As we wrap up the four-year journey of the XPRIZE Rainforest competition, we want to take a moment to reflect on what our competing teams have achieved and, more importantly, what lies ahead. The competition has been a groundbreaking exploration of innovation, collaboration, and technology to revolutionize how we understand and protect the world's rainforests. While the competition phase has officially concluded with the awarding of the winning teams, the journey of XPRIZE Rainforest is far from over.

Our winning and finalist teams achievements demonstrate that rapid biodiversity assessment at scale is not only possible but also a critical tool for addressing some of the most urgent challenges facing the natural world. These technologies have the potential to accelerate the creation of new protected areas, enhance the management of existing ones, and unlock sustainable bioeconomies that support local and Indigenous communities—all essential steps toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss as outlined in the UN’s Global Biodiversity Framework.

But the competition itself was just the start. We are now entering the impact phase, where the innovations and lessons learned from field testing and validation in Singapore and the Amazon will be translated into real-world solutions. Over the course of 2025, we aim to empower and support the winning teams to work with key stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, and the private sector, to deploy their solutions.

In the coming months, XPRIZE Rainforest will launch initiatives to ensure the long-term success and scalability of the competition's technologies. These include:

• Training and capacity building: Teams will receive support to optimize their operations, refine market strategies, and enhance their ability to communicate with investors and stakeholders.
• Demonstration projects: Partnerships across the tropics will showcase the versatility of these technologies in creating new protected areas, strengthening national parks, and advancing sustainable bioeconomies.
• Sustainable hubs: A pilot hub at the National University of Singapore will train the next generation of researchers to carry these breakthroughs in biodiversity conservation forward.

To maintain momentum and amplify the impact of these innovations, XPRIZE Rainforest will highlight the work of our teams on global stages like COP 30, the IUCN World Conservation Congress, and Climate Week. Through these events, we aim to build broader support, attract investment, and inspire action that can contribute to pushing the winning solutions even further.

As we look ahead, we remain committed to the belief that innovation and collaboration can create a future where rainforests and the people who live in and depend on them thrive. The competition may have finished, but XPRIZE Rainforest's mission to drive transformative impact is just beginning.

Stay tuned as we continue this journey and work toward a world where biodiversity is protected, celebrated, and sustained for generations to come.

THE AUTHOR