The UNICEF StartUp Lab, launched in 2019, is a six-month accelerator program for impactful startups and businesses working to advance the Sustainable Development Goals for children and young people.
The program is led by UNICEF in Ghana, supported by KOICA and implemented by MEST Africa. It provides a unique service by integrating an intense, hands-on business acceleration through wide-reaching technical expertise and systems knowledge in the social sector, led by the UNICEF experts in Education, Health & Nutrition, Social Policy & Protection, WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene), and Child Protection. The participants have access to individual mentorship, a network of UN System partners, prototyping funding, and many other support mechanisms.
Key Focus Areas:
Technology
Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Social Impact
Benefits
Funding: Each startup receives up to GHS 32,000 for product development
Investment: Global funding opportunities including the UNICEF Venture Fund
Partnerships: Access to a wide network of UN System partners
Growth: Intense, hands-on practical business acceleration
Knowledge: Direct access to resources and social sector program experts
Resources: Technology perks for participating startups
Eligibility
Your startup has been operational for 1+ year;
Your startup is a registered business in Ghana (no NGOs, foundations, or individuals);
Your startup has technology as the core enabler of the business;
Your startup has a business model with a social impact that addresses at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals;
Open-source solutions, or startups that are willing to open-source their solutions, are particularly encouraged to apply;
Startups with female founders/co-founders are encouraged to apply;
The program is designed to include startups from all regions of Ghana;
Startups related to Health Tech, EdTech, Urban Tech, Climate Action, Fintech, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application
They are seeking 5 startups each from the Northern, Eastern, Western, and Southern regions of Ghana, for a complete cohort of 25 participants.
