Zero Project Call for Nominations 2026

#ZeroCall26: Accessibility, ICT, and Crisis Response

The Zero Project Awards Badge for 2026, featuring the Zero Project plant, which is a seedling breaking through a circle, and the words Zero Project Awards 2026

Nominate your innovative solution for a Zero Project Award 2026!

The Zero Project Call for Nominations 2026 (#ZeroCall26) calls on innovative, impactful, and scalable solutions from around the world to submit their nominations for a Zero Project Award. The topics are Accessibility, ICT, and Crisis Response.

Becoming a Zero Project Awardee opens doors, opportunities, and promotional channels with the support of the global Zero Project Network of more than 10,000+ experts.

Opening soon:

#ZeroCall26 will open in May 2025. More information will be published shortly.

 

 

Innovation, impact, and scalability

Check back soon for more information!

This page will be updated shortly with more information about this year's research topics, “how to” resources, and more.

The Zero Project's research

Each year, the Zero Project conducts research into innovations worldwide. The research topics are based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) definition of rights of persons with disabiltities. The research's objective is to identify innovative solutions that advance their implementation.

While the topics rotate each year, there are three main criteria that inform the selection process: innovation, impact, and scalability.

Main selection criteria explained:

  • Innovation

    The nominated solution will have demonstrated to be 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. Any selected solution must have been deployed and have already had an impact; the selection process does not consider projects or products at a concept stage.

  • Scalability

    All nominations are reviewed for their potential in 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. Among the 1,000+ solutions that have been identified since 2013, scalability has been indeed multifaceted, ranging from open-source applications to the replication of effective policies, to the expansion of inclusive start-up solutions to new countries.

#ZeroCall26 timeline

May 2025: #ZeroCall26 opens

Nominations can be submitted via the #ZeroCall26 nomination platform.

June/July 2025: #ZeroCall26 closes

Nominations will not be accepted after this date.

Jun-Oct 2025: Selection process

Extensive multi-step process including peer-review and fact-checking

December 3, 2025: Zero Project Awardee Announcement

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Feb 18-20, 2026: Zero Project Conference 2026

Zero Project Awardees will present at the United Nations Office at Vienna, Austria

Check back soon for more information!

This page will be updated shortly with more information about this year's research topics, “how to” resources, and more.