Open source start-ups can get funding from UNICEF

UNICEF has asked technology start-ups that are developing solutions to improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children to apply for funding via its innovation fund. According to Christopher Fabian, UNICEF Innovation co-lead, “We’ll be identifying opportunities from countries around the world, including some that may not see a lot of capital investment in technology start-ups. We are hoping to identify communities of problem-solvers and help them develop simple solutions to some of the most pressing problems facing children.”

In order to be eligible for the funding, the projects should be open sourced and come with a working prototype. The projects may imply development of a new technology, or expansion and improvement of an existing one.

The Innovation Fund by UNICEF has generated US$ 9 million till now. It provides innovators in developing countries a pooled funding mechanism to assist them in taking their tested projects to the next level. The fund is focused on the following three portfolio areas: Products catering to youth under the age of 25, addressing a variety of needs which include learning as well as youth participation Real-time information for decision-making Infrastructure for increasing access to services and information, which includes connectivity, power, finance, sensors and transport Applications are going to be assessed based on a range of criteria. These will include the strength of the team, the project’s relevance to children, and the ability of seeing potential future value in the open source intellectual property being created.