The Inamori Foundation has announced the recipients of the 2026 Kyoto Prize, pioneers who have “contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind”. 

The Blavatnik School’s partnership with the Kyoto Prize, is a celebration of world-class thinkers who are shaping a better world for its citizens. The partnership will see the laureates give lectures in Oxford in 2027 as part of the Kyoto Prize at Oxford. The Kyoto Prize Laureates for 2026 are: 

• Tsutomu Miyasaka, Project Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Toin University of Yokohama and Specially Appointed Professor at Waseda University, whose work on lightweight perovskite solar cells paved the way for next generation power sources. His research has also focused on addressing challenges such as reducing the environmental impact of lead contained in perovskite solar cells by exploring alternative lead-free materials, shaping the future of global energy. 
• Farooq Azam, Emeritus Professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, part of the University of California in San Diego, has changed the way we think about the role of microorganisms in marine environments. He proposed the idea of a “microbial loop”, finding that dissolved organic carbon, which was presumed to be lost in the marine food chain, is in fact recycled by bacteria and protists. His research has led to substantial advancements in marine ecology and biogeochemistry. 
• Laurie Anderson is a multimedia artist who pioneered a unique form of multimedia performance by fusing experimental electronic and pop sounds with the sound of her own voice and body. With invention and wit, she has pushed the boundaries of interdisciplinary creativity, inspiring a generation of artists with pieces that engage with gender, media, technology and science. Her work includes ‘The End of the Moon’ (2004), a performance piece inspired by her role as the first Artist-in-Residence at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as well as narrative musical works such as ‘Landfall’ (2018), a collaboration with the Kronos Quartet, shaped by her experiences during Hurricane Sandy. 

About the Kyoto Prize 

The Kyoto Prize is an international award presented to individuals who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind. The traditional Kyoto Prize Presentation Ceremony will take place in Kyoto, Japan in November where Commemorative Lectures by the three Laureates will be delivered. Details of these lectures will be announced in due course on the Kyoto Prize website. The laureates then travel to San Diego in March 2027 for the Kyoto Prize Symposium, and Oxford in May 2027 for the Kyoto Prize at Oxford.