Aerobotics7 was among a number of companies recognised for their groundbreaking work in developing technologies for peace. The awards ceremony in New York City took place as part of the broader 79th UN General Assembly events

The 2024 Kluz Prize for PeaceTech took place in New York City on September 20th, supported by The GovLab (New York University), with Aerobotics7 taking home the major win of the night.

The annual awards celebrate groundbreaking achievements in PeaceTech, selected by a distinguished jury of experts and leaders from the tech sector, civil society and academia. The Kluz Prize for PeaceTech is an annual initiative designed to celebrate, recognize, and propel the innovative use of emerging technologies to foster peace, reduce conflict, and safeguard human dignity and universal human rights across the globe.

Other recognitions on the night include:

Special Distinction for the Use of AI for Peace: VIEWS research consortium

Special Distinction for Space Technology: Lunasonde

Special Distinction for Humanitarian Impact: The Danish Refugee Council

Aerobotics7 is dedicated to addressing the global threat of landmines through innovative AI and drone technology. Founded by a then 14-year-old Harshwardhan Zala in 2016, Aerobotics7 develops advanced drone-based advanced sensing technology. CEO and 

Founder Harshwardhan Zala said:

“We’re honored to receive the Kluz Prize for PeaceTech, which recognizes the groundbreaking work we’re doing at Aerobotics7 to revolutionize landmine and hidden threat detection using drone-based advanced technology. The award win will significantly accelerate our mission, enabling us to expand our efforts globally.”

Twelve leading experts decided the winners from a talented pool of 90 applications from 32 countries across the world.

Judge Andrew Schroeder, VP of Research and Analysis at Direct Relief, said:

“The Kluz Prize is shining a bright light on some of the most important efforts to bring the best in technology, data, and analytics to the crucial work of making conflict both less likely and less lethal to the civilians and communities who bear the brunt of the costs of warfare. The field of PeaceTech is maturing quickly, and the Kluz Prize is playing a key role in that maturation."

About the Kluz Prize for PeaceTech

The Kluz Prize for PeaceTech is an initiative to celebrate, distinguish, and promote the use of new technologies in fostering peace, reducing conflict, and protecting human dignity and universal human rights across the globe.