New Shape Prize

The Global Challenges Prize 2017: A New Shape was an open call to find new models of global cooperation capable of handling global risks.

The New Shape Prize was the biggest competition of its kind, seeking improved frameworks of global governance of global catastrophic risks. It was open for submissions from November 2016 to September 2017. The competition received 2,702 entries from 122 countries with contributions ranging from academic institutions, think tanks, researchers, and business, to university students and non-governmental organisations.

At the New Shape Forum, convened by the Global Challenges Foundation in Stockholm on 27-29 May 2018, three entries were awarded as the most promising submissions re-envisioning global governance for the 21st century. More than 200 participants came together with the aim of reshaping global governance to better tackle global catastrophic risks.

The distinguished final jury, led by Professor Maria Ivanova, selected the following three proposals out of the 14 put forward by the semi-final review panel:

The Global Challenges Foundation has decided to award a total of USD 1.8 million, rewarding the three submissions with USD 600,000 each.

The New Shape Prize marked the starting point of a new phase in our efforts to find new global governance models. Looking ahead, the Global Challenges Foundation remains committed to supporting the reworking and refinement of the best ideas toward more holistic models that emerge from this process.