McElhattan Foundation Launches ZERO 2050
Inaugural Zero Electrocution Challenge offers $2M in prizes for breakthrough solutions to end fatal workplace electrocutions
PITTSBURGH — McElhattan Foundation today announced the launch of ZERO 2050, a recurring national competition to end workplace fatalities by the year 2050. Each ZERO 2050 prize cycle will focus on a distinct and preventable cause of occupational death, catalyzing innovative solutions with high potential to save workers’ lives.
The inaugural challenge, the Zero Electrocution Challenge, will award up to $2 million in prizes to innovations designed to present pathways to eliminate life-threatening tasks that lead to fatal electrocution on the job by the year 2050. Two winners will each receive $1 million.
Workplace electrocution remains one of the most persistent and preventable causes of occupational death in the United States. More than 150 workers, on average, died each year between 2011 and 2023 from electrical contact. Most victims are laborers, maintenance workers, and tree trimmers who encounter energized equipment during routine tasks. Despite decades of regulations, training, and personal protective equipment, the fatality rate has not meaningfully declined, underscoring the need for engineering solutions to make lethal electrical exposure physically impossible.
“For too long we’ve focused on making dangerous work a little safer,” said Kent McElhattan, Chairman and CEO of McElhattan Foundation. “ZERO 2050 seeks to create breakthrough innovations that remove the dangers entirely. The goal of the Zero Electrocution Challenge is not to manage the risk of electrocution - it’s to eliminate it.”
The Zero Electrocution Challenge is open to a wide range of applicants, including nonprofits, for-profit companies, benefit corporations, tribal governments, and educational institutions. Strong proposals must demonstrate effectiveness, feasibility, and the potential to scale. Winning solutions must present pathways to eliminate fatal electrocution hazards on the job by the year 2050, while advancing enterprise productivity and profitability.
Registration will be open through Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST. Prospective applicants are encouraged to complete the Zero Electrocution Challenge Readiness Tool at www.zec.zero2050.org to gauge eligibility and fit prior to registering. Questions from potential applicants may be directed to questions@zero2050.org.
About McElhattan Foundation
McElhattan Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Growing from its origins as the charitable arm of Industrial Scientific Corporation, the Foundation today makes strategic grants in four areas: Ending Death on the Job, Economic Development in Knox and Franklin Pennsylvania, End-of-Life Care and Planning and Out-of-School-Time Learning. Learn more at www.mcelhattan.org.
About ZERO 2050
ZERO 2050 is a recurring challenge grant program of the McElhattan Foundation that envisions a future where no one is killed at work. Each challenge targets a distinct and preventable cause of occupational death, seeking engineering and technology solutions that are effective, scalable, and practical in the field. Learn more at www.zero2050.org.
