Zayed Sustainability Prize Honors 2025 Innovators

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, presided over the 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize ceremony, celebrating the outstanding contributions of this year’s winners. The event showcased the achievements of 11 trailblazing organisations and high schools from across the globe, emphasizing the UAE’s steadfast commitment to fostering scalable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges while empowering communities to achieve sustainable prosperity.

The ceremony, held during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), brought together global dignitaries, including 11 Heads of State, numerous Ministers, and leading figures from the business community. Highlighting the importance of innovation and collaboration in tackling critical environmental and social issues, H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed personally presented the awards to the winners, commending their efforts to drive positive change on a global scale.

A Legacy of Innovation and Progress

H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed articulated the significance of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in continuing the visionary legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE. He remarked: “The UAE remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering sustainable development and empowering communities across the world through innovation. The Zayed Sustainability Prize inspires impactful solutions that address critical social and environmental challenges. By nurturing these efforts, we are not only creating a more sustainable future for all but also honouring the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, whose vision for global progress and humanitarianism continues to guide us.”

His words underscore the UAE’s leadership role in advancing sustainability through innovation, collaboration, and tangible support for projects that make a measurable difference in people’s lives.

Recognizing Transformative Achievements

H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, praised the exceptional efforts of this year’s winners in delivering innovative and scalable solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges.

“Today, we recognize a remarkable group of organizations and high schools that are driving tangible progress toward a more prosperous future,” Dr. Al Jaber said. “This year’s Prize winners showcase solutions that leverage advanced technologies, including AI, enhance local resilience, and deliver transformative, scalable impact worldwide. In doing so, they embody the power of progress in accelerating sustainable development and inclusive socio-economic growth.”

Categories of Excellence

The winners of the 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize were carefully selected across six categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools. A distinguished panel of Jury members, chaired by former President of the Republic of Iceland, H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, evaluated the nominees based on their innovation, scalability, and potential for lasting impact.

H.E. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson reflected on the winners’ achievements: “This year’s winners have showcased extraordinary innovation in addressing critical global challenges. They are tackling a huge range of problems, focused on reducing the damage from climate change and building more sustainable access to healthcare, energy, food, and water, especially in underserved communities. These winners have the potential to drive significant, scalable impact around the world. Their contributions will undoubtedly move us closer toward achieving crucial sustainable development goals.”

Spotlight on 2025 Winners

Health Category

India’s Periwinkle Technologies emerged as the winner in the Health category for its groundbreaking portable, AI-enabled cervical cancer screening device. This innovative solution operates independently of electricity, making it accessible even in remote and underserved areas. Delivering results within 30 seconds at the point of care, the device has already screened over 300,000 women across India, significantly improving early detection rates and health outcomes for women.

Food Category

In the Food category, Nigeria’s NaFarm Foods was recognized for its hybrid solar food dryers, which combat post-harvest losses while reducing carbon consumption. These dryers, distributed across six Nigerian states, have benefitted over 65,000 farmers, cutting food wastage and lowering carbon emissions by 50,000 metric tonnes annually. Moreover, the initiative has empowered more than 18,000 women and youth through targeted upskilling programs.

Energy Category

Bangladesh-based Palki Motors received the Prize in the Energy category for its affordable and locally manufactured electric vehicles (EVs). Priced at an accessible $4,990, these lightweight EVs cater specifically to commercial drivers’ needs. The company’s network of solar-powered battery swap stations has already benefitted over 23,000 individuals, offering a sustainable and cost-effective transportation solution for the region.

Water Category

The SkyJuice Foundation, an Australian nonprofit organization, won in the Water category for its innovative, gravity-powered water treatment system. The SkyHydrant model utilizes low-pressure membrane filters to provide clean, chemical-free drinking water without requiring pumps or external energy sources. With over 9,000 installations in 74 countries, this solution has supplied more than 1 billion gallons of safe drinking water, benefitting over 3 million people worldwide.

Climate Action Category

OpenMap Development Tanzania secured the Prize in the Climate Action category for its community-driven mapping solutions. By merging data collection with advanced technologies such as drones, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and remote sensing, the organization has addressed critical issues ranging from climate resilience to community health. To date, OpenMap has impacted 140,000 individuals, engaged over 1,000 youth in health initiatives, and created 100 jobs.

Global High Schools Category

The Global High Schools category celebrates the next generation of sustainability leaders. Since its inception, this segment of the Prize has empowered young people to drive critical progress in their communities. By 2025, the Global High Schools category has recognized 56 schools, impacting the lives of over 56,599 students and 480,660 people worldwide.

This year’s winners are:

Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos del Mar 07 (Mexico) representing The Americas
Sakafia Islamic Senior High School (Ghana) representing Sub-Saharan Africa
Merryland International School (UAE) representing the Middle East & North Africa
Presidential School in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) representing Europe & Central Asia
Janamaitri Multiple Campus (Nepal) representing South Asia
Te Pā o Rākaihautū (New Zealand) representing East Asia & Pacific

These institutions have championed projects that range from renewable energy solutions to sustainable water management and waste reduction, showcasing the transformative potential of youth-led initiatives.

Driving Global Impact

The cumulative impact of the Zayed Sustainability Prize since its establishment in 2008 is profound. Across its 17-year history, the Prize has supported over 400 million people worldwide through various projects, cementing its status as a beacon of sustainable innovation and progress.

The winners of the 2025 Prize continue this tradition by addressing critical global issues such as access to clean energy, nutritious food, and safe water, while improving healthcare and building climate resilience. Their work embodies the Prize’s ethos of enabling impactful solutions that deliver meaningful change.

A Call to Action

As the world faces increasingly complex environmental and social challenges, initiatives like the Zayed Sustainability Prize play a vital role in galvanizing action and inspiring innovation. The Prize not only celebrates individual and organizational achievements but also fosters a global culture of collaboration and commitment to sustainability.

H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s closing remarks during the ceremony underscored this sentiment: “By honouring these exceptional efforts, we hope to inspire others to take bold steps toward creating a more sustainable and equitable future. The UAE remains a steadfast partner in supporting these endeavors and ensuring that their impact resonates across the globe.”

The 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize winners serve as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when ingenuity, determination, and collaboration converge. Their efforts not only address today’s challenges but also lay the foundation for a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow.

Source Link