Planet Home's Million Dollar Challenge Award of the Year!

Planet Home Introduces Year’s Innovative Technologies

Boston, November 6, 2025 – Planet Home, a firm dedicated to launching and scaling challenging technology companies, announced the $1 Million Planet Home Award. This new global award aims to reward groundbreaking technologies that redefine how we should live in harmony with the planet across all areas, from food production to our daily lives.

The award was announced at the Planet Home Gala held at the Boston Arts Center. The gala brought together leading figures from the fields of science, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and finance to explore the role of technology in enhancing the planet's resilience. Dr. Maria Galou-Lameyer, one of the teams awarded the Nobel Prize, introduced the award at the event. The Planet Home Award will be presented annually during Boston Tough Tech Week to celebrate innovative solutions advancing global sustainability and health. Applications will open on February 15, 2026, with details shared at PlanetHome.eco.

Dr. Daniel Doneson, managing partner of Planet Home, commented on the award launch: “The introduction of the Planet Home Award represents a significant moment for the tough technology, sustainability, and investor communities. The gala we conducted with pioneers in AI, science, finance, and philanthropy showcased what purpose-driven innovations can achieve. The establishment of the Planet Home Award is not just about recognizing groundbreaking technologies, but it also means igniting a movement to build the future.”

The gala was hosted by Emmy-nominated comedian Kiran Deol, with creative performances accompanying high-level discussions at the intersection of science, technology, and art.

Featured Discussions

SIDS Countries Leading in Sustainable Innovations: Walter Roban, former Deputy Prime Minister of Bermuda, and Dr. Albert Binger, Secretary-General of SIDS DOCK, led a discussion highlighting marine protection, renewable energy, and "Blue Prosperity" initiatives as models for global sustainability. Among the technologies presented was Seabased, one of the world's leading wave energy ventures, noted as a solution for enhancing energy independence and climate resilience.

Will Artificial Intelligence Be Good?: This session, led by Dr. Hilary C. Robinson, Associate Professor in Law and Sociology at Northeastern University, interrogated the ethical dimensions of AI. Among the experts were Dr. Xinghui Yin, leading the Quantum Measurement Group at MIT, De Kai from HKUST and Berkeley, and former CFOs of BMW and Deutsche Bank, Stefan Krause. De Kai stated, “Each of our phones has 100 artificial intelligences. They are like parentless wild children, the biggest influencers on Earth.”

Krause remarked, “Factory Berlin is the creator of an AI-powered company that brings together elite talents in technology, art, and music from around the world. What we witnessed with Planet Home in Boston is that the vision of the future belongs to communities that can turn visions into actions.”

Moving $250 Billion to Tough Tech: David Doneson, CEO of the American Committee for the Weizmann Science Institute, and Mark Veich, CEO of CobiCure, explored how philanthropic and innovative capital is mobilizing billions of dollars for deep-tech solutions in global health and sustainability.

Living Laboratories – Building a Sustainable Future: This segment showcased numerous exciting initiatives and their founders, which are pioneers of sustainable innovations with the potential to change the world.

Valentina Videva Dufresne, President of Zehnder Group North America, said during the panel: “Our goal is to provide a healthy indoor environment in an aesthetic, quiet, comfortable, and energy-efficient manner. This requires overcoming tough technological barriers. We feel a continuous sense of responsibility for a world where human health meets sustainability; this should be seen as an integrated design principle to improve life.”

The Planet Home event highlighted the innovations developed by companies like Seabased, Malstrom Molecules, and DataEnergy. DataEnergy designs and develops innovative AI data center infrastructures, focusing on establishing high-performance, modular facilities. Malstrom Molecules is a startup producing cyclical molecules that reduce petroleum usage, and Seabased is developing an innovative wave energy solution using ocean waves.

Planet Home is a platform aimed at developing solutions to the planet's most urgent problems by bringing together culture, science, engineering, and investments. Through events, summits, and venture partnerships, it creates a foundation for action across a broad spectrum, from food production to our lifestyle.