The UNICEF StartUp Lab is a six-month accelerator programme launched in 2019 by UNICEF, supported by KOICA and implemented by MEST Africa. It is dedicated to empowering technology-driven startups that work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for children and young people. With a strong emphasis on innovation and open-source solutions, the Lab supports impactful startups across sectors like education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, child protection, and urban services. Its primary mission is to drive scalable and adaptable Digital Public Goods that benefit children and communities globally. Over the years, the UNICEF StartUp Lab has graduated nearly 80 startups, serving as a vibrant catalyst for entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development. Through a combination of mentorship, funding opportunities, and access to UNICEF’s extensive network of partners and country offices, the programme enables startups to significantly enhance their social impact and scale their solutions. Focused particularly on Ghana’s pressing developmental needs, the UNICEF StartUp Lab builds a dynamic pipeline of tech-enabled solutions, fostering a culture of social entrepreneurship and creating a lasting positive difference for children and young communities around the world.

The UNICEF StartUp Lab Accelerator Programme is designed for 25 innovative startups that use technology as a core enabler to create meaningful social impact. The programme offers a six-month intensive journey where selected startups receive mentorship from UNICEF experts, access to a global network, and significant funding opportunities. Startups can receive up to GHS 75,000 in prototyping support during the training phase, while three outstanding startups will be awarded a scale-up fund of GHS 150,000 each. Beyond funding, startups have the opportunity to become UN-recognized Digital Public Goods, providing them a global platform to scale and adapt their innovations for larger communities. The programme particularly seeks bold solutions in Health, Education, Urban Services, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Climate Action, Child Protection, Finance, Agriculture, Blockchain, Frontier Technologies like AI/ML, and Cybersecurity. The accelerator aims to equip participants with the tools, resources, and market access needed to drive greater impact, offering a powerful stepping-stone for startups aspiring to change the world. The UNICEF StartUp Lab focuses on fostering sustainable entrepreneurship and empowering socially conscious businesses to create solutions that make a tangible difference for children and underserved populations.