The history of Longitude
The Longitude Prizes are a unique series of prizes that set the highest bar in incentivising world-changing innovation
The first Longitude Prize
The original Longitude Prize was established in 1714, with the establishment of the board of Longitude which included the first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed. This prize sought a solution to measuring Longitude at sea, which was won - after the required intervention by King George III - by John Harrison for the H4 chronometer. 300 years later the Longitude Prize was resurrected by the current Astronomer Royal, Lord Martin Rees.
The Longitude Prize on AMR
The first modern Longitude Prize sought a rapid, point-of-care test capable of identifying the presence of a bacterial infection and the right antibiotic to prescribe. This was won in 2024 with a breakthrough diagnostic that is a very significant step in reducing misuse of antibiotics and in improving accuracy of treatment.
The Longitude Prize on Dementia
The second Longitude Prize focusses on the development of personalised assisted technology for people living with dementia. The winner will be announced in March 2026.
The Longitude Prize on ALS
The Longitude Prize on ALS is the third modern Longitude Prize.
The Prize aims to harness the power of AI to accelerate the discovery and validation of promising therapeutic targets - paving the way for transformative new treatments for people living with ALS