Zero Project Awards

Recognizing disability innovations worldwide

Awardee Announcement:

December 3, 2026
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Discover the Shortlist

The Zero Project Awards recognize solutions for disability inclusion, based on their innovation, impact, and scalability. 

Together with a global, cross-sector network of experts, the Zero Project identifies, evaluates, and maps good practices and policies from civil society, business, and the public sector worldwide.

Following an extensive, multi-step nomination and selection process, around 75 exemplary solutions are recognized as Zero Project Awardees each year.

Global and cross-sectoral:

1,035

Zero Project Awardees

Since 2013

600+

Peer reviewers

Selection process 2026/2027

615

Nominations

from 94 countries (2026/2027)

From nominations to Awardees

Education and AT Innovation

The next Call for Nominations (#ZeroCall28) will open in May 2027. It will focus on good practices and policies related to the topics of Education and Assisitive Technology (AT) innovations.

Would you like to get notified when #ZeroCall28 opens?

Main selection criteria:

  • Innovation

    Innovative and effective in removing barriers for persons with disabilties. The research takes into account the local context, geographies, and groups of beneficiaries.

  • Impact

    The impact of a particular solution could refer to the number of beneficiaries or people using a service, the solution’s growth rate, or the influence on improved public services, among others.

  • Scalability

    The potential of replicating and expanding to new geographies or growing in another way that allows a maximum number of persons with disabilities to benefit from the innovation.

Annual process:

  • #ZeroCall | May-June

    1. Call for Nominations

    Global and cross-sector outreach by the Zero Project Network. For the 2026/2027 cycle, 615 nomination from 94 countries have been submitted during #ZeroCall27.

  • July-October

    2. Selection process

    The multi-step process covers verification that formal criteria are met, peer review by hundreds of experts, and fact-checking. A shortlist is published in August.

  • December 3

    3. Awardee Announcement

    A selection of approximately 75 innovative solutions are recognized as Zero Project Awardees on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

What Awardees receive:

  • The traditional "family photo" at the ZeroCon Award Ceremony: a very large and diverse group smiling into the camera and cheering.

    Zero Project Conference (#ZeroCon)

    A global stage to present solutions

    The Zero Project Conference is a unique global, cross-sector conference for disability innovation. It's held at the United Nations Office at Vienna.

    Zero Project Awardees are invited to present their solutions to an international expert audience. More than 1,000 participants from around 100 countries attend the conference every year.

  • Publication cover

    Annual Research and Thematic Reports

    Visibility through research publications

    Zero Project Awardees are featured in the annual Zero Project Report.

    Moreover, Awardees may be invited to contribute to one of the thematic publications by the Zero Project. From scaling strategies, to disability-inclusive crisis response, and inclusive spaces, these special reports are created in collaboration with network partners.

  • A screengrab of the Zero Project's homepage with a big search bar; the Zero Project Database is a public utility that is available via the Zero project's homepage.

    Curated database and AI tools

    Discoverability and matchmaking opportunities

    Awardees are added to the Zero Project Database, which is publicly available and free to use. 

    Moreover, the Zero Project is developing AI-powered tools and applications to strengthen research and initiatives, including targeted matchmaking between people, organizations, and innovative solutions worldwide.
     

  • Two conference participants meet and share a laugh: both are wheelchair users, one from Nigeria, the other from Colombia. They try wheelchair attachments. Other participants from different backgrounds are visible in the background.

    Public sector, business sector, civil society

    Global network of experts with a shared mission

    Awardees are welcomed into a global community of over 10,000 experts—from members of international organizations and government bodies to OPDs, corporations, investors, academia, technology experts, and non-profits. This network fosters collaboration and a strong commitment to drive innovation for disability inclusion.

  • Two conference attendees wearing name badges smile and chat while standing in a bright meeting space. Other participants are seated and talking in the background, creating a lively networking atmosphere.

    Replication and scaling of solutions

    Regional and thematic events and initiatives

    Awardees may also be invited to speak and join international delegations at regional Zero Project events around the world, or take part in targeted programmes aligned with their area of expertise to scale and replicate their innovative solutions.

Previous Awards (2024–2026)

For earlier Awards and research cycles visit the archive:

Go to archive