Accessibility Innovation Prize 2025

What is the Prize?

The Accessibility Innovation Prize is a new award designed to celebrate and promote innovations in the field of digital accessibility or assistive technologies. The winner will receive:

• A cash prize of 10,000 euros from the Contentsquare Foundation
• Expert mentoring from accessibility experts and professionals
• Visibility: An opportunity to showcase their innovation, alongside media coverage

For the full list of scope, eligibility criteria, and submission requirements, please go to the submission criteria tab.

Eligibility criteria & strategic focus areas

We invite applications that meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Geographical location: Applicants must be based in the Council of Europe member states (this includes the United Kingdom).
• Entity type: The prize is open to individuals, startups, non‑profits, corporate skunkworks, or academic spin offs — all welcome as long as a legal structure exists to facilitate receiving the prize. Organisations should be established for less than 5 years.
• Development stage: Early‑stage solutions. A functional prototype or MVP exists. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the impact and feasibility of their solution.

Eligible categories & Strategic focus areas:

Any project that demonstrably improves digital accessibility is eligible.
Below are some 2025 strategic focus areas, however they are not restrictive categories!

• AI for accessibility (ex. Generative AI that creates alt‑text or sign‑language video; LLM‑powered chatbots that simplify complex language; bias‑testing tools for AI, etc…)
• EAA compliance enablers (ex. Toolkits that help SMEs audit and remediate web/mobile apps; automated PDF remediation; self-serve accessibility statements, etc…)
• Vocal & speech accessibility (ex. Atypical speech‑recognition; personalized text‑to‑speech synthesis; smart/adaptive captioning, etc…)
• Neurodiversity & cognitive inclusion (ex. Low-load interfaces, sensory‑friendly design for XR; neuro‑inclusive analytics, etc…)
• Wild card / emerging tech (ex. Haptic wearables, brain–computer interfaces, accessible gaming, XR navigation aids, inclusive fintech, etc…)

For the list of submission requirements, please go to the submission criteria tab.

Submission Criteria

1. Executive Summary: A brief overview of the innovation, including its purpose, target audience, and key benefits (500 words maximum).
2. Detailed Description: A presentation deck or detailed description of the innovation, covering the following aspects (2,000 words maximum):
   • Problem Statement: Identify the specific accessibility issue being addressed.
   • Solution Description: Explain the solution in detail, including how it works and its unique features, and what differentiates it from competitors.
   • Market Analysis: An analysis of the market need for the innovation, including potential competitors and market size.
   • Impact: Describe the expected or demonstrated impact of the solution on individuals with disabilities.
   • Scalability: Discuss the potential for the solution to be scaled and adopted widely, including any next steps.
   • Team Information: Information about the team behind the innovation, including relevant qualifications and experience.
3. Development Stage Description (Based on your current stage of development, please provide any relevant supporting documents):
   • Early Implementation Phase: Provide any initial designs, proof of concept, or feasibility studies that demonstrate the viability of the solution.
   • Prototyping Phase: Provide any working prototypes, mock-ups, demo, or preliminary testing results.
   • Market-Ready Phase: Include detailed technical documentation, user feedback, and market analysis. This should also encompass user testing and feedback to increase the credibility of the foundation.
4. Video Pitch: A video (3 to 5 minutes) talking about you, your innovation, and your next steps (i.e. development, deployment, scaling, etc.).

We aim to create an inclusive platform that encourages participation from both seasoned innovators and newcomers at later stages of development (beyond ideation), ensuring that all promising ideas and solutions have the opportunity to be recognized and supported through the Accessibility Innovation Prize.

By adhering to these submission criteria, applicants will provide a comprehensive view of their innovation, enabling the judging panel to make informed decisions in selecting the most promising and impactful solutions for the Accessibility Innovation Prize.

The jury of experts includes

The jury of experts will be announced soon.

Timeline

• Monday 28 July 2025 Competition opens.
• Tuesday 30 September 2025 (12pm CET) Competition closes.
• October to November 2025 Jury reviews and shortlists candidates. Shortlisted candidates may be contacted for final interview.
• December 2025 Applicants notified.

For any questions, please contact foundation@contentsquare.com

Terms and Conditions for the Accessibility Innovation Prize

Data Privacy Notice. The Contentsquare Foundation will use your personal data and share it with authorized third parties, solely for the purpose of evaluating submissions and contacting winners. The legal basis is the performance of a contract between you and the Contentsquare Foundation. Your personal data will be kept for two years and then deleted. Read our full privacy policy for more information.

1. General Terms and Conditions
   1. Eligibility
      1. The Accessibility Innovation Prize (the "Prize") is open to individuals, nonprofits/associations, startups, foundations and established companies (for less than 5 years) based in Europe or the United Kingdom.
      2. Innovations must be beyond the ideation phase and in the early implementation, or middle and late stages of development, including prototyping or market-ready solutions.
   2. Application Requirements
      1. Each applicant (the “Applicant”) must submit detailed project proposals through the respective submission form, including the problem statement, solution description, impact analysis, scalability plan, and current development stage.
2. Intellectual Property (IP) Rights
   1. IP Ownership
      1. Subject to limited rights expressly granted hereunder, each Applicant reserves all right, title, and interests in its intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, services marks, trademarks and other intellectual property rights, whether registered or not) which shall remain the sole and exclusive property of the Applicant.
      2. The Contentsquare Foundation reserves all right, title, and interests in its intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to, all copyrights, patents, services marks, trademarks and other intellectual property rights, whether registered or not), which shall remain its sole and exclusive property.
   2. Licensing
      1. By submitting an application, the Applicant grants the Foundation a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and promote their submissions for purposes related to the Prize. Each Applicant will be notified before any promotional use.
   3. Confidentiality
      1. All proprietary information provided in the submissions will be kept confidential and used solely for evaluation purposes.
3. Financial Distribution
   1. Award Amount
      1. The winner will receive a cash prize of 10,000 euros from The Contentsquare Foundation.
   2. Disbursement Process
      1. The prize money will be transferred within forty-five (45) business days of announcing the winner, pending the completion of necessary legal and financial documentation.
      2. Please note that the prize amount will be provided in Euros. Any bank fees or transfer charges will be deducted from the overall prize amount, and the Contentsquare Foundation will not be liable for any reduction in the prize amount due to such fees or to any foreign exchange rate applicable.
   3. Tax Liabilities
      1. Any tax liabilities arising from the receipt of the prize will be the responsibility of the winner.
4. Mentoring and Support
   1. Mentoring Program
      1. The winner will receive mentoring from accessibility experts and industry professionals, equivalent to 20 hours of mentorship over the course of the 2026 year, with a possibility to extend into the upcoming 2027 year. These meeting dates will be agreed upon and set with the winner once selected. The mentorship meetings will take place online, unless otherwise agreed upon.
   2. Visibility and Promotion
      1. The Foundation and its partners will promote the winner and their innovation throughout the year. This includes features on our website, social media campaigns, and potential coverage in media outlets. Please note that the winner should be comfortable with media promotion and public visibility as part of their participation in the prize.
5. Reporting and Accountability
   1. Progress Updates
      1. The winner will be subject to two short progress reports (equivalent to 500 words) or progress calls halfway through the funding period and at the end) to update the Contentsquare Foundation on the development and impact of their innovation. These dates will be agreed upon and set with the winner once selected.
   2. Final Report
      1. A comprehensive report detailing the use of funds and the overall impact of the innovation will be required at the end of the funding period (end of 2026). This information is subject to be included in the Contentsquare Foundation’s annual progress report for accountability and transparency purposes.
6. Publicity
   1. Announcement
      1. The winner will be announced publicly on December 3rd, International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
   2. Visibility and Promotion
      1. The Contentsquare Foundation and its partners will promote the winner and their innovation throughout the year. This includes features on our website, annual Foundation report, social media campaigns, and potential coverage in media outlets. Please note that the winner should be comfortable with media promotion and public visibility as part of their participation in the prize.
   3. Events
      1. The winner may be subject to present their innovation at a dedicated event hosted by the Contentsquare Foundation, providing additional exposure and networking opportunities.

Acceptance
By submitting an application for the Accessibility Innovation Prize, the Applicant agrees to abide by these Terms and Conditions.