Are you an innovator, social entrepreneur, or startup working on education solutions? UNICEF is calling for submissions to its StartUp Lab Education Challenge 2025, focused on designing tech-driven, inclusive models for out-of-school children in Ghana. This is your chance to build real-world solutions, secure funding, and help bring children back into learning pathways.
Despite progress, hundreds of thousands of primary-age children remain out of school in Ghana, especially in marginalized and underserved communities. UNICEF and its partners aim to change this by supporting inclusive, data-powered, and locally driven innovations that help identify, monitor, retain, and educate these children.
The challenge encourages low-cost, community-based solutions that tackle root causes such as poverty, disability, and rural isolation.
What’s on Offer / Benefits
US$ 5,000 prototype grant to help build and test your solution.
Mentorship from UNICEF experts and the Ghana Education Service (GES).
Opportunities to pilot and co-create your solution with UNICEF and national stakeholders.
Platform to influence national-level education systems and potentially scale your solution.
Who Can Apply (Eligibility)
Innovators, social entrepreneurs, startups, or NGOs working on education-related innovations.
Solutions must be inclusive, addressing children who remain out of school — including those with disabilities, girls, or children in remote areas.
Ideas need to be affordable, scalable and community-driven, ensuring long-term sustainability and alignment with national systems.
Must be based (or operate) in Ghana, to align with the Ghana Education Service’s role in the challenge.
