Dashboard • Grant • Opportunity Detail
GRANT
UNICEF Climate Ventures cohort 2026
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Recommended Opportunity
The UNICEF Venture Fund invests in open-source frontier technology solutions from emerging markets. For this call for applications, we are seeking proposals from climate-focused startups developing open-source frontier technology solutions that have the potential to create radical change for children. We are actively seeking companies that push the boundaries with frontier technologies in innovative and scalable ways with global relevance.
We are offering up to US$100,000 in equity-free funding for early-stage and ready-to-deploy technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and blockchain. Companies must be registered in one of UNICEF’s programme countries and have working prototypes and a commitment to open-source licensing and practices. Women-led startups and young founders are especially encouraged to apply.
We are offering up to US$100,000 in equity-free funding for early-stage and ready-to-deploy technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and blockchain. Companies must be registered in one of UNICEF’s programme countries and have working prototypes and a commitment to open-source licensing and practices. Women-led startups and young founders are especially encouraged to apply.
Program Specification
UNICEF is looking to provide investment-style funding to early-stage technology startups. Only entities that fulfill
these mandatory requirements will be considered eligible:
● Registered as a private company at the time of the Innovation Fund award (projected: 3 months from
submission of EOI)
● A private company registered in a UNICEF programme country
● Working on open source technology solutions (or willing to be open source) under the following licenses
or their equivalent:
(i) for software, a GNU General Public license, MIT or BSD,
(ii) for hardware, a CERN, MIT or TAPR open license and
(iii) for design or content, a CC-BY license
● An existing prototype of the open source solution with promising results from initial pilots
● Solution has the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children
● Generating publicly exposed real-time data that is measurable
these mandatory requirements will be considered eligible:
● Registered as a private company at the time of the Innovation Fund award (projected: 3 months from
submission of EOI)
● A private company registered in a UNICEF programme country
● Working on open source technology solutions (or willing to be open source) under the following licenses
or their equivalent:
(i) for software, a GNU General Public license, MIT or BSD,
(ii) for hardware, a CERN, MIT or TAPR open license and
(iii) for design or content, a CC-BY license
● An existing prototype of the open source solution with promising results from initial pilots
● Solution has the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children
● Generating publicly exposed real-time data that is measurable
