Deadline: 26 June 2026

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), has launched the 2026 round of its Ebbe Nielsen Challenge. The annual competition recognises innovative uses of open-access biodiversity data. The Challenge invites individuals, teams and organisations worldwide to submit new or enhanced tools, techniques and functional prototypes that advance the accessibility, quality and value of biodiversity data available through the GBIF network. A total prize fund of up to €20,000 is awarded to two to three winning projects.

Eligible submissions may include novel applications of data, improvements to existing tools, or entirely new approaches that support the needs of multiple GBIF communities, including data users, data holders and data managers. GBIF encourages contributions that show clear potential to benefit the global biodiversity data community and to accelerate scientific and policy-relevant insights through improved access to high-quality, openly available data.

Entrants can explore dozens of previous Challenge winners for inspiration on ideas, topics and approaches.

Additional information can be found here.