Feature Challenge

UNICEF Innovation Fund
Supported by UNICEF

Overall Objectives

UNICEF is inviting technology start-ups developing solutions with the potential to improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children to apply for funding from its recently launched Innovation Fund.

UNICEF Innovation Fund plans to invest in open source technologies by increasing children’s access to information, opportunity and choice. UNICEF identifies opportunities from countries around the world including some that may not see a lot of capital investment in technology start-ups. They are hoping to identify communities of problem-solvers and help them develop simple solutions to some of the most pressing problems facing children.

Qualifications

UNICEF’s Innovation Fund, which has raised $9 million so far, offers innovators in developing countries a pooled funding mechanism to help them take their tested projects to the next stage. The fund focuses its investments on three portfolio areas:

Products for youth under 25 to address a range of needs including learning and youth participation;
Real-time information for decision-making; and
Infrastructure to increase access to services and information, including connectivity, power, finance, sensors and transport.

The projects must be open source and have a working prototype. They can involve developing a new technology, or expanding or improve upon a preexisting technology.

Key Dates

1 February 2016: Launch of global Requests for Expressions of Interest
26 February 2016: Closing date of the Requests for Expressions of Interest
Early-March 2016: Selected companies and institutions will be contacted and will receive a Request for Proposal
Mid-March 2016: Virtual or in-person pre-tender briefings with selected companies and institutions will be held
End-March 2016: Full technical and financial proposals are due from selected companies and institutions
Early-April: Contracts will be awarded to selected companies and institutions

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Resources

UNICEF Innovation Fund Website: http://www.unicefinnovationfund.org/.

For more information about UNICEF’s work in innovation, visit: www.unicef.org/innovation and www.unicefstories.org.