THE 2017 STANFORD BRIGHT AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY WAS PRESENTED TO UKRAINIAN BROTHERS ANDRIJ AND ROMAN ZINCHENKO at a November 9 ceremony at Stanford Law School. The two were recognized for their significant contributions supporting and promoting sustainable energy in Ukraine.

Over the past decade, the Zinchenko brothers have built a thriving sustainable energy education and innovation community near Kiev, founding one of the first green energy incubators in Ukraine, called Greencubator.

Since its founding in 2009, Greencubator has brought together seasoned experts in sustainable energy, those starting to develop new energy solutions, and people who are only just beginning to learn more about energy and sustainability—thus contributing to more green energy innovation in the country. In 2015, Greencubator launched Hack4Energy, which connects representatives from several Ukrainian cities to develop new sustainable energy solutions. Greencubator is also the origin of the energy group Reanimation of Package Reforms, a coalition of more than 70 nongovernmental organizations and independent experts from across Ukraine that is working to develop, promote, and advocate for energy reform solutions.

The Bright Award was established in 2007 by Ray Bright, JD ’59, a lifelong conservationist, to recognize otherwise unheralded contributions to global sustainability. Awarded annually, it comes with a $100,000 prize.