In 2023, humanity will face many challenges due to the impact of global conflicts and economic challenges. According to the World Food Program, an additional 50 million people could be on the brink of starvation by 2023. In addition, global energy consumption is expected to increase amid slow growth and high energy prices. The shortage of gas supply can force countries to continue using fossil fuels, thus slowing down the transition to green energy.
With its vision and mission of “science for humanity,” the 2023 VinFuture Prize aims to recognize and honor scientific research and technological breakthroughs, thereby contributing to resolving problems that humanity is facing, and facilitating sustainable development for the future.
Prof. Sir Richard Henry Friend, Chair of the VinFuture Prize Council, shared: “When we look at the broad fields, it’s interesting to see how global sentiment has changed. We’re increasingly concerned about global well-being and anxious about a stable and sustainable life after unpredictable incidents. We aim to search for innovations and breakthroughs across all fields to honor scientific innovations that create positive and sustainable changes in the lives of many people. We believe this year’s nomination will receive more quality nominations, thus increasing the opportunities to find worthy scientific works and research.”
To participate in the 2023 VinFuture Prize, scientific and technological innovations and solutions must fully meet the Prize’s nomination criteria* and be nominated by prestigious organizations or individuals in the field of science and technology worldwide. Nominated projects will be screened and chosen by the VinFuture Prize’s Pre-Screening Committee and Prize Council, composed of leading scientists and experts who have won prestigious awards, such as Nobel, Turing, and Millennium Technology prizes.
Previously, the 2022 VinFuture Prize received an exceptional response from the global science and technology community, with 970 quality nominations from scientists, researchers, and inventors from six continents. The 2022 VinFuture Grand Prize (worth US$3 million) was awarded to five scientists: Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Dr. Vinton Cerf, Dr. Emmanuel Desurvire, Dr. Robert Kahn, and Professor Sir David Payne for their ground-breaking research on global network technology. The 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields was awarded to Dr. Demis Hassabis and Dr. John Jumper for their pioneering work on AlphaFold 2 – an artificial intelligence program that has revolutionized the modeling of protein structures. The 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Developing Country Innovators was awarded to Professor Thalappil Pradeep for his development of a low-cost filtration system to remove arsenic and other heavy metals from groundwater. The 2022 VinFuture Special Prize for Female Innovators honored Professor Pamela Ronald for her breakthroughs in isolating the Sub1A gene which facilitated the development of submergence-tolerant rice varieties.
The 2023 VinFuture Prize’s Nomination Portal is available at: https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination
For more details about the Prize:
- Detailed instructions on the nomination process and form: https://online.vinfutureprize.org/nomination
- Frequently asked questions: https://vinfutureprize.org/faqs/
- List of VinFuture Prize Laureates announced at the award ceremony on December 20th, 2022 with information about the awarded innovations: https://vinfutureprize.org/laureates/
* 10 criteria for nomination to the VinFuture Prize:
- There should be clear evidence, or potential, for an end-product or service based on the solution, which has an everyday practical application;
- Solutions should have already benefited millions of people in the past 10 years for the Grand Prize, or have the potential to benefit millions of people in the next 10 years for the Special Prizes;
- Solutions should be aligned with one or more of the United Nation’s SDGs;
- Solutions must be scientifically proven (i.e., there should be clear evidence of passing relevant scientific trials, and in the case of research, it must be empirically proven or widely reviewed);
- Open to researchers or inventors who were involved in developing the underlying solutions, and not entrepreneurs or corporates who helped in the commercialization/diffusion of the technology;
- End-products of the research should benefit people globally, including those from developing and less developed countries, as well as lower-income and disadvantaged communities;
- Open to individuals or teams of researchers/inventors;
- Preferences are considered for nominees in the active stages of their careers;
- Same individual/team can be nominated for one or more of the VinFuture Special Prizes if eligible;
- Research/Solution/Invention can be underpinned in any discipline of science, engineering, or technology, including potentially multi-disciplinary approaches.
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About VinFuture Foundation
The VinFuture Foundation, established on December 20th, 2020 on the occasion of International Human Solidarity Day, is a non-profit organization co-founded by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Mrs. Pham Thu Huong.
The Foundation’s vision is catalyzing meaningful change in the everyday lives of millions of people by honoring transformational technological innovations at a global scale. The Foundation’s core activity is awarding the annual VinFuture Prize for breakthrough scientific and technological innovations that have created or have the potential to create meaningful changes in the everyday lives of millions of people across the planet.
The VinFuture Prize consists of four prize categories, of which the Grand Prize – with a value of US$3 million – is one of the largest annual global prizes, and three Special Prizes, worth US$500,000 each, are dedicated to Female Innovators, Innovators from Developing Countries, and Innovators with Outstanding Achievements in Emerging Fields.
In addition, the Foundation conducts many activities to accomplish its mission, such as funding academic activities, catalyzing intellectual connections, collaborating in sci-tech development, and promoting STEM education.
