The Earthshot Prize is a annual recognition recognizing excellence in Sustainability. Organized by The Earthshot Prize (independent charity, founded by Prince William), it covers the Global region. Established in 2020.
The Earthshot Prize is a decade-long global environmental prize launched in 2020 by Prince William with David Attenborough, originally under the Royal Foundation and an independent charity since July 2022. Each year it backs solutions to five 'Earthshots' — Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. Candidates are put forward by a vetted global network of more than 350 Official Nominators, screened through an independent assessment process, and the final five winners are chosen by the Earthshot Prize Council, whose members include Prince William, Queen Rania of Jordan, Cate Blanchett and Indra Nooyi.
One winner per Earthshot receives £1 million to scale their work, awarded every year between 2021 and 2030. Fifteen finalists are unveiled each cycle and gain access to the prize's acceleration support and partner network, so even a finalist slot is a significant credential for climate ventures seeking investment. The ceremony rotates globally — London (2021), Boston (2022), Singapore (2023), Cape Town (2024) and Rio de Janeiro (2025), with Mumbai announced for 2026 — and draws worldwide media attention thanks to its royal profile.
You cannot self-enter: the practical route in is getting on the radar of an Official Nominator (universities, accelerators, NGOs and institutions listed on the prize's site). Nomination windows have varied by cycle — past windows opened between November and January — with finalists and winners announced at the ceremony late in the year. Organisations with implemented, measurable and scalable environmental impact aligned tightly to one Earthshot stand the best chance; there is no entry fee at any stage.