The Earth Prize 2025: Vote for the Global Winner by 22 April!
Every day last week, one Regional Winner of The Earth Prize 2025 was revealed – and the impact of these youth-led innovations is nothing short of inspiring. From water purification with plasma, to eco-packaging, food waste reduction and reimagined climate education, these students are showing what bold, scalable climate action looks like.
Now that all seven regional winners have been revealed, the Public Vote is officially open! This exciting new phase puts the spotlight on each region as they compete for the coveted Global Winner title – and your vote could make all the difference!
Who will take the crown? Meet the seven regional winners below and have your say — public voting is open until Tuesday, 22 April (Earth Day)!👇
🇪🇺 EUROPE
PURA – Water purification powered by light and plasma
Combining Anna’s research on photocatalysis with Tomáš’s cold plasma expertise, PURA is a pioneering solution that purifies water of antibiotics and resistant bacteria, helping combat one of the world’s biggest future threats: antimicrobial resistance. With The Earth Prize funding, the duo is building a new prototype that can process more litres, bringing them closer to real-world impact in wastewater treatment.
“The news was absolutely incredible! This recognition and funding enables us to bring our research projects to life, with the creation of a small-scale device being just the beginning. We’re now looking to expand our team, engage more students, and gain the support and capital needed to propel PURA into the future.” – Tomáš Čermák
🇺🇸 NORTH AMERICA
Kiriboard – Plastic-free, origami-inspired packaging
Inspired by origami and a broken robotics delivery, this NYC team StuyBigCompGroup created ‘Kiriboard’ – a recyclable, shock-absorbing replacement for plastic packaging. Made from recycled cardboard, it’s cost-effective, biodegradable and scalable – a smart step away from Styrofoam and ‘forever chemicals.’
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have won The Earth Prize 2025 for North America! With the $12.5k funding, we’ll focus on building connections with companies to shift from plastic to cardboard packaging, repurpose waste materials from recycling centres, and pitch prototypes to major shippers like Amazon, USPS, and FedEx.” – Zhi Han (Anthony) Yao
🇳🇬 AFRICA
Preserve Our Roots GREEN — Upcycled eco parks transforming neglected urban spaces
Using recycled materials, Amara is turning neglected urban areas into sustainable green parks – creating spaces that benefit communities, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Her solution, Preserve Our Roots GREEN, is about environmental renewal and social healing.
“With this funding, we will establish three more parks in underserved Nigerian communities, bringing climate education, green spaces, and sustainable infrastructure to tens of thousands. This work is personal to me – millions, including myself, have grown up where nature is a luxury, and now, thanks to The Earth Prize, this vision is becoming a reality!” – Amara Nwuneli
🇵🇭 OCEANIA & SOUTHEAST ASIA
Kultibado – Connecting farmers and consumers to cut food waste
In the Philippines, 30% of food is lost due to supply chain breakdowns. Kultibado’s web app connects farmers directly to consumers, helping sell surplus or “ugly” produce before it spoils. This reduces emissions, cuts costs, and boosts farmers’ income – a triple win.
“This recognition will help us… connect 150,000 farmers to our web app in the next five years. More than just a web app, Kultibado aims to foster a paradigm shift where ugly and surplus produce are valued, and where everyone has access to nutritious food.” – Hailey Yap & Yume Yorita
Vote for Oceania and SouthEast Asia
🇦🇪 MIDDLE EAST
EcoMind Academy – AI-powered sustainability learning
EcoMind Academy is an AI-based platform created by team Sustainability Heroes that weaves sustainability into school subjects like math and English, while rewarding students with real-world eco challenges. With strong partnerships and grassroots events, it turns learning into action.
“This recognition fuels our dedication to transforming recycling education. With the $12,500 prize, we’ll focus on developing AI-driven tools, creating impactful educational content, and building partnerships with schools… EcoMind Academy is more than just an app — it’s a movement empowering students to lead the way in sustainability.” – Israa Ashraf
🇮🇳 ASIA
Thermavault — Electricity-free refrigeration for medical supply transport
Inspired by the challenge of delivering vaccines to rural areas without reliable electricity, this team developed Thermavault – a first-of-its-kind portable refrigeration unit powered by a reusable salt-based cooling reaction. With no need for external power, it keeps medical supplies cold for up to 12 hours, helping improve healthcare access in underserved regions.
“We’re thrilled to receive The Earth Prize 2025 for Asia! Our electricity-free cooling solution was inspired by the challenges of delivering vaccines to rural areas, but we quickly realised it can be used for medical supplies in general… Our goal is to save lives where electricity is scarce, no matter the location.” – Dhruv Chaudhary
🇧🇷 CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
EcoAction Brazil — Cooling cities with AI and green infrastructure
Using AI, satellite data and predictive analysis, EcoAção Brasil identifies overheated urban areas and guides strategic tree planting to reduce extreme heat. Based in Palmas, where temperatures reach 50°C, Isaque’s climate-tech model is designed to scale across cities — helping urban areas adapt to the growing risks of heatwaves.
“I’m thrilled to be named the Central and South America Winner of The Earth Prize, and to be the first winner coming from Brazil! With the funding, we are now looking to improve our technology, expand to new regions, and engage other youth-led initiatives seeking to adopt our research-driven AI and environmental model.” – Isaque Carvalho Borges
Vote for Central and South America
💥 Vote and support your favourite team
These students aren’t waiting for the future; they’re building it!
Make sure your voice counts by voting for the Global Winner of The Earth Prize 2025 before 22 April (Earth Day): https://www.theearthprize.org/vote
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