UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge 2020

The Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC) is a unique new mechanism that has been designed to accelerate progress on SDG14 by the identifying, financing, advising and mentoring of truly innovative, entrepreneurial and creative approaches to the ocean and coastal restoration and protection that sustains livelihoods and advances the ’blue economy’. The OIC seeks innovations that are transferable, replicable and scalable in order to achieve maximum catalytic impact.

The goal of the OIC is to accelerate progress on SDG14 by catalyzing replicable and scalable innovations – including technical, policy, economic and financial – that can be sustained and contribute directly to the delivery of one or more SDG14 targets. “Innovation” here can include both truly new approaches or the transferor adaptation of existing proven approaches to new contexts and/or locales.

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The Ocean Innovation Challenge is issuing a series of ‘Ocean Challenges’ or Requests for Proposals, each focused on a specific SDG14 target. Initial concepts may be submitted by public or private entities, including governments, private companies (including start-ups), NGO/CSO, United Nations entities, academic institutions, and intergovernmental organizations.

The ocean faces unprecedented threats to the ecosystem goods and services it provides to humanity, from climate regulation to food security to energy resources. Despite some progress, many ocean challenges, from nutrient pollution to illegal, unregulated and unreported IUU fishing to ocean acidification, continue to worsen.

SDG 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, sets forth a very ambitious agenda for oceans restoration and protection. For most sectors that use and impact on the ocean, from fisheries to aquaculture to industrial agriculture, the `business as usual` scenario will not deliver the kinds of transformational change needed to move towards truly sustainable ocean use.

A combination of technical innovation and cutting-edge policy, financial and economic incentives are needed to transform ocean-related sectors, both sea-based and land-based. At present, while there are a handful of relevant initiatives, these are limited in their sectoral scope. Solutions have required that cut across the unique innovation needs of each SDG14 target, whether it be the reduction of plastics pollution, eliminating overfishing, or enhancing access for small scale fishers. The OIC seeks to identify and provide support to scale-up these solutions.

Benefits

  • Concepts passing initial review and meeting OIC criteria will be invited to submit full proposals for further internal and external (“peer”) review and consideration.
  • Grants range from 50,000 USD to 250,000 USD and project time frames can range from one to two years.

Eligibilities

  • Proposals can be submitted by:
    • Governments
    • Private entities (including start-ups)
    • NGOs
    • CSOs
    • Academic institutions
    • United Nations and other intergovernmental organizations
  • Project proposals must be implemented in and benefit stakeholders in developing countries but may be submitted by applicants in either developing or developed countries.
  • All proposals should include a special focus on ensuring gender equity, livelihoods of the poor and poverty eradication.
Eligible Regions: Open for all

Application Process

  • Apply online through the given link.
  • The first ‘Ocean Challenge’, focused on solutions to Ocean Pollution, opens here on 8 January 2020. The application process is in 3 stages:
    • Starting 8 January 2020, interested applicants should submit their preliminary proposal here no later than 5 March 2020. Early applications are encouraged.
    • In April 2020, successful applicants to the first round will be invited to submit a more detailed project proposal before 25 April 2020.
    • OIC Award-winners will be announced at the 2nd UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, 2-6 June 2020.

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Application Deadline: March 5, 2020

Application ClosedOfficial link
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