Applications are now open for UNICEF Innovation Fund Opportunity for Tech Startups. The UNICEF Innovation Fund in partnership with the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and Giga is looking to make up to $100K equity-free investments to provide early-stage (seed) finance to for-profit technology start-ups that have the potential to benefit humanity.
Founded in 2016, the core motivation of the Innovation Fund is to identify “clusters” or portfolios of initiatives around emerging technology – so that UNICEF can both shape markets and also learn about and guide these technologies to benefit children. They invest in digital public goods that can impact the lives of vulnerable populations.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
UNICEF’s Innovation Fund invests in early-stage, open-source, emerging technology digital public goods with the potential to impact children on a global scale. It also provides product and technology assistance, support with business growth, access to a network of experts and partners to allow for scale and growth. Their ambition is to build successful digital solutions into Global Digital Public Goods, to ensure fair, equitable, and open access to these unique and new tools for human development on a global scale. The UNICEF Innovation Fund is the first financial vehicle of its kind in the United Nations and enables UNICEF to learn from and to shape markets of emerging technology that exist at the intersection of $100 billion business markets and 1 billion persons’ needs.
If you are a start-up using machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain or extended reality, registered in one of UNICEF’s program countries, and have a working, open-source prototype (or you are willing to make it open-source) showing promising results, the UNICEF Innovation Fund is looking for you.
Benefits
The UNICEF innovation fund provides up to $100K equity free funding, tailored mentorship to grow open source solutions and businesses and access to UNICEF’s network.
Eligibilities
Projects are assessed by UNICEF Innovation Fund team and recommended for funding to the internal board. Companies need to fulfill the following mandatory requirements to be considered for funding:
- Registered as a private company
- Registered in a UNICEF program country (Go to the official website to check out the list)
- Working on open source technology solutions (or willing to be open source) under the following licenses or their equivalent:
- for software, a BSD license,
- for hardware, a CERN license and
- a CC-BY license for design or content, a CC-BY license
- An existing prototype of the open source solution with promising results from initial pilots
- Solution has the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children
- Generating publicly exposed real-time data that is measurable
Moreover, UNICEF Innovation Fund only accepts submissions from companies registered in UNICEF program countries.
Eligible Regions: UNICEF program countriesApplication Process
- Step 1: Check Eligibility
Interested companies are required to check the eligibility of the Innovation Fund
- Step 2: Submit Application
Interested companies are required to submit an online application through the Fund website. You should provide the information and supporting documents indicated in the form. Applying to the Fund does not automatically ensure that the submitting company will be selected to participate in the next stages of the application process. UNICEF reserves the right to change or cancel the requirement at any time during the application/selection process. UNICEF also reserves the right to require compliance with additional conditions as and when the investment decision is made.
- Step 3: Submit Request for Proposal
The Innovation Fund reviews all applications and notifies companies of the decision. Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit a detailed proposal, this is called the Request for Proposal (RFP) step.
- Step 4: Demo Interview
After a careful review, companies shortlisted at the RFP step are invested for an online demo interview. This is usually a 30 min interview the with Innovation Fund team and experts from their tech teams.
- Step 5: Final Result
Based on a complete assessment of the application, RFP and interview, the Innovation Fund makes the final investment decision and notifies all selected companies.
Looking for fully-funded opportunities, install the Youth Opportunities Android or iOS App here.
Application Deadline: January 31, 2021
Application ClosedOfficial link