Are you from a UN organization, nonprofit, social enterprise, or a university with a ready-to-scale digital solution? Apply today to join their Digital X Solutions Catalogue.
Digital X is a Partnerships for Scale Programme developed by UNDP Chief Digital Office to find, match, and scale proven and innovative digital solutions around the world.
- introductions to UNDP teams and governments in the 170 countries where UNDP operates.
- Opportunity to partner with UNDP teams on projects of up to USD 100,000 with adhoc mentoring support.
- Optional guidance on becoming a Digital Public Good and a chance for new funding opportunities.
Any team with a proven, mature digital solution can apply to a Digital X Global Challenge. This includes UNDP or UN teams with digital solutions, registered social enterprises, universities, private sector companies, NGOs, and nonprofits.
Since the creation of UNDP’s Chief Digital Office (CDO) in 2019, we have observed hundreds of digital projects and challenges faced by UNDP, governments, and our partners. Based on discussions with UNDP Country Offices and teams from around the world, we have designed Digital X to focus on the following problems:
- Governments and UNDP global network urgently need digital solutions.
- A well-designed digital solution can impact millions of lives and support populations in new and innovative ways.
- Building digital solutions from nothing rarely works. Most digital solutions built by development professionals either reinvent the wheel, fail to adhere to the Principles for Digital Development, or fail to achieve meaningful impact.
- Lack of scaling what already works. The good news is that proven and ready- to-scale digital solutions – that have scaled nationwide or across multiple countries – do exist. In addition to being much faster to implement, utilizing
an existing digital solution can result in an average 40% cost reduction (DIAL). The problem is that proven solutions are often disconnected from the needs of UNDP and governments.
Desirable candidates:
- Digital solutions that are Open Source, SaaS, Digital Public Goods (DPGs), or owned by UN.
- Teams from social enterprises or nonprofits with digital solutions that are interested in adapting the solution to become Open Source, a Digital Public Good, or a UNDP white-labeled product.
- Teams with experience working with UN agencies or governments.
Benefits
- The potential to work with UNDP and governments in the 170 countries where UNDP operates.
- The possibility to impact hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives.
- Greater credibility to talk with governments, UNDP Country Offices, and impact investors.
- Global exposure with UNDP partners.
- Support in adapting the product to become Open Source, a Digital Public Good, or a white-labeled UNDP digital product, which can create new revenue models or new paths to scale.
- Optional introductions to UNDP field experts and technical advisors as well as matching with mentors from the DIGITAL X Network (for more on this see below).
- Invitation to matchmaking calls with UNDP Country Offices to develop proposals and apply for funding together, including up to $100,000 with Digital X funds.
Eligibilities
All applications will have the opportunity to be listed in the Digital X Solutions Catalogue. In addition to being proven and ready-to-scale as defined above, the selection committee will assess and evaluate the solutions against the criteria below:
- The digital solution solves a problem relevant to UNDP with an easy- to-understand solution and clear benefits.
- The solution meaningfully bridges the digital divide and deeply understands the needs of the user.
- The solution is innovative – it solves a problem in a unique way and/ or does so better than what exists.
- The digital solution has achieved a high-level of impact that is measured with indicators linked to an SDG.
- The digital solution is safe to use technically from a code, data privacy, and cyber security perspective.
- The team has strong experience and long-term ownership over the solution.
Application Process
- Step 1: Digital X Global Challenges launches to the public. The Digital X global call for applications period begins April 20, 2022 and lasts until May 31, 2022.
- Step 2: UN teams, social enterprises, private sector companies, academic teams, NGOs, and nonprofits can apply. Only proven digital solutions that are relevant to the Global Challenges should apply. We do not accept concept notes or early- stage solutions.
- Step 3: Proven, ready-to-scale solutions listed in Digital X Solutions Catalogue. Vetted solutions will be featured in the Digital X Solutions Catalogue and promoted to UNDP Country Offices and governments around the world.
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Step 4: Matchmaking and funding of up to $100,000 per solution. The Digital X team brokers calls between proven, ready-to-scale digital solutions and UNDP Country Offices as well as other partners to create an implementation and funding plan that offers deployment support.
Application Deadline: May 31, 2022
Application ClosedOfficial link
