Cross-Border Jobs Competition
By Labor Mobility Partnerships
Check your eligibility
Sign up and we'll tell you whether your startup qualifies for this grant.
Quick Answer
A global competition offering ₹9.3 lakh cash grants and mentorship for startups building solutions for safer, fairer, and more scalable labor mobility across South and Southeast Asia.
- Funding amount
- Up to ₹8.3 Lakhs
- Funding type
- Competition
- Provider
- Labor Mobility Partnerships
- Application deadline
- Closed
- Location
- International
Results & next round
Applications for this round closed on 5 August 2026. The organiser has not published a selection list that we can verify yet.
Selections for this programme are announced by Labor Mobility Partnerships. Official links are listed under Sources below.
We update this page when results are published, and when the next round opens.
About this competition
We're looking for innovative startups shaping safer, fairer, and more scalable labor mobility across South and Southeast Asia. If you're building platforms or services that help workers move, connect, and thrive across borders – we want to hear from you.
Why this matters: South and Southeast Asia are the engine of global labor mobility. Around one in three international migrants worldwide originates from Asia and the Pacific – roughly 24 million people engaged in labor migration across the region. Countries like the Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Indonesia send millions of workers abroad each year; the Philippines alone saw approximately 2.3 million citizens leave to work overseas in 2023. Yet formal, safe pathways remain the exception. Meanwhile, ageing OECD economies face acute shortages in construction, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing.
The opportunity: Labor mobility has the potential to become a ₹2.3 lakh crore+ industry. With large youth populations in sending countries and demographic pressures mounting in receiving economies, demand for managed labor migration will only grow.
We're looking for startups that:
- Facilitate worker mobility across South & Southeast Asian borders or globally, through recruitment, placement, and/or service management.
- Offer enabling services focused on the needs of migrants — finance, pre-departure preparation, language training, compliance, housing, remittance, or reintegration support.
- Expand existing solutions into the labor mobility space, including skills verification, credential recognition, or worker welfare platforms.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Organizers
Labor Mobility Partnerships (LaMP) is a global nonprofit with offices in Washington DC and Berlin, on a mission to help move half a billion workers across borders by 2050 — reducing poverty, expanding opportunity for blue-collar workers, and addressing the demographically-driven…
Learn morePrizes & Awards
- Amount
- Up to ₹8.3 Lakhs
What You Get
The top 3 startups will each receive a ₹9.3 lakh cash grant. Beyond funding, winners will benefit from dedicated mentorship from leading sector experts, gain significant visibility across LaMP's extensive partner ecosystem, and secure access to a growing network of influential founders and practitioners dedicated to advancing labor mobility.
- Disbursement
- Lump Sum
- Cohort size
- 3 startups
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Applications will undergo an initial shortlisting phase, which is expected to be completed by the end of August. Subsequently, selected teams will be invited to present their solutions during virtual pitch sessions scheduled for the second half of September. A judging panel comprising experts from Owl Ventures, Global Migrant Workers Network, LaMP, Kois, and Kalibrr will evaluate the pitches.
Application Process
- 1
Apply Online
Submit your startup's application via the Microsoft Forms link.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
See the questions before you start
Download every question this programme's application form asks, so you can prepare your answers offline before opening the portal.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of solutions are you looking for?
We are looking for innovative startups that facilitate worker mobility across South & Southeast Asian borders or globally, offer enabling services for migrants (finance, training, housing, etc.), or expand existing solutions into the labor mobility space (skills verification, worker welfare platforms).
What is the prize for winners?
The top 3 startups will each receive a ₹9.3 lakh cash grant, along with mentorship, visibility, and network access.
Is this program open to startups outside India?
Yes, we are looking for solutions supporting workers from South & Southeast Asia, whether within the region or to global destinations. The competition is fully online.
Do I need a registered business to apply?
Yes, applicants must have a registered business.
What stages are eligible?
Startups at any stage, including idea and MVP, are eligible to apply. Evidence of traction is preferred but not mandatory.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
