The inaugural Singapore Prize is a new award that celebrates outstanding achievements in science and technology. The winning teams will share a total of $3 million in cash prizes. They will be recognised for their leadership and vision, as well as the impact of their work in advancing Singapore’s growth. The prize was jointly awarded by the Government of Singapore and A*STAR, and is backed by the Asian Development Bank. The winners will be honoured at an awards ceremony on 27 March 2022 in Singapore.

SINGAPORE — A maker of solar-powered dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups that work to make electric car batteries cleaner, restore Andean forests and deter illegal fishing have won this year’s Earthshot Prize. Britain’s Prince William, who launched the 10-year prize program in 2020, said the solutions presented by the finalists offer hope as the planet faces unprecedented challenges.

The winner of the inaugural Singapore prize is a team that developed an efficient process to recycle absorbents used for wastewater treatment at sewage plants. Their invention could lead to a significant reduction in the use of chemicals and save millions of dollars in operating costs for the water industry, according to organisers.

A runner-up that designed an innovative way to monitor the flow of freshwater in Singapore’s waterways will receive a $1m cash prize from the government and an opportunity to showcase their innovation at the Stockholm International Water Forum. The team from National Junior College, led by a student from the Institute of Systems Science, came up with a system to detect water quality problems in rivers, preventing them from becoming toxic waste dumps.

Another runner-up, who developed an algorithm to help users choose the best travel routes on the subway in Singapore, will receive a $200,000 cash prize. The algorithm, which is powered by machine learning, can recommend the most suitable route based on user preference and current traffic conditions. The team, from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, also developed an app to help users navigate the public transport network in a smarter way, which has been downloaded more than 150,000 times.

Other finalists include a group that has created a platform to facilitate the sharing of medical research data, and a social enterprise that uses a drone to collect rubbish in Singapore’s parks. The winner will be honoured at a gala dinner and presentation ceremony on 27 March.

The shortlisted works will be exhibited at the Bras Basah National Library from July 16 to September 8. Readers can vote for their favourites via online surveys, and there will also be talks by the authors in bookshops, schools and the National Library. For more information, visit the official website.