GCSP announces 2025 Prize Winners: Advancing transformative solutions for global peace and security

The announcement took place during a dynamic online ceremony held as part of GCSP Transformative Futures Day - an event dedicated to exploring innovative approaches to today’s most pressing peace and security challenges.

Now in its third year, the prize continues to attract a growing global community of forward-thinking individuals and organisations. The 2025 edition drew an impressive 196 submissions from 65 countries across six continents, reflecting a rich diversity of perspectives and bold ideas. Following a rigorous review process, the jury shortlisted 15 standout proposals before selecting the top three initiatives for their exceptional vision, originality, and potential to catalyse lasting change.

The winners of the 2025 GCSP Prize for Transformative Futures in Peace and Security are:

• First place: “Spacetalk” submitted by Dr Benjamin Guyot in Lausanne. This submission wins a fully funded 2-month incubation programme within the GCSP’s Creative Spark.
• Second place: “Prescient” submitted by Dr Elliot Brennan in Geneva. This project wins a certificate of recognition.
• Third place: “AI-based Humanitarian Dashboard for Disaster Prediction” submitted Mr José Scioli and Ms Abril García Mur of the Humanitarian Observatory of the Argentine Red Cross in Buenos Aires. This project wins a certificate of recognition.

Honourable mentions:

• “Transformative Digital Education for Peace and Security in Afghanistan” submitted by Ms Pashtana Dorani of LEARN AFGHAN INC in the United States.
• “A New Paradigm for Reintegration: The Combat to Commerce (C2C) Model” submitted by Dr Erin McFee of the Corioli Institute in the United States.

The winning project was developed by Spacetalk SA, a startup founded in Lausanne in 2023. It offers a digital platform for managing global space traffic. Existing systems are operated under the authority of national or regional space powers such as China, the United States, Europe, Russia, India or Japan - between which there is little or no coordination. Thanks to its technical scope, neutrality, and transparency, Spacetalk aims to enable global coordination to prevent collisions, reduce the creation of new space debris, minimize the number of maneuvers to extend satellite lifespans, avoid the escalation of conflicts in space, and preserve a dark and quiet sky for observing the universe.

To meet these challenges, Spacetalk has established partnerships with EPFL and the Swiss Armed Forces. The platform is being developed in Switzerland and will be launched on the market in August 2025.

Leading the initiative, Dr Benjamin Guyot affirmed:

Receiving this Prize from GCSP is an honour for Spacetalk and its team; it rewards our vision and our actions. The management of global space traffic, sustainability, and safety in space are crucial challenges for the coming decades. The recognition from GCSP offers us considerable visibility at a decisive moment in our development.

We would like to warmly thank the jury for selecting Spacetalk, thus demonstrating our shared vision of a future focused on peaceful communication between peoples for a sustainable and equitable use of space, in the common interest of the inhabitants of our planet.

The runner-up is Prescient, a programme that focuses on health security related to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents, while addressing the impact of geopolitical tensions in Europe, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It supports policymakers in anticipating and preparing for health security risks through scenario-based analysis and futures-oriented policy recommendations. Amid rising geopolitical tensions and weakened multilateral institutions, the programme responds to the urgent need for insight into future policy pathways.

In phase one, it identifies emerging CBRN threats using environmental scanning and early warning systems, with a focus on European dynamics. Phase two analyzes health security trends and develops potential scenarios—such as nuclear plant damage in Ukraine or a biological attack in Europe. Phase three gathers expert input via the Delphi method to refine scenarios and evaluate how geopolitical fragmentation may affect CBRN responses. Phase four synthesizes findings into actionable recommendations to enhance preparedness and strengthen multilateral cooperation. The final phase presents results to key stakeholders.

Prescient offers a comprehensive framework to improve CBRN-related health security and foster international collaboration. This work builds on the principal investigator’s recent engagements with WHO on health security preparedness and simulation exercises in Ukraine, as well as over a decade of experience in foresight and conflict management across think tanks and fieldwork.

Dr Elliot Brennan, who developed the programme, shared:

This project aims to convene thought-leaders and empower change-makers with the foresight needed to address pressing issues in health security.

At a time when existing structures are being tested by uncertainty and shifting priorities, it is imperative that we create new spaces to explore possible futures and stress-test emerging policy ideas. I am humbled to be awarded second place and to join this community of inspiring ideas. When we trust in the better parts of our nature - such as our creativity and collective purpose - we can construct futures that are more peaceful, prosperous, and just. Indeed, in a moment in history defined by disruption and rapid change, foresight is no longer a luxury, it is a priority.

Placing third, The Humanitarian Observatory of the Argentine Red Cross stands as a hub for both innovation and humanitarian action, using evidence-based research to identify needs, generate knowledge, and design effective solutions. By applying advanced methodologies such as Big Data analysis and national surveys, the Observatory conducts studies with the potential to transform responses to complex humanitarian challenges. Focusing on sustainability, its research addresses issues like climate change, mental health, and livelihood vulnerabilities, while recommending concrete public policies to ensure lasting impacts on peace and security. It raises awareness and shares insights across all levels, from local communities to policymakers.

With strong implementation potential, the Observatory partners with public, private, and academic sectors to translate findings into actionable policy. Notable innovations include the Global Humanitarian Analysis Dashboard, which uses AI to map potential crises, and qualitative studies that inform national health and resilience strategies.

By influencing policy and driving structural change, the Humanitarian Observatory delivers practical solutions and builds transformative futures -strengthening community resilience and preparing societies for global challenges.

Mr José Scioli, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Observatory from the Argentine Red Cross, declared:

Receiving this recognition is an invaluable boost for us at the Humanitarian Observatory of the Argentine Red Cross. Not only does it validate the collective effort we have put into developing this project, but it also reinforces our commitment to innovation as a tool for improving global humanitarian action. This award inspires us to keep moving forward to transform the way communities receive assistance by strengthening our capacity to anticipate and respond to emergencies.

The jury for the 2025 GCSP Prize for Transformative Futures in Peace and Security included:

• Mr Alexander Barclay, Delegate for Digital Policy, State of Geneva
• Ms Sophie Dubuis, Entrepreneur and Founder of sow consulting sàrl
• Prof. Dr Andreas Wenger, Professor of International and Swiss Security Policy at ETH Zurich
• Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Executive Director of the GCSP
• Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan, Director of the GCSP’s Geopolitics and Global Futures Department and Honorary Fellow at St Antony's College, University of Oxford
• Ms Anne-Caroline Pissis Martel, Director of the GCSP’s Global Fellowship Initiative and Creative Spark

Media coverage: https://agefi.com/actualites/entreprises/la-start-up-vaudoise-spacetalk-honoree-dun-prix-dinnovation 

Do you have an innovative idea to address global challenges and shape a more peaceful future? The GCSP invites bold thinkers and changemakers to take part in the next edition of the Prize. Mark your calendars - the call for submissions for the 2026 GCSP Prize for Transformative Futures in Peace and Security will open in December 2025.