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The UNICEF Venture Fund is calling for applications from start-ups developing cutting edge tech solutions improving access to quality health care and services, and ensuring socio-economic participation of women and girls.
Opportunity Details
The Challenge
Technology is advancing rapidly, but at a pace that risks widening gaps between those who benefit and those who don’t. Where solutions are available, they are often inaccessible either by design or intent because the needs of diverse groups of people are not considered, and licensing and business models exclude a vast network of innovators that can adapt them to benefit disadvantaged and marginalised groups.
The need is clear:
Generally, fem tech refers to technological solutions that improve the health and wellness of women and girls. At a time when they continue to face systemic barriers to quality healthcare, financial services, and economic opportunities – now as ever, cutting edge solutions must be identified, adapted and scaled to meet their needs.
The UNICEF Venture Fund will identify solutions that go beyond healthcare—ones that empower women and girls holistically. This means addressing their specific needs in ways that recognize the circumstances that affect them disproportionately or differently while tackling the social and economic drivers that shape their participation, agency, and well-being.
The latest landscape reviews estimate that 75 per cent of fem tech companies are currently based in the US or Europe. Projected to be valued by at least US$97 billion 2030, the sector is regarded as undervalued and under-invested but holding vast potential to bridge equity gaps globally. The latest landscape reviews estimate that 75 per cent of FemTech companies are currently based in the US or Europe. The UNICEF Venture Fund recognizes that this market requires strategic investment and coordination to address commercial barriers for solutions and ensure that new innovations that meet the needs of women and girls are accessible to the most vulnerable and marginalized.
In this context, the UNICEF Venture Fund seeks to test, validate, and shape technologies that can be accelerated to radically improve the lives of children, and their communities.
What they are looking for
They are seeking early-stage, for-profit startups that use frontier technologies in three key areas:
1: To improve health outcomes for women and girls i.e
2: Address unique challenges faced by women and girls i.e
3: Empower women and girls socially and economically i.e.
They are actively seeking companies that push boundaries with frontier technologies in innovative and scalable ways with global relevance.
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.
Applications are open to start-ups in low- and middle-income economies developing Open Source technology that improves health outcomes, economic participation, or access to essential services for women and girls. Women-led startups and young founders (under the age of 35) are strongly encouraged to apply.
They are especially seeking applications from companies:
Resources: