The UNICEF Innovation Fund in partnership with the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and Giga is looking to make up to $100K equity-free investments to provide early stage (seed) finance to for-profit technology start-ups that have the potential to benefit humanity.
If you are a start-up using machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain or extended reality, registered in one of UNICEF’s programme countries, and have a working, open-source prototype (or you are willing to make it open-source) showing promising results, the UNICEF Innovation Fund is looking for you.
Requirements
Projects are assessed by UNICEF Innovation Fund team and recommended for funding to the internal board. Companies need to fulfill the following mandatory requirements to be considered for funding:
- Registered as a private company
- Registered in a UNICEF programme country (see list here)
- Working on open source technology solutions (or willing to be open-source) under the following licenses or their equivalent:
- (i) for software, a BSD license,
- (ii) for hardware, a CERN license and
- (iii) a CC-BY license for design or content, a CC-BY license
- An existing prototype of the open-source solution with promising results from initial pilots
- The solution has the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children
- Generating publicly exposed real-time data that is measurable
Application Procedure
Step I: Check Eligility
Interested companies are required to check the eligibility of the Innovation Fund
Step II: Submit Application
Interested companies are required to submit an online application through the Fund website. You should provide the information and supporting documents indicated in the form.
Applying to the Fund does not automatically ensure that the submitting company will be selected to participate in next stages of the application process.
UNICEF reserves the right to change or cancel the requirement at any time during the application/selection process. UNICEF also reserves the right to require compliance with additional conditions as and when the investment decision is made.
Please review the additional information for the Request for Expression of Interest here.
Step III: Submit Request for Proposal
The Innovation Fund reviews all applications and notifies companies of the decision. Shortlisted applicants are invited to submit a detailed proposal, this is called the Request for Proposal (RFP) step.
Step IV: Demo Interview
After a careful review, companies shortlisted at the RFP step are invested for an online demo interview. This is usually a 30 min interview the with Innovation Fund team and experts from our tech teams.
Step V: Final Result
Based on a complete assessment of the application, RFP and interview, the Innovation Fund makes the final investment decision and notifies all selected companies.
Deadline: December 20th 2020
Apply here: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/apply-ChildOnlineSafety