The UNICEF Equity-Free Funding Opportunity aims to improve the health, well-being, and socio-economic participation of women and girls.
The Fund is offering up to US$100K in equity-free funding to early-stage, for-profit startups leveraging frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and blockchain for social impact.
The UNICEF Venture Fund is calling for applications from start-ups developing cutting-edge tech solutions to improve access to quality health care and services, and ensure the socio-economic participation of women and girls.
The UNICEF Venture Fund is designed to finance early stage, Open Source technology that can benefit children.
The Fund identifies “clusters” or portfolios of initiatives around emerging technology and equips UNICEF to shape markets and guide the development of technology to improve the lives of children and their communities.
Eligibility
The UNICEF Equity-Free Funding Opportunity seeks early-stage, for-profit startups that use frontier technologies in three key areas:
1: To improve health outcomes for women and girls i.e
- Digital health solutions for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
- AI-driven or data-powered platforms for maternal, reproductive, and adolescent health
- On-demand referral services for access to healthcare and culturally relevant information
2: Address unique challenges faced by women and girls i.e
- Closing the gender data gap to drive inclusive decision-making
- Improving accessibility of platforms for underserved communities, including persons with disabilities
- Designing solutions that address gender-specific challenges in different cultural and economic contexts
3: Empower women and girls socially and economically i.e.
- Expanding financial inclusion and access to economic opportunities
- Enabling safe access to education, training, and skill-building
- Supporting agency, decision-making power, and workforce participation
Benefits
The UNICEF Fund is offering up to US$100K in equity-free funding to early-stage, for-profit startups leveraging frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and blockchain for social impact.
Deadline: May 8, 2025
