Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), a global leader in research and innovation, has been appointed the first international university partner of the Millennium Technology Prize, and the only academic partner in Asia.

This landmark collaboration significantly expands the Prize’s global network and strengthens its mission to recognize technological innovations that improve quality of life and promote sustainable progress.

The Prize has traditionally had strong ties to universities in its home country, Finland, and the partnership with NTU Singapore marks the beginning of the award’s expansion of its partner network to include leading academic institutions around the world.

As one of the world’s top young universities and a leader in sustainability-driven research, NTU brings its own extensive network of global partnerships and innovations to amplify the Prize’s international impact, particularly in Asia.

Both organizations share a passion for technology as a force for good in the world and are committed to sustainability in their activities. The partnership between NTU and the Prize unlocks new opportunities to increase the impact and visibility of these shared values.

As part of the partnership, NTU will play an active role in the lead-up to the 2027 Millennium Technology Prize by spreading the news about the upcoming Call for Nominations in its networks, and participate in the festivities around the award ceremony by showcasing its research at an exhibition booth on-site in Finland, hosting a satellite event in Singapore, and nominating a participant to the popular pitching contest for young researchers.

“NTU has tremendous expertise in the field of technology and a bold, future-oriented outlook – both of which are needed to create innovations that will change the world of tomorrow. We hope that this collaboration will amplify our voice to help us reach even more diverse nominations for the Prize and highlight even more revolutionary technologies in the next award cycles,” says Maija Liiri-Virmiala, CEO of Technology Academy Finland.

“This partnership with the Millennium Technology Prize reflects NTU’s commitment to advancing technology for humanity. It reinforces NTU’s leadership in innovation and sustainability and provides our researchers and students with opportunities to engage with groundbreaking technologies around the world,” says Professor Ho Teck Hua, president of NTU.

“This collaboration truly marks a milestone in the Prize’s international expansion. NTU’s bold step to partner with the Millennium Technology Prize not only brings greater visibility of the prize to Asia and strengthens Singapore’s role in addressing global challenges through science and technology, but it also underlines the strong Finnish-Singaporean co-operation in technology and innovation.” underlines Juha Markkanen, Finland’s Ambassador to Singapore.

The Millennium Technology Prize, awarded every two years by Technology Academy Finland, recognizes technological innovations that have a significant impact on quality of life and sustainable development. With a prize of €1 million, it is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious awards in technology, celebrating breakthroughs that address global challenges and improve human wellbeing.

Recent winners include Professor B. Jayant Baliga (2024), recognized for his Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor that transformed global electrification, and Professor Martin Green (2022), honoured for his Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell solar cell technology.