Champalimaud Vision Award 2027
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Quick Answer
€1,000,000 (about ₹10.9 crore) prize for groups fighting blindness or building technology for the visually impaired. Apply or be nominated; entries due 31 Dec 2026.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Champalimaud Foundation
- Application deadline
- 54d — 31 Dec 2026
- Location
- International
About this competition
The António Champalimaud Vision Award 2027 is a €1,000,000 (about ₹10.9 crore) prize from the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal, for organisations that fight blindness and visual impairment or build new technologies for blind and visually impaired people. Organisations can apply themselves or be nominated by someone else. Entries for the 2027 award must reach the Foundation by 31 December 2026.
What the program offers
The award is €1,000,000 (about ₹10.9 crore). The Foundation says it can be used in any way that contributes to the laureate group's work, without restrictions except commercial purposes. That could mean basic, translational or clinical research, clinical practice or public health programmes. The prize goes to productive groups rather than individuals, and those groups can span more than one institution or discipline. The form asks a winning group to tell the Foundation in the end how it effectively used the award funds. Laureates are announced each year in September on the Foundation's website and social media.
Who can apply
The award alternates every year. Even years recognise major advances in vision research and restoring sight. Odd years, like 2027, recognise contributions to the fight against blindness and visual impairment, mainly in developing regions, and innovations or new technologies that improve life for the blind and visually impaired. For 2027 the Foundation says it invites applications and nominations under a widened scope.
Candidates can be leading laboratories, organisations or collaborative projects working on vision research, preserving or restoring vision (or helping underserved people reach such care), fighting blindness in the field, or developing assistive technologies. The Foundation stresses that the award is not only for large global organisations: any organisation, whatever its size, that can show high-impact results can be considered, and organisations can be local, national, regional or international.
For an Indian applicant this means an Indian eye-care trust, hospital network, NGO, research group or assistive-technology team can apply directly, as the page sets no country restriction. It is a poor fit for an early-stage startup with no measurable track record, for individuals working alone, or for work unrelated to vision.
How to apply
Download the 2027 candidate entry form from the Foundation's website. The form can be completed either by the candidate group itself or by a nominator. A direct application is signed by the group leader or leaders; a nomination is signed by the nominator.
The form asks for the group's details and then four written parts: a suggested citation of 50 words or fewer, a description of the work in 400 words or fewer, the achievements to date in 300 words or fewer, and the knock-on effects of the activities in 200 words or fewer. Alongside it you must include a report of the group's activities (text, brochure, annual report and/or financial documents or audits, including financial and sustainability information) and up to three supporting letters from people not affiliated with the organisations involved.
Everything must be typed in English and sent by mail, in both paper and digital form (Word or PDF), to the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon. The complete entry must be received by 31 December 2026. Extra material can be added in the first half of January 2027 if you tell the Foundation. A practical tip: allow enough time for international post, because the deadline is for receipt, not for posting.
How applications are judged and what happens next
An international jury considers the quality and distinction of the work, the achievements, the measurable impact and the lasting, amplifying effects of the activities. The jury is described as world-renowned scientists and public figures who have dedicated their lives to the needs of the developing world. The Foundation may contact candidates or nominators for more information, but not being contacted does not mean you are out of the running. Entries stay active for three award cycles, and updates can be sent. Winners are announced in September.
About the Champalimaud Foundation
The Champalimaud Foundation is a Portuguese foundation based in Lisbon that runs a clinical centre and a research centre and awards the Vision Award. The award began during the global "Vision 2020: The Right to Sight" initiative, in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. The 2025 award went to three international organisations for their long-standing work to prevent and treat blindness.
Things to check before you apply
- This is an award for work already done and its measurable impact, not a project grant you pitch for in advance.
- The entry is a paper-and-digital package sent to Lisbon, so budget for courier costs and time.
- The source does not state how the prize money is paid or in which currency, nor whether tax applies to it. Indian recipients of foreign money should check FCRA, FEMA and tax treatment with an adviser before applying.
- Up to three supporting letters from people outside your organisations are part of the entry.
Eligibility
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Organizers
Prizes & Awards
What You Get
The laureate group receives €1,000,000 (about ₹10.9 crore). The Foundation says it can be used in any way that contributes to the group's work without restrictions, except for commercial purposes, for example basic, translational or clinical research, clinical practice or public health programmes. The winner is announced in September on the Foundation's website and social media.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
An international jury of scientists and public figures assesses the quality and distinction of each group's work, its achievements, its measurable impact and its lasting amplifying effects. The Foundation may contact candidates or nominators for more information, and not being contacted does not mean a candidate is out. Entries stay active for three award cycles. Laureates are announced in September.
Application Process
- 1
Entry form
Complete the 2027 entry form and sign it as the candidate group or as a nominator.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 2
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Program templates & documents
Files the program publishes for applicants — download these and apply in the prescribed format.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for the António Champalimaud Vision Award 2027?
Productive groups such as laboratories, organisations and collaborative projects working on vision research, preserving or restoring vision, fighting blindness in the field or developing technology for the visually impaired. Organisations can be local, national, regional or international and of any size. Individuals are not the recipients, since the award goes to groups.
Can Indian organisations or startups apply?
The Foundation's page sets no country restriction, and it says organisations of any size and from any level, local to international, can apply. An Indian eye-care NGO, hospital network, research group or assistive-technology team with measurable results can therefore apply. A very young startup without proven impact is unlikely to fit.
How much is the award?
The award is €1,000,000, which is about ₹10.9 crore at 109 INR per euro. The Foundation says it can be used in any way that supports the laureate group's work, except for commercial purposes.
How is the money paid?
The source does not say how or in which currency the award is paid. It says only that the winning group should later inform the Foundation how it effectively used the funds. Ask the award office for payment details if you are shortlisted.
What is the deadline and what if it has passed?
Entries for the 2027 award must be received in full by the Foundation by 31 December 2026. Extra material can be sent in the first half of January 2027 if you notify the Foundation. The Foundation also says entries stay active for three award cycles, but it announces a new form each year, so check its page for the next one.
Is it a grant, a prize or equity?
It is a prize. The Foundation presents it as an award of €1,000,000 to a laureate group, with no equity involved. The money is unrestricted apart from a bar on commercial purposes.
What documents do I need?
You need the completed entry form, a report of the group's activities (text, brochure, annual report and/or financial documents or audits), and up to three supporting letters from people not affiliated with the organisations involved. Everything must be typed in English, in paper and digital form.
Can I nominate someone else, or must I apply myself?
Both are allowed. The form can be completed by the candidate group itself, signed by its leader, or by a nominator, who signs a separate section. Candidates do not need to be contacted by the Foundation to remain under consideration.
Do I have to travel to Portugal?
The source does not require travel to apply. Entries are sent by mail to Lisbon. It does not state whether laureates must attend a ceremony.
Is there an entry fee, and when are winners announced?
The form and page list no entry fee. Laureates are announced every year in September on the Foundation's website and social media.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
