Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Yachting Technology Award known as the FPAII Award is the most prestigious prize of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. Awarded annually since 2024 to a university or research institution, it consists of a €25,000 grant to accelerate the development of a clean maritime technology with measurable environmental impact. Eligible projects must focus on reducing emissions, enhancing energy efficiency or advancing sustainable propulsion in the yachting sector, and must have reached at least Technology Readiness Level 5. The winning institution commits to providing biannual progress updates to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the MEBC organisers for three years following the award. Past winners: Physis Politecnico di Milano (2024); Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (2025).
A research grant to move the winning solution from innovation to real-world implementation.
Each year, four universities and research institutes are shortlisted as finalists, selected for the maturity, originality and real-world potential of their work. These teams are invited to present their sustainable yachting technology to the International Jury, in Monaco, defending their project in a dedicated session during the event. Before a panel of experts drawn from yachting, industry and research, each finalist sets out the technical choices, the environmental impact and the scalability of their solution with the most convincing project awarded the €25,000 research grant to carry it from prototype to real-world implementation.
Italy 🇮🇹
France 🇫🇷
Italy 🇮🇹
India 🇮🇳
Eligibility is deliberately broad the Award is open to universities and research institutions of every size and origin but the bar for technological maturity and real-world impact is set high. Candidate projects must demonstrate a genuine capacity to reduce emissions or improve energy efficiency in yachting, backed by a working prototype rather than a concept on paper. Beyond the prize itself, the winner enters a lasting partnership with the Foundation and the organisers: a three-year follow-up on the use of the grant, with regular progress updates ensuring the funds translate into tangible advances for sustainable yachting.
The winner agrees to:
Five key milestones map the journey from the first call for applications to the award ceremony at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. From the opening of submissions in January to the announcement of the winner at the Closing Ceremony in July, each stage marks a step in the selection process applications, shortlisting, and the finalists’ presentations to the International Jury in Monaco. The timeline below sets out the full calendar, so candidate teams can plan their application and prepare for each deadline along the way.
