MIT Technology Review Names Nine Climate and Energy Innovators Under 35

The list is divided into four main categories this year: biotech, climate and energy, computing and robotics, and AI. MIT Technology Review said AI is the dominant technology story, both for its potential and its challenges, and it appears heavily in the work of innovators in other categories.

Jae-Won Chung built software to make AI more energy-efficient. He measures the energy demands of open-source models, hoping the industry can better understand and address AI's impact, MIT Technology Review reported. Jing Wei is using AI to track pollution more effectively, applying machine learning to fill gaps in data from sources such as satellites and weather stations. Zhonghua Zheng developed AI climate models that work better for cities, which the publication described as a known blind spot for traditional models.

Several awardees are working on materials needed for new technologies. Lithium is central to lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and large-scale grid storage, and shortages could emerge as soon as this decade, according to MIT Technology Review. Copper is another mineral to watch. Brine is currently the cheapest source of lithium, but extraction can take months and harm the local environment. Mohammad Alkhadra, cofounder and CEO of Lithios, is working to extract lithium from brines quickly and efficiently. Hardrock ore is the most common lithium source but is more expensive than brine. Benjamin Mowbray, cofounder and CTO of Rock Zero, is working to extract lithium from hardrock ore.

The publication also highlighted less obvious sources of climate pollution. Heavy industry, including steel production, accounts for about 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Laureen Meroueh is making cleaner, cheaper steel using a new kind of furnace that simplifies the chemical process required to produce the metal. Plastics are generally made with fossil fuels, so alternatives are needed. Joseph Nguthiru is making a bioplastic replacement for fossil-derived packaging that uses an invasive weed. Diana Orembe is making fish food for aquaculture with food waste. Refrigerants are often powerful greenhouse gases, and Jinyoung Seo is developing solid refrigerants that could eliminate leakage concerns. MIT Technology Review said a device using these materials could reduce energy consumption by 20% compared with conventional technology.

MIT Technology Review said it worked for months on the newest edition of the list, which honors researchers, inventors, and other young minds worth following. The full 2026 list includes the nine climate and energy awardees among 35 innovators. The article was published in The Spark, MIT Technology Review's weekly climate newsletter.

Editor's Summary MIT Technology Review's 2026 35 Innovators Under 35 list includes nine climate and energy awardees whose work spans AI energy efficiency, pollution and climate modeling, lithium extraction, cleaner steel, bioplastics, aquaculture feed, and solid refrigerants. The publication presents the group as a snapshot of climate tech's current priorities, including AI's dual role as an energy challenge and a research tool. It also points to supply and emissions problems in batteries, heavy industry, plastics, and cooling.