Pune: The Zero Prize has opened applications for India’s first large-scale results-based pollution reduction challenge, inviting startups, innovators, companies, research institutions, and implementation agencies to submit scalable environmental solutions capable of delivering measurable impact across air, water, and land pollution categories.
Conceptualised by the School of Policy and Governance and chaired by Saket Burman, the ₹5 crore Zero Prize initiative aims to identify implementation-ready innovations that can demonstrate independently verifiable environmental outcomes under real-world operating conditions.
The Zero Prize has announced that applicants submitting entries on or before 31 May 2026 will receive structured expert feedback designed to strengthen impact measurement methodologies, scalability pathways, and verification frameworks ahead of the final evaluation process.
The final deadline for submissions has been set for 31 August 2026.
The Zero Prize challenge is open to applicants working with advanced and scalable environmental solutions, including deployed technologies, operational models, pilot-stage interventions, and implementation frameworks capable of addressing pressing pollution concerns.
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The Zero Prize will assess applications across three primary categories:
- Air Pollution: Solutions enabling measurable reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 emissions
- Water Pollution: Innovations focused on wastewater treatment, reuse, oxygenation improvement, biodiversity enhancement, and reduction in total solid levels
- Land & Waste Management: Interventions supporting landfill diversion, recycling, waste recovery, and circular economy systems
Apart from the core categories, the Zero Prize will also introduce special recognition awards, including the Youth Innovation Award, Civic Innovation Award, and Popular Vote Award. Each category will carry prize money of up to ₹10 lakh.
Applications under the Zero Prize initiative will be evaluated on the basis of measurable environmental outcomes, scalability potential, and independently verifiable performance.
The programme will also function as an accelerator platform, supporting promising innovations through partnerships with corporates, introductions to funders, and access to potential customers.
Speaking about the initiative, Saket Burman said, “India does not lack innovation. What we urgently need are credible systems that can identify, validate, and scale solutions already demonstrating measurable environmental impact on the ground.”
He further added, “The Zero Prize has been designed to shift the conversation from environmental intent to verified outcomes. By introducing an early feedback process, we aim to strengthen the quality of applications while helping innovators build robust impact measurement systems capable of supporting larger-scale adoption.”
The Zero Prize is expected to attract more than 500 applications from across India, including climate-tech startups, waste management companies, research institutions, urban innovators, civic organisations, and implementation agencies.
The initiative seeks to create a national pipeline of scalable environmental interventions aligned with India’s broader sustainability, climate action, and urban infrastructure priorities.
Applications submitted to the Zero Prize will undergo technical assessment and independent evaluation supported by a Technical Braintrust and Board of Advisors comprising experts from environmental, scientific, industrial, and public policy ecosystems.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen collaboration among innovators, researchers, industry leaders, investors, urban bodies, and implementation agencies while accelerating the adoption of data-backed environmental solutions across sectors.
The Zero Prize was formally launched earlier this year at the India Habitat Centre during Delhi Climate Innovation Week alongside Dia Mirza, with participation from policymakers, climate experts, industry leaders, startups, and ecosystem stakeholders.
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Zero Prize Application Details
- Early application feedback deadline: 31 May 2026
- Final application deadline: 31 August 2026
- Prize pool: ₹5 crore
- Special category awards: Up to ₹10 lakh each
Applications and further details are available at:
- Zero Prize Official Website
- Apply for Zero Prize
- About Zero Prize
The Zero Prize is a ₹5 crore national results-based environmental innovation challenge focused on identifying and supporting interventions capable of delivering measurable reductions in air, water, and land pollution.
The initiative evaluates real-world environmental performance with emphasis on scalability, independently verifiable outcomes, and implementation-ready impact, while supporting the adoption of credible, data-backed environmental solutions across India.
