2026 award winners

After losing mobility in her legs at the age of 19 as a result of neuropathy, Teresa Perales had to learn how to navigate a new reality. It was then that she discovered swimming. Her first coach encouraged her to compete, and from that point on, her athletic career flourished.

A professional speaker, personal coach and sports trainer, as well as a lecturer specializing in physiotherapy and disability, throughout her career she has worked to change perceptions and promote inclusive sports. She is also the author of several books in which she recounts her personal experience and advocates for the transformative power of sport. Her athletic achievements have been complemented by other honors, including the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports and the Medals for Sporting Merit in the Grand Cross, Gold, and Bronze categories.

She has held various public positions related to disability, served on bodies of the International Paralympic Committee, and regularly shares her experience with young people in schools and with organizations from various fields.

The judging panel for our Awards has recognized Teresa Perales (Zaragoza, 1975) for a career defined by athletic excellence, resilience, and her contribution to society and equal opportunities.

Ayúdame3D was founded in 2017 following a trip by its founder, Guillermo Gauna-Vivas, to an orphanage in Kenya, where he delivered the first prostheses to five people with amputated limbs. That experience allowed him to see the potential of 3D printing to improve the independence and quality of life of people with physical disabilities. This was the starting point for an initiative that has now reached more than 70 countries, delivered 747 prostheses, and created 28 original designs since 2023.

Its program uses 3D printing to design and produce personalized assistive products free of charge for people with physical disabilities. The initiative facilitates access to prostheses and other devices adapted to each person’s needs, particularly in cases where these solutions are unavailable or difficult to obtain due to their high cost or a lack of specialized resources.

Its developments include Tresédis, prostheses for people with upper-limb amputations. In addition to collaborating with hospitals and educational centers, the project has an international network of local laboratories, known as

3DLabs, which enable it to adapt each product to the needs of each community and expand its geographical reach.

Over the years, the organization has grown and received numerous distinctions, including the Princess of Girona Social Award, the Discapnet Award from Fundación ONCE, the European Citizen’s Prize from the European Parliament, and the Young Talent Award from the Community of Madrid.

The significant increase in spinal cord injuries caused by traffic accidents, particularly among young people, led doctors Juan García Reneses, head of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit at Hospital Universitario La Paz in Madrid, and Rafael Herruzo Cabrera, professor of Preventive Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid, to establish the Association for the Study of Spinal Cord Injury (AESLEME) in 1990.

Since then, AESLEME has been working to prevent serious injuries resulting from road crashes through awareness and education programs, while also providing support to those affected and contributing to their social inclusion. Its work has transformed the experiences of people who have suffered spinal cord injuries into a tool for raising awareness and promoting prevention.

Since its founding, the organization has benefited more than five million people, delivered more than 200,000 educational talks, and trained more than 200 people with spinal cord injuries as road safety education specialists. Its work also includes psychological, medical, and legal support for those affected, as well as employment programs for people with disabilities.

Throughout its history, AESLEME has received numerous awards for its work, including the Medal for Merit in Road Safety, the Civil Guard Medal for Merit, and the Ponle Freno Awards.

Cortijo Guadiana, the olive farm owned by the Castillo de Canena Group and located between the Cazorla and Mágina mountain ranges in Jaén, has made innovation a tool for advancing toward a more sustainable model of agriculture. Since 2005, it has developed solutions that combine land restoration, efficient water use, the application of new technologies, and the development of renewable energy with solutions that reduce environmental impact and increase the resilience of olive groves to climate change.

Its model demonstrates how innovation can help make the agricultural sector more sustainable and resilient while protecting natural resources and biodiversity.

Cortijo Guadiana is also the first olive farm to receive AENOR certification for Regenerative Agriculture, recognizing its commitment to soil regeneration, environmental conservation, and ongoing improvement. It also holds certifications and recognitions from DNV-GL, CAAE, Demeter, and Land to Market, further attesting to its commitment to soil regeneration, traceability, and continuous innovation in processes.