Applications Open for Westly Prize Offering $145K in Unrestricted Funding

The Westly Prize is an annual award given to young social innovators in California who have developed innovative solutions to community challenges. It is sponsored by the Westly Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting initiatives and ideas that make the state and the world better for children. The Westly Prize awards cash prizes totaling up to $145,000 to early-stage, social innovators under the age of 28 with the best novel solutions to education, health, youth, or world challenges. The goal of the Westly Prize is to recognize and support the next generation of social entrepreneurs and to encourage them to continue their work in creating a more equitable and sustainable future.

In 2023, Santa Cruz Accelerates startup and UC Santa Cruz team, Wonderfil won a prize and received $40,000 for their circular technology startup building autonomous refill stations for liquid and cream products.

The Westly Prize is seeking founders who have solutions in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Arts, Civic Engagement, Education, Energy, Environment, Food Production/Distribution, Health, Safety, Technology/Tech for Good, Transportation, and Youth Development.