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Climate Innovation Decision-Makers
Innovation Zero Awards 2026
Celebrating the Innovations Powering a Net Zero Future
Showcase your breakthrough technology, project, or solution to the global sustainability community.
The Innovation Zero Awards 2026 spotlight the most “purchasable” clean solutions. Crafted from the corporate buyer’s perspective, the Awards connect innovators with investors, procurement leaders, and sustainability specialists driving decarbonisation across industries.
All entries are free of charge and open to companies worldwide.
Entries open 9 October and close 10 December.
Interested in joining the Awards as a sponsor, judge or attendee? Click here.
Why should you enter?
Entering the Awards gives your business the visibility, credibility, and commercial connections to accelerate growth and impact. More than recognition, it’s your gateway to market visibility and investor attention.
Benefits include:
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Be seen by corporate buyers and investors: Each candidate will be carefully assessed by at least three sustainability and procurement leaders from major enterprises, cleantech investors, and industry experts.
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Feature in the Green Solutions Catalogue: All entrants have a chance to profiled in our online directory – a growing discovery tool used by corporate buyers seeking new climate solutions.
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Gain high-value exposure: Shortlisted companies are promoted through Innovation Zero’s social media, website spotlights, and newsletters – reaching a global sustainability audience.
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Showcase your achievement: Shortlisted entrants receive a finalist badge and logo to use across their communications.
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Exclusive opportunities for winners: Inclusion in the Awards Spotlight on the Innovation Zero World Congress Main Stage, plus a feature in a dedicated winners’ marketing campaign.
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Save on exhibiting: Winners receive a 50% discount on Innovation Pod upgrades or Showcase packages at Innovation Zero World 2026.
Who should enter?
The Innovation Zero Awards are designed exclusively for innovators developing or scaling solutions that help achieve a net zero economy.
We welcome entries from:
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Start-ups, scale-ups, and established businesses with solutions at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or higher.
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Candidates with climate-ready solutions that can deliver environmental and commercial benefits.
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Innovators from any country – there are no geographical restrictions.
Entry Conditions
To qualify, your solution must:
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Have been developed or significantly updated within the last six years.
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Be at TRL 4 or above.
Awards Categories
The Innovation Zero Awards 2026 recognise climate innovations across six key sectors critical to achieving net zero. Each category celebrates solutions that combine commercial scalability with climate impact – reflecting how buyers and investors identify opportunity.
To reflect the maturity spectrum of innovation, each category will have two winners:
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Promising Solution – recognising early-stage technologies or products with high potential and proof of concept (typically TRL 4–6).
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Mature Solution – celebrating commercially deployed or scaled innovations already delivering measurable climate and customer impact (typically TRL 7+).
*You can apply for a maximum of two categories per solution.
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ENERGY & POWER
For solutions that help to decarbonise legacy energy production, transportation, utilisation, storage, or generate low or zero-carbon energy.
Examples include energy management systems, batteries, biofuels, CHP, electrochemical storage, biomass, heat recovery, hydrogen, kinetic energy, energy monitoring, utilities, and renewables.
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TRANSPORT, LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN
For innovations that reduce emissions from the movement of people and goods across all transport modes.
Examples include electric and hybrid vehicles, transport infrastructure, charging networks, smart parking, traffic management, fleet management, and logistics optimisation.
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LAND & WATER
For solutions that reduce the climate impact of land and water use.
This includes agriculture and food systems, consumer goods production, GHG capture and storage, biodiversity and forestry solutions, and technologies related to oceans, atmosphere, and climate resilience.
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INDUSTRY
For solutions that mitigate the climate effects of industrial production and manufacturing.
Covers petrochemicals, plastics, electronics, heavy machinery, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals -as well as technologies improving efficiency, circularity, and emissions reduction in manufacturing processes.
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"The Innovation Zero Awards are...
...a great accolade for everything we're doing as an organisation."
Darren Burford, Chief Revenue Officer, Converge (2025 Winner, Mature Solution in MRV)
...a showcase for likeminded people who want to make the world a better place..."
Bill Yost, CEO, Reclinker (2025 Winner, Mature Solution in the Built Environment)
...a stamp of approval and validation for what we're building – it's making us really excited to keep growing our business..."
Chloe So, Co-Founder & CEO, Pulpatronics (2025 Winner, Promising Solution in MRV)
...needed for companies doing what we're doing – which is expensive, hard tech, and hard to get investment..."
Tom Taylor, Founder & CEO, Futraheat (2025 Winner, Promising Solution in Energy & Power, and Industry)
Judging Process & Key Dates
All entries are reviewed through a rigorous, multi-stage evaluation process designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and relevance to buyers and investors.
Judging Process
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Stage 1: Initial Review (November–December 2025)
Eligible entries are reviewed by our judging panel of corporate procurement specialists, sustainability leaders, cleantech investors, and industry experts. Each submission is assessed against the Awards’ key criteria: climate impact, client benefit, commercial scalability, and innovation strength.
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Stage 2: Final Judging (January 2026)
Shortlisted entries are re-evaluated to determine the winners in each category – one Promising Solution and one Mature Solution.
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Stage 3: Verification (February 2026)
The Innovation Zero Awards Steering Committee reviews the judging recommendations and formally verifies the winners ahead of the Awards ceremony.
Key Dates
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Entries Open: 8 October 2025
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Entries Close: 10 December 2025
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Judging Period: November 2025 – January 2026
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Steering Committee Review: February 2026
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Awards Ceremony: Early March 2026 (date TBC)
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Winners Promotion Campaign: March – 29 April 2026
(culminating at the Innovation Zero World Congress, London, 28–29 April 2026)
Winners will be celebrated both online and onsite -with exclusive features across Innovation Zero’s marketing channels and recognition on the Main Stage at the World Congress in April.
How to make your entry stand out
Entries will be evaluated on how effectively your solution benefits both your clients and the climate. To strengthen your submission:
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Provide clear, concise, evidence-based explanations.
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Provide case studies, data, or customer results where possible.
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Highlight key achievements such as awards, patents, or notable milestones.
Post-Awards Opportunities
All accepted entries are eligible for inclusion in the Green Solutions Catalogue, Innovation Zero’s curated directory of climate technologies and innovations – a resource poised to become the go-to discovery tool for corporate buyers and investors seeking actionable solutions.
We want to build bridges between climate innovators, investors and corporate buyers.
Nastasya Savina, Director of Awards & Showcase
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