IEEE Empower a Billion Lives 2027
By IEEE
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Quick Answer
Global energy-access competition run by IEEE with a targeted US$150,000 (about ₹1.43 crore) grand prize and track prizes. Full proposals due 1 May 2027.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- IEEE
- Application deadline
- 175d — 1 May 2027
- Location
- International
About this competition
Empower a Billion Lives (EBL) 2027 is a global competition run by IEEE, the world's largest technical professional organisation, through its Power Electronics Society. It looks for scalable ways to bring energy to people who have none or very little. For 2027, IEEE is targeting a grand prize of US$150,000 (about ₹1.43 crore), with further track and student prizes. Full proposals are due on 1 May 2027, and an optional shorter concept paper is due on 1 February 2027. The prize amounts depend on fundraising and can change.
What the program offers
The page says the 2027 purse targets the same amounts as 2025: a US$150,000 grand prize, US$300,000 across six track prizes, US$60,000 across three student prizes (US$30,000, US$20,000 and US$10,000) and US$25,000 across five honourable mentions, US$535,000 in total. These are targets, and IEEE says they may go up or down with fundraising.
There is also non-cash help. Teams that submit the optional concept paper receive expert feedback. Teams chosen for field testing get a letter from the competition to help raise money to offset testing costs. At the Global Final, teams present to judges and take part in networking events, and winners are featured in press releases and social media.
Who can apply
Teams are led by a Team Leader and may include people from small and medium businesses, start-ups, academic institutions, research labs, NGOs, large corporations or interested individuals. According to the listing, participants must be 18 or older and live in the United States or in other countries where local law permits. Employees of IEEE, its agents and affiliates, and their immediate families cannot enter. A Team Leader can submit only one proposal and lead only one team.
The solution must provide at least Tier 2 energy access, meaning a minimum of 50 W of capacity and more than 200 Wh a day, mainly for off-grid, rural customers on low incomes, and must show a viable business model and a path to scale. Off-the-shelf products are accepted. The tracks are Technology Provider (Track T), Local Entrepreneurship (Track L), Energy Resilience (Track R), Student Teams (Track S, only for students enrolled in higher education) and SouthStar for power-electronics research groups.
For Indian founders, nothing in the material available bars India, and the competition aims at off-grid and energy-poor communities, which includes many Indian settings. It suits solar, storage, clean-cooking, productive-use and last-mile delivery startups with a working product. It does not suit software-only teams without an energy-access link.
How to apply
Register your team on the competition website as soon as you have a Team Leader to receive updates. Optionally, submit a three-page concept paper in English between 1 January and 1 February 2027. The full proposal opens on 1 March 2027 and is due 1 May 2027, submitted through the competition's online platform with a field-testing plan. A practical tip: use the optional concept paper, because it is the only step where reviewers give you written feedback before the full proposal.
How applications are judged and what happens next
Concept papers get a response of encouraged, discouraged or out of scope. Full proposals are scored on the technical solution, impact, business model and the field-testing plan, and selected teams may be interviewed in May and June 2027. Invited teams then field-test in June to August 2027 in an approved region of their choice (student teams are exempt). Judges choose which teams go to the Global Final, planned for December 2027 in Nairobi, Kenya, where the grand prize, track prizes and student awards are decided.
About IEEE
IEEE is a public charity and describes itself as dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. The competition says it has distributed more than US$1 million in prizes and team support to Global Final winners across earlier editions.
Things to check before you apply
- Teams other than students must field-test their product if selected, and the competition only helps with a support letter, so budget for testing yourself.
- The Global Final is anticipated to be held in person in Nairobi, so plan for international travel if you are invited. The competition guidelines say EBL will provide some funding to offset travel costs for one team member per invited team, so budget for the rest yourself.
- The competition page does not state an entry fee. Check the guidelines.
- The Requirements page, which holds the eligibility and judging rules, could not be read in full, so confirm the age, residency and proposal-format rules in the Competition Guidelines before applying.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Organizers
Prizes & Awards
What You Get
For 2027 IEEE is targeting a US$150,000 grand prize (about ₹1.43 crore), US$300,000 across six track prizes, US$60,000 for three student prizes (US$30,000, US$20,000 and US$10,000) and US$25,000 for five honourable mentions, US$535,000 in all; the final amounts depend on fundraising. Teams that submit a concept paper get expert feedback, teams invited to field-test get a letter of support to help raise money for testing and travel, and EBL helps one member of each Global Final team with travel costs. Winners also get press coverage and networking with people active in the sector.
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Concept papers receive an encouraged, discouraged or out-of-scope response. Full proposals are scored on the technical solution, impact, business model and field-testing plan, and selected teams may be interviewed by judges. Teams that pass are invited to field-test, and judges then choose who goes to the Global Final, where the grand prize, track prizes and student awards are decided.
Application Process
- 1
Register team
The Team Leader registers the team on the EBL website.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can enter IEEE Empower a Billion Lives 2027?
Teams led by a Team Leader aged 18 or older can enter, and they may include people from start-ups, SMEs, universities, research labs, NGOs and large companies. IEEE employees and their immediate families cannot enter. Student teams have their own track.
Can Indian startups apply for Empower a Billion Lives?
The listing says the competition is open to residents of the United States and other countries where local law permits, and nothing in the material available excludes India. You will need to field-test your solution in an approved region of your choice. Check the Competition Guidelines for any country rules.
How much is the Empower a Billion Lives prize?
IEEE targets a grand prize of US$150,000 (about ₹1.43 crore), US$300,000 across six track prizes, US$60,000 across three student prizes and US$25,000 for honourable mentions. These are targets that depend on fundraising and may change.
How is the Empower a Billion Lives prize paid?
The source does not say how or when prize money is paid, or in which currency. It says winners are decided at the Global Final in December 2027. Ask the organisers about payment terms before you commit.
What is the deadline for Empower a Billion Lives, and what if it has passed?
The full proposal is due on 1 May 2027, and the optional concept paper is due on 1 February 2027. The source does not say what happens if you miss the proposal date, and it does not name a later edition, so watch the competition website.
Is Empower a Billion Lives a grant or equity?
It is a prize competition. The source describes no equity being taken by IEEE. Prizes are paid to winning teams after the Global Final.
What documents do I need for Empower a Billion Lives?
The optional step is a three-page concept paper in English. The full proposal is up to 10 pages and includes a field-testing plan. Guidelines and templates are on the competition website.
Do I have to travel to take part in Empower a Billion Lives?
Teams that are invited to the Global Final must present in person in Nairobi, Kenya, planned for December 2027. Non-student teams also need to run a field test in an approved region of their choice. The competition guidelines say EBL will provide some funding to offset travel costs for one team member per invited team; any other travel costs are yours.
Is it free to enter Empower a Billion Lives?
The competition page does not mention an entry fee, so check the guidelines. Donations to support the competition are accepted separately through the IEEE Foundation.
When are the Empower a Billion Lives winners announced?
Judges choose the Global Final teams after field testing in June to August 2027. The grand prize, track prizes and student awards are decided at the Global Final, planned for Nairobi in December 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
