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BRICS Urban Innovation Award 2025

BRICS Urban Innovation Award 2025

The BRICS Urban Future Forum announces the inaugural BRICS Urban Innovation Award by the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry with participation of experts of the UN agency for digital technologies - ITU. This award recognizes outstanding achievements in urban innovation advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals most critical for innovative urban development.

  • BRICS Urban Future
    Forum     A global platform for cooperation among BRICS cities.
  • BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Supporting trade, investment, and SMEs 
in BRICS countries.

With the participation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

A UN specialized agency for ICT, responsible for digital development
and coordination in the ICT sector.

Application Requirements

Submit comprehensive responses
addressing:

  • Category Selection and SDG Alignment: Specify award category and detailed explanation of SDG contribution including specific targets and indicators addressed.
  • Nominee and Project Information: Comprehensive nominee information, project background, current status, implementation timeline, and key stakeholders.
  • Innovation Description: Innovative aspects, technologies used, unique approaches, and differentiation from existing solutions.
  • Impact Evidence: Quantitative and qualitative impact evidence including beneficiary numbers, performance metrics, before-and-after comparisons, and third-party validated success stories.
  • Urban Context: Specific urban challenges addressed, target population, and integration with existing urban systems and governance.
  • Scalability Strategy: Scaling potential to other cities, adaptation requirements, resource needs, and expansion plans.
  • Supporting Documentation: Project websites, demonstration videos, research publications, media coverage, technical specifications, and third-party evaluations.
  • Additional Materials: High-resolution photos/videos, support letters from beneficiaries/partners, technical documentation, impact assessment reports, and media coverage.

Application
Process

Applications accepted: From August 12, 2025 to September 12, 2025

Award Ceremony: September 17, 2025 at BRICS Urban Future Forum, Moscow

  • Eligible Nominators: Government officials, municipal leaders, academic institutions, private sector companies, civil society organizations, international organizations, and jury members may nominate deserving candidates
  • Eligible Nominees: Individual leaders, teams, organizations implementing operational urban innovation projects with demonstrated measurable impact, prioritizing initiatives from BRICS and developing countries.

SDG-Focused Nominations

  • Sustainable Cities and Communities - SDG 11
  • Climate Action - SDG 13
  • Good Health and Well-being - SDG 3
  • Reduced Inequalities - SDG 10
  • Decent Work and Economic Growth - SDG 8
  • Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - SDG 9

Special Recognition Categories

  • Urban AI for Good
  • People-centered Robotization
  • Empowerment of Women

Winners 2025

Nominations
Winners
Nominees
  • Nomination 1 Sustainable cities and communities
    Winner
    China Hangzhou

    Hangzhou City Brain 3.0 & Digital Economy Hub

    Nominees
    China Chongqing

    Intelligent Mountain City Sustainable Urbanization & Smart Governance

    Belarus Minsk

    Comprehensive Urban Development Excellence – Smart City, Artesian Water & Urban Outdoor Sports System Development

  • Nomination 2 GOOD HEALTH 
AND WELL-BEING
    Winner
    Serbia Belgrade

    AI-Powered Health Information System & Digital Health Integration

    Nominees
    India Hyderabad

    Smart City Health Innovation & Medical Technology Excellence

    Qatar Doha

    Lusail Smart City Health Technology & Medical Innovation Hub

  • Nomination 3 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
    Winner
    Cambodia Phnom Penh

    Smart City Strategic Roadmap 2022-2035 & Build4People and Economic Development

    Nominees
    China Guangzhou

    Digital Economy Innovation Hub & Smart Manufacturing Initiative

    China Chengdu

    Chengdu 5G Smart City & Economic Innovation Hub

  • Nomination 4 INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
    Winner
    Malaysia Kuala Lumpur

    Underground Utilities Data Centre (KLUDC) – Smart Infrastructure Innovation

    Nominees
    Iran Gilan

    Smart Tehran Infrastructure Technology Transfer to Regional Cities

    China Tianjin

    Smart Eco-City Infrastructure & "1+3+N" Digital Framework Implementation

  • Nomination 5 REDUCED INEQUALITIES
    Winner
    Kenya Nairobi

    Konza Technopolis Smart City Development – “Africa’s Silicon Savannah”

    Nominees
    Kyrgyzstan Bishkek

    UNECE Smart Sustainable Cities Initiative & Digital Transformation

    Zimbabwe Harare

    Smart Cities Zimbabwe Digital Inclusion & Economic Empowerment Initiative

  • Nomination 6 CLIMATE ACTION
    Winner
    South Africa Durban

    Westown Smart City Development – “The New City of the West”

    Nominees
    China Harbin

    Smart Winter City Climate Technology & Environmental Innovation

    Bangladesh Dhaka

    Smart Bangladesh Climate Resilience & Green Urban Development

  • Nomination 7 URBAN AI FOR GOOD
    Winner
    Kazakhstan Astana

    AI-Powered Smart City Platform with Digital Twin Technology

    Nominees
    Turkey Ankara

    Smart Ankara AI for Sustainable Mobility & Urban Intelligence

    China Beijing

    National AI Innovation Center & Comprehensive AI for Urban Management

  • Nomination 8 PEOPLE-CENTERED ROBOTIZATION
    Winner
    Russia Moscow

    Global Leadership in Comprehensive Urban Robotization & Advanced Autonomous Systems

    Nominees
    China Shenzhen

    Metro Delivery Robots & Autonomous Urban Logistics

    China Shanghai

    Level 4 Autonomous Vehicle Fleet & Smart Mobility

  • Nomination 9 EMPOWERMENT 
OF WOMEN
    Winner
    India Chandigarh

    Udaan Project – Women-Led Skill Development & Digital Empowerment

    Nominees
    UAE Dubai

    UAE National Program for Women in AI & Smart Dubai Initiative

    Myanmar Naypyidaw

    Smart City Women’s Housing & Education Hub Initiative

A solemn ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award took place at the BRICS Urban Future Forum «Cloud City» on 17th of September

Премия городских
инноваций БРИКС 2025

Mayors and representatives of cities and agglomerations from different parts of the globe received their awards in nine nominations reflecting key aspects of sustainable urban development in line with UN Sustainable Goals 2030. The awards were presented to the winners by international experts in urbanism, technology, and climate.

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Hangzhou
Hangzhou China

won in the "Sustainable Cities and Communities" nomination for its "Hangzhou City Brain 3.0" system and the creation of a digital economy hub. The award was received by Xu Qingshan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Hangzhou Municipal Government

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Belgrade
Belgrade Serbia

was honored in the "Good Health and Well-being" nomination for creating an AI-Powered Health Information System and digital health integration The award was received by Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Vesna Vidovic

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh Cambodia

won the "Decent Work and Economic Growth" nomination for its Smart City Strategic Roadmap 2022-2035 and also for the Build4People and Economic Development project. The award was received by Phnom Penh Vice Governor Hai Huot

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

took first place in the "Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure" nomination for the innovative Underground Utilities Data Centre (KLUDC) project. The award was received by Ambassador of Malaysia to Russia Cheong Loon Lai

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Nairobi
Nairobi Kenya

received the prize in the "Reduced Inequalities" nomination for developing the Konza Technopolis smart city – the "African Silicon Savanna." The award was received by Nairobi County Deputy Governor James Njoroge Muchiri

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Durban
Durban South Africa

was recognized in the "Climate Action" nomination for developing the Westown smart city. The award was received by Mayor of eThekwini Cyril Xaba

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Astana
Astana Kazakhstan

won the "Urban AI for Good" prize for its AI-powered smart city platform with digital twin technology. The award was received by Astana Deputy Akim (Mayor) Yevgeny Glotov

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Moscow
Moscow Russia

won the award in the "People-Centered Robotization" nomination for implementing a driverless tram, the autonomous unmanned cleaning robot "Pixel," and a robotic system for monitoring construction sites. The award was presented to Moscow by Kate Barker, Chief Futurist for NEOM in Saudi Arabia

A ceremony of the BRICS Urban Innovation Award. Chandigarh
Chandigarh India

was awarded in the "Empowerment of Women" nomination for the Udaan Project on skill development and digital empowerment led by women. The award was received by Mayor of Chandigarh Harpreet Kaur Babl

Jury

Head of
Jury:

Dr. Raekwon Chung – Nobel Peace Prize laureate (with IPCC)

former advisor to UN Secretary-General on climate change, Honorary Chairman of BRICS Urban Future Forum
Sameep Shastri
Sameep Shastri
Vice Chairman, BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Natalia Mochu
Natalia Mochu
Regional Director for CIS, International Telecommunication Union, United Nations
Kate Barker
Kate Barker
Chief Futurologist & Board Member, NEOM
Nicholas You
Nicholas You
Executive Director, Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation
Erol Özgüner
Erol Özgüner
CIO, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
Renato Troncon
Renato Troncon
Head, Design Research Lab, University of Trento
Mtho Xulu
Mtho Xulu
President, South African Chamber of Commerce
Nicolas Buchoud
Nicolas Buchoud
President, Grand Paris Alliance for Metropolitan Development
Farid Nakhli
Farid Nakhli
Program Coordinator, International Telecommunication Union, United Nations

Evaluation Criteria

  • SDG Impact and Urban Relevance
  • Innovation and Technological Excellence
  • Scalability and Replicability
  • Inclusivity and Social Impact
  • Sustainability and Long-term Viability