The Global Innovators’ Challenge

In association with

The Air League, in partnership with the Sustainable Skies World Summit, is proud to announce that the Global Innovators’ Challenge 2026 is now open for entries.

We are inviting young people aged 11–25 to share their ideas for helping aviation, aerospace and space achieve Net Zero by 2050.

This competition does more than teach students about cutting-edge technologies. It gives them a powerful platform to reimagine the future of flight, develop solutions inspired by science and creativity, and present their ideas directly to industry leaders who are driving global change.

This year, we are excited to collaborate with AWAM to bring the competition to young people in Kenya.

Congratulations to the following finalists
of the 1,000-word proposal:

Project AetherFin: Biomimetic Smart Wing Skin for Sustainable Aviation – Kerrisha Reddy and Tristan Troy Devanand (South Africa)
Project Atmos – Ismael Tawfeek (UK)
Aerofeather QMGs Wing Biomimetic Wing Adaptation – Mya Carruthers, Vanessa Onyeukwu, Kenzie Doleman, Riya Joseph (UK)
Project APEX Using Electric Power for short high-power phases of flight – Utkarsh Bhamidimarri, Daanish Ansari, Sayran Selvakkumaran (UK)
Refuel – Waste to Fuel – Oscar Noone (UK)
Project Aether – AI generated Waste for SAF – John Ong Ming Hom, Derrick Yang Lik Chian, Koay Yi Shan, Chen Tze Man (Malaya)
ALGAL SAF – QMGs – Aashish Dubay, Roshan Dive, Thomas Lyndon, Rahul Padhiar (UK)
Ethanova: Reinvention airport waste oils – Ivy Cheruiyot and Stacey Ogombe (Kenya)

We look forward to welcoming you to the event and seeing your presentations on the day.

Meet the 2026 judging panel

Neil Turnbull, Director of Klyne Training Ltd,
part of the Saxon Air Group

With more than 35 years of experience in the aviation industry, he began his career as a pilot before progressing into senior commercial and operational roles within business aviation. His career has included significant positions in the Middle East and Switzerland, giving him extensive international insight into the sector. Neil now leads the development and growth of Saxon Air’s new training business, focusing on innovative training solutions, emerging technologies and the next generation of aviation professionals.

"I was fortunate to be invited to judge last year, and it proved to be a genuinely uplifting experience. Spending the day immersed in innovative ideas presented by passionate young people, all with a real energy for change, was both inspiring and refreshing. It was a privilege to see such creativity and commitment from the next generation. I’m looking forward to a full day of energetic discussion and fresh ideas. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet the future of our industry face-to-face, hear their perspectives, and engage in lively conversation with the rest of the judging panel."

Neil Turnbull

Deborah Scott, Chief Financial Officer,
Artemis Aerospace Ltd

Deborah worked in marketing and advertising in London before she agreed to partner her husband in setting up Artemis Aerospace 26 years ago. She was passionate about bringing outstanding levels of customer service to the aircraft component aftermarket sector, and this passion has helped forge longstanding customer relationships lasting decades. Artemis now provides the most comprehensive component solutions in the world to the global flight training and simulation market leaders, as well as aircraft leasing organisations, MROs and airlines around the world. In 2025, Deborah applied for and won a Kings Award for Enterprise in International Growth on behalf of Artemis, which remains one of her proudest achievements.

"I was a judge for this challenge last year and was struck by the passion and energy from these talented young people. I learned so much about innovation and sustainability, so I was delighted to be asked to judge again. It’s an honour to support Janine and the Air League in this small way, to help encourage and inspire the next generation of aviation professionals. This year we have teams from Malaysia, South Africa and Kenya taking part, as well as our UK students, so I’m particularly looking forward to discovering how aviation innovation varies by geographical region."

Deborah Scott

Chris Desai, Founder and Global CEO,
UOCEAN Heights of Possibility

Chris Desai is the Founder and Global CEO of UOCEAN 2050, a global environmental organisation focused on ocean conservation, environmental education, and creating inclusive pathways into sustainability and conservation careers.

He is the creator of UOCEAN Heights of Possibility, a pioneering global programme developing the world’s first generation of pilots for conservation. The initiative opens pathways into aviation for young people from underrepresented communities while demonstrating how aviation can play a critical role in protecting the planet through conservation monitoring, environmental research, and environmental impact missions.

Under Chris’s leadership, UOCEAN has mobilised international action to remove billions of plastic bottles’ worth of pollution from rivers and oceans, while working with schools, governments, and businesses to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders.

Chris is an award-winning environmental leader and global speaker who advocates for a future where aviation, innovation, and conservation work together to protect the Earth.

"Aviation has an incredible opportunity to lead solutions for our planet. Through initiatives like UOCEAN Heights of Possibility, I’ve seen how aviation can inspire young people while also supporting conservation, environmental monitoring, and global research. Being a judge for the Sustainable Skies challenge is an opportunity to support the next generation of innovators who are reimagining the future of aviation. I’m particularly interested in ideas that not only reduce environmental impact but also explore how aviation can actively contribute to protecting ecosystems and supporting conservation efforts around the world. I’m most looking forward to seeing the creativity and bold thinking that emerges when people are challenged to rethink the future of aviation. The most exciting breakthroughs often come from fresh perspectives. It will also be inspiring to meet the students, innovators, and industry leaders who are passionate about building a more sustainable aviation sector. If we are truly going to achieve sustainable skies, it will require collaboration across industry, education, and the next generation of aviation talent."

Chris Desai

Wakina Munene, Senior Manager,
Innovation and Sustainability, Kenya Airways

Wakina Munene is the Senior Manager for Innovation and Sustainability at Kenya Airways, where she leads the airline’s sustainability strategy, innovation initiatives, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development efforts. With over 14 years of experience spanning sustainability strategy, circular economy systems, ESG advisory, and aviation decarbonisation, she has played a key role in positioning Kenya Airways as a leader in sustainable aviation in Africa.

Wakina has led several award-winning sustainability initiatives, including Kenya Airways’ participation in the Aviation Sustainability Challenge, and recently led the publication of the airline’s first Sustainability Report. She also serves on the SkyTeam Sustainability Advisory Group, Kenya’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Steering Committee, and the IATA CORSIA Advisory Group, contributing to global dialogue on aviation climate solutions.

She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Air Transport Management and is passionate about advancing practical pathways for aviation decarbonisation across emerging markets.

"The aviation sector is at a pivotal moment as it transitions toward a more sustainable future. I was keen to be involved as a judge because initiatives like this help surface new ideas, empower emerging talent, and accelerate innovation across the industry. Supporting platforms that encourage practical, scalable sustainability solutions is critical for aviation’s long-term transformation. I’m most looking forward to seeing the creativity and fresh thinking from participants, particularly how they approach some of the industry’s most complex challenges. These forums often bring forward ideas that challenge conventional thinking and inspire new approaches to sustainability in aviation."

Wakina Munene

David Debney, Head of Technology for Whole Aircraft, Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)

David Debney is the Aerospace Technology Institute’s (ATI) Head of Technology for Whole Aircraft and leads on overall aircraft technology assessments and analysis, including future aircraft concepts. He has responsibility for modelling capability, tools and methods to inform ATI’s technology strategy.

David’s experience in the Aerospace sector spans Technology, Product Development, Certification and In-service support. He currently chairs the UK Jet Zero Taskforce Task and Finish Group for Hydrogen aircraft, and previously chaired the Jet Zero Council Zero-Emission Aircraft Group. He also led the creation of the FlyZero project, working with industry and government stakeholders to launch the groundbreaking study. He was Chief Engineer for Aircraft Integration during the delivery phase of FlyZero and worked closely with the Project Director on overall strategy. David also represented the Aerospace sector in the development of the UK’s Future Flight Challenge, covering novel aircraft, flight operations, unmanned air vehicle (UAV) and air traffic management (ATM) proposals.

Before joining the ATI, David worked at Rolls-Royce as Chief of Future Aircraft Concepts, a global role leading the design of hybrid propulsion systems, boundary layer ingestion, and eVTOL aircraft concepts. He also led work packages in multiple European Clean Sky projects. Previously, he led the development and testing programme for the XWB-84 and XWB-97 engines, and he has extensive experience in the certification, design validation, and testing of gas turbines.

David is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and holds an MEng in Aeronautics from Durham University.

"I got involved with the Innovators Challenge because I’m excited to see what ideas the teams have come up with, encourage them to keep investigating new designs, and help them understand some of the challenges to get an idea from design into production. I’m looking forward to seeing the enthusiasm from the teams and having some great conversations with them outside of their presentations."

David Debney

Jonathon Counsell, Group Director of Sustainability, International Airlines Group (IAG)

Jonathon is a Master’s graduate in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London and has an MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.

In July 2015, Jonathon became Group Head of Sustainability for the IAG with responsibility for the group sustainability strategy across the Groups’ five airlines Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Level & Vueling. In June 2025 Jonathon was appointed IAG Group Director of Sustainability.

Jonathon was also Chair of the Oneworld Airline Alliance’s Environment Strategy Board from 2020 to 2023.

In December 2024, Jonathon was appointed as a member of the UK Government’s Jet Zero Taskforce Experts Group.

In 2024, Jonathon was privileged to have been awarded an honorary doctorate from Cranfield University cited for his “outstanding and sustained contribution to embedding sustainability across the aviation sector”.

In 2025, Jonathon was honoured to be awarded The Air League’s President’s Meritorious Service Award cited for his “tireless dedication and commitment to sustainability and nurturing the next generation of talent”.

"This is the third time we have run this competition and I am always really impressed by the quality and innovation of the proposals we receive and it is a real privilege for me to support this inspiring initiative by being part of the judging panel. I am really looking forward to seeing the excellent teams present their ideas and interacting with them to fully appreciate and understand their proposals and to see how they can potentially support aviation deliver on its ambition of net zero emissions."

Jonathon Counsell

competition information

11 - 15 Year olds

The future of flying is going green, and your ideas could help shape it!

Enter the Global Innovators’ Challenge by creating an eye-catching poster showing how you think aviation can be cleaner and greener.

Your design will be showcased at the Sustainable Skies World Summit and you could win an amazing prize!

16 - 25 Year olds

We’re calling all A-Level students, university students, apprentices and recent graduates (16+) to team up and create a 1,000-word proposal showcasing your ideas to industry leaders and decision makers.

Finalists will present their solutions at the Sustainable Skies World Summit, with fantastic prizes and career-boosting opportunities waiting for the winners.

Help us get the winning team
from Kenya to the UK Finals

In March 2026, up to five brilliant students from Kenya will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their country at the Sustainable Skies World Summit in Farnborough (17–18 March 2026).

But we need your support to get them there. By donating, you’ll be helping to cover some of the travel, accommodation, and participation costs – making sure these young innovators can share their ideas on a global stage and help shape the future of sustainable aviation.

Every contribution brings us closer to giving these students the opportunity they deserve. Join us in building a more sustainable, inclusive, and globally connected aviation industry.