UAE President confers 2025 Zayed Sustainability Prize to winners

The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has announced the 2025 winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, celebrating 11 ground-breaking efforts of organisations and high schools from around the world. This recognition is part of the UAE’s dedication to drive scalable solutions to global challenges and empowering communities toward sustainable development.

In the event organised during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, the winners were honoured in the presence of by 11 heads of state, ministers and global business leaders. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed commended the recipients for their exceptional contributions, and congratulated them for fostering innovations that address the pressing environmental challenges the planet faces.

Reaffirming the UAE’s commitment to sustainability, President Zayed highlighted the transformative impact of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in promoting innovative solutions to critical social and environmental issues.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director-General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, held, “Today, we recognise a remarkable group of organisations and high schools that are driving tangible progress toward a more prosperous future. 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 socioeconomic growth.”

The winners for the award for 2025 were chosen by a jury across six categories: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools.

For the health category, India’s Pune based Periwinkle Technologies Pvt Ltd received the award for its portable, AI-powered cervical cancer screening device. Operating independently of electricity, the device delivers results within 30 seconds, enabling early detection even in remote areas. To date, it has screened over 300,000 women, significantly improving women’s health outcomes across India.

In energy, Bangladesh’s Palki Motors was recognised for its locally manufactured, affordable electric vehicles tailored to commercial drivers. Priced at USD 4,990, these lightweight vehicles address regional transportation needs and operate in conjunction with a solar-powered battery swap network. Over 23,000 individuals have already benefited from this initiative.

In the Climate Action category, OpenMap Development Tanzania won for its community-driven mapping solutions that integrate advanced technologies like drones and geographic information systems. The initiative has positively impacted 140,000 people, engaged over 1,000 youth in health-related projects, and created 100 jobs.

Several High Schools were empowered with prize recognizing their young leaders to have implemented sustainability projects in their communities. Since its inception, the award has impacted over 56,599 students and 480,660 individuals worldwide. The 2025 winners represent six global regions. In South Asia Nepal’s Janamaitri Multiple Campus was awarded.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize continues to inspire innovative and impactful solutions, driving global efforts toward a sustainable and inclusive future while honouring the enduring legacy of Sheikh Zayed.