• receive tailored support for product development, building a business model, as well as user testing based on their needs assessment.
• Startups also gain access to the UNICEF Ventures team’s tech expertise, networks, and platforms to help them reach the stage where they can prove that their solutions work and tap into larger funding sources.
• receive technical assistance from the UNICEF Ventures team as well as dedicated expert mentors to help validate and improve your solutions.
• moreover, up to $100K equity-free funding to open source frontier tech solutions showing promising results

Eligibility

Companies should meet the following requirements to be eligible for this program:

• Registered as a private company
• Registered in a UNICEF program country (see the list here)
• 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
• The solution has the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children      
• Generating publicly exposed real-time data that is measurable

Application Process

Step I: Check Eligibility

Companies should first check the eligibility of the Innovation Fund

Step II: Submit Application

Companies should then submit an online application through the Fund website. You should provide the information and supporting documents indicated in the form. 

Please review the additional information for the Request for Expression of Interest here.

Step III: 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 IV: 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 our tech teams. 

Step V: 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.