Nominations open for Zero Project Awards for Innovative Solutions

Topics

• The Zero Project call for nominations is focused on the topics of Accessibility, ICT, and Crisis Response.

Benefits

• What Awardees Can Expect:
  • Present at the Zero Project Conference 2026 (#ZeroCon26): Awardees are invited to present their solutions at #ZeroCon26, held at the United Nations Office at Vienna.
  • Be Part of the Zero Project Network: Awardees are welcomed into a global community of over 10,000 experts—from members of international organizations and government bodies to DPOs, corporations, investors, academia, technology experts, and non-profits.
  • Feature in the Zero Project Report: Each Awardee is profiled in the annual Zero Project Report, and potentially other thematic publications. These publications are shared widely with stakeholders in the disability inclusion field in an accessible format.
  • Listed in the Zero Project Database: Awarded solutions are published in the Zero Project Database—a public utility featuring hundreds of innovative practices, policies, and technologies from around the world. Disability-inclusive AI-based tools developed by the Zero Project in collaboration with partners are also based on this data to inform decision-making.
  • Involvement in regional and thematic Initiatives: Awardees may also be invited to speak at regional Zero Project events for Ibero-America, India, or the Asia-Pacific region, or to take part in targeted programmes aligned with their area of expertise to scale and replicate their innovative solutions.

Selection Criteria

• Innovation: The nominated solution will have demonstrated to be innovative and effective in removing barriers for persons with disabilities. The research takes into account the local context, geographies, and groups of beneficiaries.
• Impact: The impact of a particular solution could refer to the number of beneficiaries or people using a service, the solution’s growth rate, or the influence on improved public services, among others.
• Scalability: All nominations are reviewed for their potential in replicating and expanding to new geographies or growing in another way that allows a maximum number of persons with disabilities to benefit from the innovation.

Application Requirements

• Your nomination must be submitted in English language. If you choose to use AI-translation tools such as Google Translate or DeePL, please ensure facts and information are accurate before submitting your nomination.
• Concentrate on facts and concise information, as this will make it easier for their peer reviewers and fact-checkers to understand the value of your nominated solution.
• Clearly demonstrate your solution’s innovation, impact, and scalability. These are the main criteria during the selection process. Be as clear as possible and make it easy to understand, including for non-experts and potential users.
• Required: Upload 3 to 5 photos that showcase the impact of the nominated solution and/or illustrate how the solution works in practice.
• Optional: You may upload materials such as annual reports, PowerPoint presentations, or other relevant files that provide additional insight into the nominated solution. Please ensure documents are relevant and do not simply repeat information already provided in the form or include generic content.

For more information, visit Zero Project.