UNICEF Venture Fund 2024 for Companies (up to US$100K in Equity-Free Funding)

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About UNICEF Venture Fund

UNICEF Venture Fund offers up to $100K equity-free funding for open-source tech startups that improve children’s lives. Eligible companies must leverage Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), or blockchain, be registered in UNICEF program countries, and have working prototypes.

What Is the Fund Looking For?

UNICEF’s Venture Fund seeks startups using AI or blockchain to address misinformation, data integrity, and digital trust. It focuses on innovative tools, platforms, and games that empower youth to identify misinformation and enhance media literacy.

They are specifically seeking companies registered in one of UNICEF’s programme countries that have impressive working prototypes and a commitment to Open Source licensing and practices.  

Key Areas

 

AREA 1

Misinformation and Disinformation 

Are you creating tools, platforms or games leveraging new technologies to verify information and combat misinformation and/or disinformation? Or are you delivering behavioral interventions to consistently inform young people about misinformation and/or disinformation? We are particularly interested in approaches that address mis/disinformation in multiple languages and formats (e.g. audio, video, image) and encourage platforms accessible to persons with disabilities. Potential application could explore solutions such as:

• Game-based social and behavioral change interventions or platforms to help identify mis/disinformation 
• Mechanisms to review information, identify mis/disinformation, and/or provide legitimacy to true information shared online, for example software that can detect deepfakes in videos and images 
• Platform-agnostic tools using data science and AI to identify and analyze false or inaccurate content, and track the source and/or spread of this content 
• Interactive tools or games for children to engage with and learn about fact-checking  
• Mechanisms to tag data or watermark content at the source or while its being circulated to increase trust in it  
• Tools which leverage the power of crowds to collectively monitor or identify data inaccuracy and to build trust through the power of social networks 
• Tools which can eliminate the need for third party auditing through innovative use of blockchains in a data collection or recording use case 
• Tools to audit social media platforms which are non-transparent (such as platforms which do not disclose their content recommendation algorithms or peer-to-peer messaging platforms), to determine how effective they are at removing or labelling mis/disinformation 
• AI-enabled systems to manage mis/disinformation during crises and ensure the dissemination of accurate information. 

AREA 2

Data generation, collection and analysis 

Are you using novel approaches to compile and validate large amounts of training data? Or creating new data through field data collection, crowdsourcing, or social network platforms? This could include use cases such as: 

• Building safe and secure data collection and management systems following Open standards (for transparency and accountability) while anonymizing sensitive data or leveraging privacy-enhancing technologies 
• Developing models to analyse large amounts of data, generate insights for decision-making and resource allocation 
• Identifying methods to manage emotional or cognitive bias in data collection  
• Generating new data through field data collection, crowdsourcing or social network platforms for understanding trends and conducting situational analysis 
• Providing transparency and accountability to how data is collected, managed, analysed, bench-marked, and generated 
• Developing systems for navigating existing resources and available information 

AREA 3

Digital Trust  

Are you leveraging existing and new technologies to build digital trust? Or are you generating insights to assess and mitigate the threats and harms for children in digital environments? We are seeking startups that are building new tools, for instance: 

• Decentralized protocols for content ownership, attribution, and licensing using blockchain technology  
• ML/AI applications to monitor and model potential online risks to children, including those generated by AI systems 
• Blockchain tor AI tools to ensure credible proof of humanity and secure “KYC” processes. 
• Tools that use digital footprints from sources like social media or mobility patterns to generate insights, such as risk analyses or forecasts to trigger interventions before a crisis occurs  
• Tools that leverage blockchain to verify online content, for example by creating trusted collections of information voted on by verified sources against transparent criteria 
• Systems which improve data provenance and auditability 
• Game-based educational tools and guidance for children to learn about the concepts of privacy, respect and sharing of content online 

They are not limited to the areas mentioned. They are actively seeking companies that push the boundaries with frontier technologies in innovative and scalable ways with global relevance.  

• Sponsor Organisation: UNICEF

Benefits of UNICEF Venture Fund

The winning early-stage, for-profit technology startups will receive equity-free funding as follows:

• Up to $100,000 in equity-free funding
• Access to UNICEF’s global network and mentorship
• Support in developing open-source solutions
• Opportunity to collaborate with experts in frontier technologies
• Potential to shape the future of digital trust for children

UNICEF Venture Fund Requirements

Only entities that meet these prerequisites will be qualified:

• Registered as a private for-profit company in a UNICEF program country
• Working on open-source technology solutions
• Has a product with an existing prototype of the open-source solution with promising results from the initial test
• The solution must have the potential to positively impact the lives of the most vulnerable children.
• Generating publicly exposed real-time data that will be measurable.
• Applications must be in English.
• Women-led and women-founded startups are encouraged to apply.
• Startups run by youth under the age of 35 are encouraged to apply.

Selection Process

The selection process of the Startup is as follows:

• Initial Screening: Based on eligibility and prototype readiness
• Technical Review: Assessment of innovative potential and impact
• Pitch Presentation: Shortlisted startups present their solutions
• Final Selection: Chosen startups receive funding and mentorship

Application Date and Process

• Click on the link to the application website to apply.

For inquiries, contact [email protected].

Application Deadline

23 December, 2024

Scholarship Application Portal

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