GOLD
Keep Britain Tidy (Eco-Schools): Count Your Carbon
The Department for Education has set a target to halve the 10 million tonnes of annual CO2e emissions from schools by 2032, requiring them to appoint a Sustainability Lead and develop a Climate Action Plan. But carbon calculation and reduction can be complicated and schools are not experts; plus existing calculators are often complex, costly, limited in scope or have not been designed for educational settings.
That is why Keep Britain Tidy created Count Your Carbon: the first free, full-scope carbon calculator, based on the Global GHG Protocol, specifically designed for educational settings. This simple, user-friendly school carbon calculator helps Sustainability Leads write the carbon aspects of their Climate Action Plan and work towards achieving the DfE’s 50% reduction target.
To date, 1,705 schools have registered, and 1,023 have completed their first calculation, with approximately 200 new schools registering each month.
SILVER
Laboratory for Microsystems Technology, Boston University: Affordable Metamaterial Devices for Faster, More Accessible MRI
This project addresses global health inequities by developing low-cost, wearable metamaterial devices that make MRI exams faster, more comfortable, and broadly accessible. Leveraging over 20 years of research in metamaterials, we created flexible, wireless MRI coils using commercially available materials such as coaxial cables and 3D-printed scaffolds. These anatomically conformal devices improve image quality, reduce scan times, and simplify setup—cutting coil costs from $12,000–$120,000 to just $41. Early clinical evaluations have shown significant gains in signal-to-noise ratio, workflow efficiency, and patient comfort. Developed in close collaboration with clinicians, imaging centers, MRI manufacturers, and a startup team, the technology is scalable, replicable, and well-suited for deployment in low-resource settings worldwide. It has received recognition through peer-reviewed publications, innovation awards, media features, and international competitions. By removing financial and logistical barriers, this initiative aims to democratize MRI access and advance diagnostic imaging for underserved populations across the globe.
BRONZE
Intimiti Australia: Celys Compostable Polyester
Celys is the world’s first certified compostable polyester fibre engineered specifically for the textile and fashion industry. It delivers 95.4% decomposition within 179 days under industrial composting conditions and holds certifications in the EU and North America.
Unlike conventional polyester, Celys offers a credible end-of-life solution without compromising performance. It retains the key attributes that make polyester so versatile—strength, durability, and processability—while addressing the escalating regulatory and societal demand for sustainable, closed-loop materials.
What sets Celys apart is its innovation at the molecular level: rather than relying on degradable additives mixed into standard PET, it is built from a newly developed polymer architecture that enables inherent compostability—pioneering a fundamentally different approach to sustainable material science.
Celys has the potential to eliminate the persistence of microplastics caused by textile waste in the environment.
ONE TO WATCH
Circular BioEnergy Technologies: BioPower Cells: Next revolution waste-to-energy conversion and battery energy storage
Circular BioEnergy Technologies Ltd. is a developer of BioPower Cells, a green, biodegradable, rechargeable, and flame retardant battery that is based on fully recyclable organic materials available around the world, does not use lithium, cobalt, or any other rare earth metals, and at the end of its lifespan can be repurposed as ionic fertiliser. This innovation is set to revolutionize how we store sustainably generated electricity. The proposed battery will have a wide range of applications and fully meets requirements of circular economy.
We have successfully developed a battery that not only meets essential energy demands but also addresses pressing global environmental challenges, like waste reduction, resource scarcity, and soil degradation. By transforming organic waste streams into battery materials and enabling the product to repurpose itself as an ionic fertilizer at the end of its life, we’ve created a new standard for what sustainable waste-to-energy technology can achieve.