The International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO (IRCAI) has officially opened submissions for the 2025 edition of the Global Top 100: AI for SDGs Index, the world’s first global index recognizing impactful, ethical and scalable AI tools solving challenges outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Now in its third edition, the Top 100 has become a curated global platform that highlights the convergence of AI innovation, scientific excellence, ethics and sustainable impact. Each selected project undergoes a rigorous review process and benefits from global visibility, expert guidance and strategic matchmaking with AI experts and R&D partners.
“The Top 100 Index is more than a list — it’s a global visibility and growth platform for the most promising AI innovations tackling the world’s toughest challenges,” said Davor Orlič, Chief Operating Officer at IRCAI. “We’re showcasing solutions that are not only technically sound, but also ethically grounded and ready to make measurable impact.“
The IRCAI Global Top 100 is open to projects at all development stages — from early-stage prototypes to market-ready tools — and welcomes applications from startups, corporations, academic institutions, governments and nonprofits working at the intersection of AI and sustainable development.
New in 2025: growth support & matchmaking
The 2025 call introduces dedicated business growth opportunities with 6-months strategic matchmaking phase running from October 2025 to March 2026. This growth-focused initiative will connect the highest rated projects with investors, donors, government agencies and R&D partners to help them scale their impact. This year’s edition is supported by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Global reach, inclusive participation and wide SDG coverage
The 2022 cohort included projects from 45 countries across all continents, with notable increases in participation from Africa (+17%) and Asia (+13.5%). Additionally, 38% of the selected projects were women-led, reinforcing IRCAI’s commitment to inclusivity and equitable innovation.
Projects in 2022 addressed all 17 SDGs, particularly Climate Action (SDG 13), Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Health & Wellbeing (SDG 3). Emerging clusters included biodiversity monitoring, ESG and impact investing, climate policy, and ethical AI frameworks. Furthermore, 66% of selected projects contributed new datasets, making the Index a growing engine for impactful, scalable and ethical AI innovations for sustainable development.
Key dates
Submission Deadline: October 1, 2025
Top 100 Announcement: November 2025
Top 10 Ceremony: February 2026 (location TBA)
Key links
For more details about this year’s call, please visit:
Top 100 2025
For more details about the Top 100 2022, please refer to:
Top 100 2022 – Final list
Top 100 2022 – Report
Contact
For any questions, please send us an email to info@ircai.org with the subject “Top 100”.
