Wilkes Climate Innovation Prize 2026 ($250,000 grand prize)

Deadline: February 28, 2026

Applications are open for the Wilkes Climate Innovation Prize 2026. The Wilkes Climate Innovation Prize seeks bold, high-potential solutions that address significant challenges affecting the climate/energy/economy ecosystem and are positioned to make measurable progress toward real-world use.

The Prize is designed to support solutions at a stage where uncertainty remains high, conventional funding or adoption pathways are limited, and targeted support can plausibly influence outcomes. Solutions may be technological, policy-driven, operational, financial, or hybrid.

Benefits

• Financial Support
  • One Grand Prize award of $250,000 USD in non-dilutive funding to support validation, pilots, or readiness for scale
• Visibility & Recognition
  • Recognition at the Wilkes Climate Summit and associated events
  • Inclusion in Wilkes Center communications and press outreach
  • Institutional credibility associated with a leading research university
• Targeted Support & Connection
  • Curated introductions to potential funders, partners, and advisors
  • Opportunities to participate in convenings, roundtables, or networking events associated with the Prize
  • Participation in the Wilkes Prize alumni community

Eligibility

• Applicants may be for-profit or nonprofit organizations, academic teams, public-sector innovators, or mission-driven collaborations from anywhere in the world.
• You should consider applying if:
  • You are working on a solution with a clear real-world application, not only a theoretical concept
  • Your solution addresses a material climate-system challenge, not a marginal improvement
  • You can articulate what needs to happen next and what currently stands in the way
  • Support at this stage could meaningfully change your trajectory

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated by independent judges using criteria that include:

• Climate-system impact and relevance
• Plausibility and clarity of your execution path
• Differentiation, quality of insight and clear co-benefits
• Team expertise and organizational capability
• Catalytic fit with the Wilkes Climate Innovation Prize

Application

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Wilkes Climate Innovation Prize.