XPRIZE Rainforest
Supports biodiversity monitoring teams using autonomous technology in rainforest conservation.
XPRIZE Rainforest is the concluded biodiversity competition in the XPRIZE Foundation's climate and nature portfolio. Sponsored by the Alana Foundation, it ran from 2019 to 2024 and challenged teams to use autonomous technology across 100 hectares of rainforest in 24 hours, then deliver analysis within 48 hours. The purse was $10 million. Team Limelight Rainforest won the grand prize in November 2024 after using drone-deployed systems to gather bioacoustics, insect imagery, and environmental DNA in the Brazilian Amazon, identifying 250 species and 700 unique taxa. The competition is now in an impact phase rather than a new cycle, with six finalist teams receiving continued support through XPRIZE Rainforest Year of Impact and a partnership with UNDP. Because the award cycle is closed, the relevant signal now is implementation strength rather than application timing. The teams that fit this challenge best were those able to combine robotics, sensing, and ecological interpretation into a workflow that could survive dense forest conditions and still return usable biodiversity data quickly. That same standard explains why the program is being treated as a conservation implementation platform, not a live call for new entries.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: One-off.