UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge 2025 for Tech Start-ups

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Applications are open for UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge 2025. The UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge invites early and growth stage frontier tech start-ups from emerging economies to develop scalable solutions that safeguard children’s health and strengthen the resilience of the systems they rely on.

UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge Objectives

Through this challenge, They seek to:

conduct a market mapping of child-centric climate innovators operating across emerging markets
create capacity by offering mentorship and technical assistance from UNICEF Venture Fund experts to selected start-ups, enhancing their investment readiness and potential for future funding. This will comprise:
10 hours of technical mentoring consisting of open source, business development, frontier technology, software development and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mentorship
additional support to understand and navigate the UNICEF Venture Fund sourcing and selection process
highlight investable solutions that demonstrate public good and market opportunity

Focus Areas

The UNICEF Venture Fund is particularly seeking solutions that:

address challenges to accelerate results for children
are optimized for low-resource environments (e.g., low connectivity or limited mobile access)
focus on reducing, rather than widening, inequalities, delivering results for diverse users and communities
can deliver in multiple languages, including local and less used languages

At UNICEF, we prioritize solutions that leverage advanced technologies and uphold strict data protection measures and safeguarding principles to prioritize individuals’ privacy and wellbeing. Additionally, we value a comprehensive approach that strengthens systems and services, recognizing the importance of building resilient and sustainable infrastructure to effectively support health and mental health initiatives, and achieve lasting positive outcomes in the long run.

Eligibility Criteria

Companies need to fulfil the following mandatory selection criteria to be considered:

be registered as a private for-profit company
be registered in a UNICEF programme country (See the list of eligible countries here)
have a working prototype or minimum viable product of the proposed solution, ideally, showing promising results
be open source or willing to be open source
have the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children
generate publicly exposed real-time data that is measurable

How To Apply for UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge

Interested companies that meet the eligibility criteria are required to complete and submit the EOI Response form and provide the information and supporting documents indicated in the form. EOIs Response forms must be submitted through www.unicefinnovationfund.org

Click Here to Apply and for more details

Application Deadline: 21 October, 2025