SparkLabs Launches $75,000 Global Prize for Sustainability and Climate Startups Ahead of COP31

True Zero Global Prize will support startups and organizations working across carbon reduction, renewable energy, energy storage, transportation and other sustainability-focused sectors

SparkLabs True Zero has launched the True Zero Global Prize, a global startup competition offering $75,000 in grants to startups and organizations developing solutions in sustainability, regenerative technologies and planetary health. The competition, which is being organized ahead of the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), will award $50,000 to the first-place winner and $25,000 to the second-place winner. Applications opened on September 1, 2026, and will close on September 28, with finalists scheduled to present to the judging panel on October 5. The winners will be announced on November 15 during COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.

The initiative comes from SparkLabs True Zero, a joint initiative between Net Zero TEKMER, an innovation hub focused on sustainability in Türkiye, and SparkLabs Group, a global network of innovation labs, startup accelerators and venture capital funds. The program is based in Ankara and focuses on bringing together sustainability, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship. The competition is open to startups and organizations working across a range of sustainability-related areas. Its primary sectors include carbon reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, transportation, emerging markets and nonprofit organizations.

The True Zero Global Prize has been timed to coincide with COP31, which will take place in Antalya from November 9 to 20, 2026. According to the competition materials, the event is expected to bring together global leaders, investors, corporations and climate-tech innovators. Türkiye’s role as COP31 Presidency is also expected to increase the country’s visibility in discussions around climate, energy and technology.

For participating startups, the timing places the competition within a broader international climate ecosystem that includes investors, corporates, policymakers and technology companies. The organizers are positioning the prize as a global platform rather than a Türkiye-focused startup competition. The judging panel and sponsoring partners include participants from North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Global judging panel brings together investors, technology and climate experts

The True Zero Global Prize has assembled a judging panel comprising investors, entrepreneurs, technology executives, climate specialists, policymakers and representatives from the startup ecosystem. The panel includes Jason Bordoff, Founding Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA and Co-Founding Dean of the Columbia Climate School. Bordoff’s work focuses on the intersection of economics, energy, environment and national security.

The panel also includes Albert Chung, Managing Principal and Head of Climate Investments at Allstate, where he focuses on investments related to carbon emissions reduction, climate resilience and adaptation. From Singapore, Kathiresan Ramprakash, Programme Director at the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University, brings experience in translating energy technologies into real-world deployment. He also directs the TCS-NTU GoZero Hub, which focuses on net-zero technology and advisory services across ASEAN.

The technology and AI side of the panel includes Duncan Anderson, who leads the developer ecosystem for NVIDIA Earth-2, NVIDIA’s platform for AI-accelerated climate and weather simulation. His work involves partnerships with researchers, startups and industry partners working on data-driven weather simulation and applications across agriculture, energy and infrastructure. The panel also includes Brian Behlendorf, Managing Partner at SparkLabs AI Fund and former Chief AI Strategist at the Linux Foundation, and Brendon Kim, Managing Director of Hyundai CRADLE, Hyundai Motor Group’s early-stage investment and corporate innovation division.

Other judges include representatives from venture capital, corporate innovation, sustainability, agriculture, law, technology and international startup ecosystems.

The competition will be co-chaired by entrepreneur and investor Kevin Chou and entertainer and entrepreneur Tyrese Gibson. Chou is Co-Founder and CEO of Bright Saver, a nonprofit focused on making plug-in solar accessible to American households. His work on plug-in solar has involved legislative changes, electrical codes, product certification and interconnection requirements, as well as the installation of systems in households.

According to the materials, Bright Saver led a national coalition supporting plug-in solar legislation in 35 U.S. states in 2026. Ten bills reached governors’ desks and eight were signed into law, allowing ordinary homeowners to install plug-in solar systems in those states. The organization has also installed plug-in solar and home battery systems in more than 400 American households.

Chou brings a technology entrepreneurship background to the initiative. He previously co-founded and led mobile gaming company Kabam, taking the company to more than $400 million in annual revenue before the sale of its studios to multiple companies generated nearly $1 billion in value. He is also Executive Chairman and Co-Owner of esports organization Gen.G. Gibson, meanwhile, brings experience across music, film, publishing and entertainment. He said his involvement in the competition is intended to support founders working on sustainability and technologies addressing global challenges.

SparkLabs True Zero builds on an existing climate-tech ecosystem

The competition is part of the broader SparkLabs True Zero initiative, which describes itself as a next-generation innovation program focused on sustainable and regenerative technologies. Based in Ankara, the initiative combines Net Zero TEKMER’s sustainability-focused innovation infrastructure with SparkLabs Group’s accelerator and venture ecosystem.

The materials also highlight several companies within the broader SparkLabs sustainability portfolio. These include Hydroleap, a Singapore-based company developing electrochemical water-treatment technology; GINT, a Korean company developing intelligent tractor systems; Aquabyte, which applies AI to aquaculture; n.thing, a Seoul-based smart farming company; and Arable, an agricultural intelligence company based in New Jersey.

The portfolio also includes a climate-data company based in Sydney that uses AI and machine learning to translate climate and land data into investment insights, as well as Calyx, a San Francisco and Taipei-based materials science company developing biological sensors for detecting air chemicals. The portfolio provides an indication of the range of technologies being considered within the program, spanning energy, water, agriculture, climate data, sensing and industrial applications.

International partners support the initiative

The True Zero Global Prize has also brought together sponsors and ecosystem partners from several sectors These include Pillsbury, Hyundai CRADLE, Saudi Arabia’s National Technology Development Program (NTDP), Wilson Sonsini, Park Legal, TechNode Group and beSUCCESS.

Hyundai CRADLE serves as Hyundai Motor Group’s venture capital and innovation arm and invests in early-stage companies across areas including automation and robotics, artificial intelligence, mobility, smart infrastructure, energy and sustainability, and frontier technologies. Saudi Arabia’s NTDP is focused on developing the country’s technology ecosystem and supporting sustainable growth through technology and innovation initiatives.

TechNode Group brings an Asia-focused technology and innovation network spanning China, Southeast Asia and global markets. Its activities include media, events, ecosystem building, corporate innovation and cross-border connections.

South Korea-based beSUCCESS, meanwhile, supports Korean startups seeking international expansion through activities including PR, education, consulting, acceleration and investment attraction. The composition of the partner network gives the competition access to startup and investment ecosystems across multiple regions, including Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Applications open through September 28

The True Zero Global Prize is accepting applications from startups and organizations working in sustainability, regenerative technologies and planetary health. The competition’s primary sectors include carbon reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, transportation, emerging markets and nonprofits.

The first-place winner will receive $50,000, while the second-place winner will receive $25,000, bringing the total grant pool to $75,000. With the winners set to be announced during COP31, the competition will place its selected startups within one of the year’s largest international gatherings focused on climate, energy and sustainability.

For SparkLabs True Zero, the initiative represents an effort to identify and support founders working across a broad range of technologies and approaches to sustainability, while connecting them with an international network of investors, corporates, technology leaders and ecosystem organizations. Startups and organizations developing solutions for a more sustainable and resilient future can apply for the True Zero Global Prize 2026. Applications are open until September 28, 2026, with finalists presenting to the judging panel on October 5 and winners announced during COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.

Quick Takeaways

• SparkLabs has launched the $75,000 True Zero Global Prize for startups and organizations developing sustainability, regenerative technology, and planetary health solutions.
• The prize will award $50,000 to the winner and $25,000 to the runner-up, with winners announced during COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, on November 15, 2026.
• Applications are open from September 1 to September 28, with finalists scheduled to present on October 5.
• The competition covers carbon reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage, transportation, emerging markets, and nonprofit innovation.
• A 34-member judging panel brings together investors, technology executives, climate specialists, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem leaders from organizations including OpenAI, NVIDIA, Hyundai CRADLE, Anthropic, IBM, Columbia University, and SparkLabs.
• Tyrese Gibson and Kevin Chou are serving as co-chairs, bringing together entertainment, entrepreneurship, clean-energy advocacy, and technology perspectives.
• The initiative builds on SparkLabs’ existing climate and sustainability investment activity, spanning areas such as water treatment, smart agriculture, aquaculture, precision cooling, and climate resilience.
• The initiative is positioned alongside COP31’s growing focus on climate innovation and startup participation, including a dedicated Startup Zone in Antalya.