The Zero Project Awards 2027 Shortlist
The Call for Nominations for the Zero Project Awards 2027 (#ZeroCall27) ran from mid-May to the end of June 2026. In total, the Zero Project received 615 nominations from 94 countries.
159 innovative solutions from 59 countries across six continents have been shortlisted for the Zero Project Awards 2027. In addition, 10 inclusive arts initiatives from 9 countries have been shortlisted for this year's Zero Project Arts Awards. The call for nominations focused on the topics of Independent Living, Political Participation, and Assistive Technology (AT).
Highlights from this Year’s Research
This year’s research output highlights a rise in projects led and ideated by women with disabilities. The shortlist also reveals a high number of local, community-based, small-scale projects designed for quick and easy replication. The curb-cut effect is evident across sports, play, and technology, producing solutions that remove barriers for everyone, not just persons with disabilities.
While artificial intelligence is increasingly utilized by innovators, the standout feature of these projects is their human-centric approach—where AI complements rather than drives the solutions, and persons with disabilities directly lead the development of the tools they need and want.
Furthermore, there is a broad diversity of Assistive Tech and ICT innovations across all world regions—such as sign language avatars on public screens and orientation systems for the blind and visually impaired that combine app guidance with haptic signals.
Finally, political participation coverage has expanded geographically, marked by strong representation from Central Asia. Notably, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are represented on the shortlist for the first time.
Innovative solutions from 59 countries
Visit the #ZeroCall27 Shortlist webpage and learn more about the result of this first stage of the selection process!
Discover the Shortlist