were selected across categories including Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action and Global High Schools, with 22 projects receiving funding beyond the main winners to support implementation.
Among the funded finalists was IRIBA Water Group from Rwanda, which was shortlisted in the Water category. The company developed solar-powered water units combining purification systems, mobile payment options and real-time monitoring to improve access to drinking water. It received USD 100,000 to expand installations and strengthen operations.
Student-led projects also received support. A team from Rashaya Official School in Lebanon was awarded USD 25,000 to develop a solar-powered system using artificial intelligence to help clean surface water, with funding allocated to prototyping and testing.
Interest in the prize continues to grow, with more than 7,700 submissions from 173 countries recorded in the latest cycle.
Applications are open to startups, small businesses, non-profit organisations, schools and student teams, with submissions closing on June 15th, 2026.