The UNICEF Climate Innovation Challenge 2025 is now accepting applications from early- and growth-stage frontier tech startups in emerging economies. This global initiative aims to accelerate child-centric climate solutions that address pressing health risks and strengthen resilience against the growing impacts of climate change.
Application Deadline: 21 October 2025
Click here to apply
Why This Challenge Matters
As climate change accelerates, children and their communities face increasing risks extreme heat, floods, droughts, air pollution, and food insecurity threaten their access to healthcare, clean water, education, and safe living conditions.
Through this challenge, UNICEF Venture Fund, in collaboration with the India Health Fund (IHF) and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), seeks to identify and scale frontier tech solutions that directly improve children’s lives and help build long-term community resilience.
Areas of Innovation
The challenge prioritizes child-focused, tech-driven solutions in two key areas:
1. Climate and Health
Innovations that reduce climate-related health risks for children, such as:
- Air quality monitoring tools to protect against respiratory illness.
- Solutions to detect and prevent children’s exposure to pollutants (lead, contaminated water, unsafe food).
- Digital platforms for climate-health data sharing, community engagement, and emission tracking.
- AI-driven predictive systems linking climate and health data.
- Tools for frontline workers to respond to climate-health issues.
- Innovations tackling climate-sensitive infectious diseases (e.g., cholera, malaria).
- Smart monitoring for heat/humidity in child-critical spaces (schools, homes, health centers).
- Low-cost cooling solutions for schools and health facilities.
2. Climate Adaptation, Resilience & Disaster Risk Management
Solutions that strengthen communities against climate risks, including:
- AI-powered early warning systems and predictive emergency response tools.
- Blockchain-enabled verification of climate events and aid delivery.
- Data-driven planning for climate-resilient infrastructure and resource allocation.
- Innovative financing and insurance models for climate disaster protection.
- Community energy networks for clean water, food storage, and renewable power access.
Benefits for Startups
Selected ventures will receive:
- Mentorship & Technical Assistance – 10+ hours of expert guidance on open source, business development, frontier tech, software development, and DEI practices.
- Visibility & Investment Readiness – support navigating the UNICEF Venture Fund sourcing and selection process.
- Global Recognition – positioning as investable solutions that combine public good with strong market opportunity.
Selection Criteria
To qualify, companies must:
- Be a private for-profit company registered in a UNICEF programme country (see list here).
- Have a working prototype or MVP showing promising results.
- Be open source or willing to become open source.
- Demonstrate potential to positively impact vulnerable children.
- Generate measurable, publicly available real-time data.
A Call to Innovators
UNICEF is not only seeking startups but also value-aligned partners to co-create innovation challenges, deliver design sprints, and provide strategic technical assistance. Together, the goal is to build equity, trust, and inclusive climate resilience for children across the globe.
📅 Deadline: 21 October 2025
🔗Apply here
Your innovation could be the key to protecting millions of children from the worst effects of climate change.
FAQ
A). Startups that are registered as private for-profit companies in UNICEF programme countries, have a working prototype or MVP, and are open source (or willing to become open source) are eligible to apply.
A). The challenge focuses on innovations in two main areas: (1) climate and health, such as tools for air quality monitoring, cooling technologies for schools, and digital climate-health data platforms, and (2) climate adaptation and resilience, including AI-driven early warning systems, blockchain verification tools, and community renewable energy networks.
A). Selected startups will receive mentorship from UNICEF Venture Fund experts, technical assistance, support to strengthen investment readiness, visibility in the global innovation ecosystem, and the chance to scale solutions that improve the lives of children worldwide.
