Deadline: October 20, 2023
Applications are open for the UNICEF Funding Opportunity for Health Tech Startups 2023. The UNICEF Venture Fund is looking to invest in Open Source frontier technology solutions that have the potential to create radical change in children’s health, nutrition, and mental health.
Background
UNICEF’s Venture Fund has been specifically designed to finance early stage, Open Source technology that can benefit children. The core motivation of the Venture Fund is to identify “clusters” or portfolios of initiatives around emerging technology so that UNICEF can both shape markets and learn about and guide these technologies for children. They invest in solutions clustered around $100 billion industries in frontier technology spaces such as blockchain, virtual and augmented reality, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
The Venture Fund is particularly seeking solutions that:
- Address challenges to accelerate results for children.
- Are optimized for low-resource environments (e.g. low connectivity, limited mobile access).
- Focus on reducing, rather than widening, inequalities.
- Are able to deliver in multiple languages, including smaller languages.
Funding
- They are offering up to US$100K in equity-free funding for early stage, for-profit technology start-ups that can improve the lives of children.
Eligibility
- If your startup leverages a frontier technology such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, drones, blockchain, or extended reality, they are looking for you.
- If your product is registered in one of UNICEF’s programme countries, is a working prototype, has demonstrated results and is (or could be) Open Source licensed, they encourage you to apply.
- Female-led/founded startups are encouraged to apply.
- Youth-led/co-designed startups are encouraged to apply.
- Applications must be submitted in English.
Application
Application deadline is 11:59 PM (CET), 20 October 2023. Late applications will not be considered.
For more information, visit UNICEF.