The Earthshot Prize has named 15 finalists for 2026, including two African organizations, Uganda’s AirQo and Kenya’s Pula. Five winners will each receive £1 million at the awards night in Mumbai on 17 November 2026.
The details
Finalists compete in five categories, called Earthshots. The awards are part of an Earthshot Prize Summit in Mumbai on 16 and 17 November, according to the Earthshot Prize.
| Category | 2026 finalists |
|---|---|
| Protect and Restore Nature | Indigenous Desert Alliance (Australia), Bhutan, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Canada) |
| Clean our Air | Satellites on Fire (Argentina), Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (India), AirQo (Uganda) |
| Revive our Oceans | Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (USA), Niue Ocean Wide Trust (Niue), City of Barcelona (Spain) |
| Build a Waste-Free World | South Korea Zero Waste Movement Network, PFAS-Free France, Mother Earth Foundation (Philippines) |
| Fix our Climate | Pula (Kenya), Ørsted (Denmark), Mahila Housing Trust (India) |
Why it matters for impact founders in Africa, MENA and Southeast Asia
The 2026 list mixes very different kinds of finalists: a country (Bhutan), a city (Barcelona), a large energy company (Ørsted), grassroots networks and young ventures. That range is a signal to applicants. The prize rewards scalable proof of impact, whatever the organizational model.
- African climate ventures: AirQo, competing in Clean our Air, and Pula, competing in Fix our Climate, show that African organizations can reach the final stage in two very different categories.
- Southeast Asia: the Philippines’ Mother Earth Foundation is the region’s finalist, in the waste category.
- MENA: no finalist comes from the Middle East or North Africa this year. Organizations in the region working on heat, water and waste have room to compete in future cycles.
Founders preparing for prizes like this can also look at current open calls in our MIT Solve 2027 Global Climate Challenge coverage.
What’s next
Confirmed: the Earthshot Prize Summit runs on 16 and 17 November 2026 in Mumbai, with winners announced at the awards night on 17 November. Impact DOTS will update this post once the winners are named.
FAQ
At the awards night in Mumbai on 17 November 2026.
Each of the five winners receives £1 million.
Yes. AirQo from Uganda (Clean our Air) and Pula from Kenya (Fix our Climate).
15, three in each of the five Earthshot categories.
