Become one of the next Zero Project Awardees! 🌱
The time to share your solution has arrived. Innovations advancing Independent Living, Political Participation, and Assistive Technology can be nominated for the Zero Project Awards 2027. From products and policies to projects and practices, all contributions are welcome and will be evaluated based on their innovation, impact, and scalability.
Awardees don’t just receive recognition—they become part of the global Zero Project Network, present at the Zero Project Conference 2027 at the United Nations Office at Vienna, and gain further opportunities to advance their solutions.
Nominations must be submitted by Sunday, June 21, 2026 (23:59 CEST)
Explore resources and nominate via link in bio.
Share this post and help us reach innovators in every corner of the globe! Together, we can build a world with zero barriers.
#ZeroCall27 #TechForGood #InclusiveDesign #SocialImpact #GlobalAwards #CRPD
Why become a Zero Project Awardee?
The Call for Nominations for the Zero Project Awards 2027 (#ZeroCall27) is now open, focusing on the topics of Independent Living, Political Participation, and Assistive Technology. Nominations undergo an extensive multi-step selection process, including fact-checking and peer reviews by hundreds of experts with and without disabilities.
Awardees receive more than just recognition:
🔻 Presenting at the Zero Project Conference 2027 (#ZeroCon27)
February 10–12, 2027 at the United Nations Office at Vienna.
🔻 Joining the Zero Project Network
A global and cross-sectoral community of over 10,000 experts from the public sector, OPDs, corporations, academia, startups, NGOs, and other types of organizations.
🔻 Being featured in the annual Zero Project Report
Awarded solutions are profiled in accessible publications shared widely across the disability inclusion field.
🔻 A listing in the Zero Project Database
A free and public resource featuring innovative practices, policies, and technologies from around the world.
🔻 Engaging in regional and thematic initiatives
Awardees may also receive opportunities to contribute to regional events and targeted programmes that support the scaling and replication of innovative solutions.
Nominations must be submitted by Sunday, June 21, 2026 (23:59 CEST)
Explore resources and nominate via link in bio.
#ZeroCon27 #PoliticalParticipation #IndependentLiving #AssistiveTechnology
The Zero Project, in collaboration with Hilfsgemeinschaft, is pleased to host the session “Deep Dive Digital Accessibility” during the WSA Global Congress 2026 in Vienna.
The WSA Global Congress is an international conference and workshop format that presents and promotes how digital innovation can have a positive impact on society and showcases global good practice examples. The session will explore the role of digital accessibility in enabling equal participation in today’s society.
Accessible websites, apps, online education, healthcare, jobs, shopping, and public services help ensure that persons with disabilities can participate independently and without digital barriers. Accessibility also improves usability for older persons, people with temporary limitations, and many others.
Join us for a 120-minute interactive session followed by a networking lunch with international experts, innovators, and practitioners working to advance inclusive digital solutions.
📅 May 22, 2026
🕙 10:00–13:00
📍 HG der Blinden und Sehschwachen, Vienna, Austria
🔗Register for this session via link in bio
#DigitalAccessibility #ZeroProject #Accessibility #Inclusion #WSA #Innovation #DisabilityInclusion
How do you submit a strong #ZeroCall27 nomination?
In this video, previous Zero Project Awardees share their insights and practical tips on navigating the nomination process for the #ZeroProjectAwards 2027. Watch the video to learn how to craft a compelling nomination!
Thank you to our contributors for demonstrating what the Zero Project Network is all about—learning with and from each other to remove barriers:
Noelah Msuya, Executive Director at Child Support Tanzania
Huyen Do, Chair of DP Hanoi
Jessica Novia, Programme Manager at YAKKUM Emergency Unit
Ludmila Malcoci, Executive Director of Keystone Moldova
Every year, the Zero Project invites organizations worldwide to submit innovative solutions advancing disability inclusion.
Deadline: Sunday, June 21, 2026 (23:59 CEST).
📅 Discover all tools, resources, and support vía link in bio.
#DisabilityInclusion #ZeroBarriers #TechForGood InclusiveInnovation
Discover resources to prepare your nomination!🌍
As the Call for Nominations for the Zero Project Awards 2027 opens in just a few days, we invite innovators to explore the resources available to support their nomination: from understanding the key criteria—innovation, impact, and scalability—to gathering the right supporting materials.
ℹ️ Join the #ZeroCall26 information webinar on May 21, 2026, from 14:00–15:00 CEST to learn more and get your questions answered directly by members of the Zero Project Team. The session will include live captioning in English, as well as International Sign interpretation upon request.
⬇️ Visit the Zero Project website to download a preview of this year’s nomination questions. Reviewing the accessible Word or PDF file in advance will help you collect all the necessary information and prepare your submission.
🔗 Register for the information webinar and discover more resources to prepare your #ZeroCall27 nomination via the link in bio.
#ZeroBarriers #IndependentLiving #PoliticalParticipation #AssistiveTechnology
Get ready to nominate! 🖊️
The Call for Nominations (#ZeroCall27) for the Zero Project Awards opens in less than a week, on Monday, May 11, 2026.
#ZeroCall27 focuses on the topics of Independent Living, Political Participation, and Assistive Technology (AT). The main criteria are innovation, impact, and scalability.
The Zero Project Awards connect innovative solutions for disability inclusion with a global network of experts, providing international visibility and opportunities to strengthen their reach and impact. For a world with zero barriers!
We invite you to reach out to innovators in your network—regardless of sector, organization size, or country—and encourage them to nominate good practices and policies.
Share this post or tag people in the comments to let them know about #ZeroCall27.
🔗 For more information, visit link in bio.
#ZeroBarriers #CRPD #Innovation #DisabilityInclusion
The Zero Project Technology Forum is expanding to new world regions 🌍
We are delighted to announce our strategic partnerships with AT4D, Tech Mahindra Foundation, and UnExcluded to bring regional editions of the Zero Project Technology Forum to Africa, India, and the Asia Pacific.
📍 Nairobi – June 5, 2026
📍 Mumbai – September 7, 2026
📍 Singapore – November 9, 2026
Assistive technology is evolving rapidly. It’s shaped by local needs, local ingenuity, and local ambition. Expanding the Tech Forum to these regions means that innovations can better reach the people who need them — and that the world can learn from them.
The Tech Forum was established in 2023 and is held annually in Vienna. The forum connects highly innovative, technology-based solutions with potential Support Partners — companies, investors, and organizations interested in scaling assistive technology innovations or providing other forms of support.
Each regional edition will connect local assistive technology innovators with Support Partners, strengthen regional innovation ecosystems, and build bridges between global and regional networks.
🌐 Visit our website and learn more about the Zero Project Technology Forum via link in bio.
#ZeroProject #AssistiveTechnology #DisabilityInclusion #Accessibility #ZeroBarriers
What does it take to scale disability innovation across borders? 🌍
In this final episode of Season 2 of Pathways to Zero Barriers, host Tom Butcher speaks with Małgorzata Grobelna, Programme Manager at Zero Project, about rethinking what “scaling” truly means.
Drawing on her work with the Scaling Solutions Programme, Margaret explains why scaling is not just about growing organizations but about thoughtfully replicating and adapting proven solutions across different countries and contexts.
They explore what drives successful scaling: building strong local partnerships, piloting solutions, choosing the right markets, and staying adaptable when plans change. The conversation also encourages innovators to move beyond perfectionism and build resilience for international impact.
Margaret highlights the importance of co-design—ensuring persons with disabilities are involved from the very beginning—and touches on how AI can support areas like partner matchmaking and market insights.
🔗 Listen to the episode via link in bio.
🎙️Thank you for joining us throughout Season 2 and stay tuned for the next season.
Pathways to Zero Barriers is brought to you by the Zero Project, with the support of the Essl Foundation, Fundación Descúbreme, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of BMZ, and Access to Success Organization.
#PathwaysToZeroBarriers #DisabilityInnovation #ScalingImpact #InclusiveInnovation #Accessibility
Join the Equitable AI Dialogue: “Living with AI: What are the daily experiences of persons with disabilities?”
Hosted by David Banes (Equitable AI Alliance), this webinar places lived experience at the center of the discussion on AI. Rather than focusing on abstract ethics or technical details, it explores how AI is actually experienced by persons with disabilities in education, employment, and daily life.
Speakers Bahar Yavuz and Prateek Khandelwal will share insights on the benefits, challenges, and future risks of AI, along with ideas for addressing them. As a result of the discussion, participants will be able to identify concrete actions to avoid bias and discrimination and to help deliver equitable and inclusive AI for all.
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Time: 14:00–15:00 CEST
Live captions will be provided via the MS Teams webinar.
This online event is free of charge.
🔗 Register via link in bio.
#EquitableAI #ZeroProject #Accessibility #DisabilityInclusion
Zero Project International is entering a new chapter of leadership.
Martin Essl has appointed Michael Fembek to the newly created role of President Zero Project International, where he will be responsible for the initiative’s overarching strategic development. Effective 1 May 2026, Michael Fembek will hand over the operational leadership of Zero Project International to Anna Königseder and Robin Tim Weis, who will jointly serve as Executive Directors, leading all activities of the global platform.
Since its founding in 2008, Michael Fembek—working in close partnership with Initiator and Chairman of the Essl Foundation, Martin Essl—has built the Zero Project into a unique, cross-sector, and global platform.
Under its new executive leadership team, the Zero Project will continue its close collaboration and continuous exchange with experts of the global and cross-sectoral network to inform its strategy and activities. Its core focus remains innovation research and networking to advance the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
#ZeroBarriers #NewLeadership #GlobalImpact #DisabilityInclusion
Save the Date for #ZeroCon27! 🗓️
We are delighted to announce that the Zero Project Conference 2027 will take place from February 10–12, 2027, at the United Nations Office at Vienna.
The #ZeroCon27 Agenda will revolve around innovations in:
Independent Living
Political Participation
Assistive Technology
At the center of the conference are the Zero Project Awardees. Their solutions are selected through an extensive, multi-step process to ensure innovation, impact, and scalability.
Want to be part of it? The journey begins this May with the official call for nominations. Keep an eye out for #ZeroCall27 to submit your innovation and join us in Vienna as we continue our work together for a world without barriers. 🌍
We look forward to welcoming the global disability inclusion community to Vienna!
#ZeroProject #ZeroCon27 #DisabilityInclusion #InclusiveInnovation #UnitedNations
Innovations on a global stage: Reflections on hashtag#ZeroCon26 with Varun Chandak
"The conference doesn't end with the last session". In this special episode, guest host Judith Hermetter sits down with Varun Chandak, Founder and Executive Director of Access to Success Organization, to recap the high-energy days of the Zero Project Conference 2026 (hashtag#ZeroCon26) at the United Nations in Vienna.
As the implementation partner for the Zero Project Scaling Solutions Programme, Varun and his team provide training, matchmaking, and resources necessary for Programme Fellows to take their innovations to new regions and countries. Varun shares his first-hand observations—from the intensity of stage rehearsals at the UN to the emotional experience of presenting at the Austrian Parliament.
Tune in to hear Varun’s insights into networking with intent, the role of AI in conference planning, and why the most important part of any presentation is a clear call to action.
Pathways to Zero Barriers is brought to you by the Zero Project, with the support of the Essl Foundation, Fundación Descúbreme, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of BMZ, and Access to Success Organization.
🔗Listen to the podcast via link in bio.
#DisabilityInclusion #Innovation #ScalingImpact #Accessibility #SocialImpact
