UNICEF Femtech Ventures Fund 2026
Check your eligibility
Sign up and we'll tell you whether your startup qualifies for this grant.
Quick Answer
Up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) equity-free plus 12 months of mentoring for open-source frontier-tech startups improving women's and girls' health.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- UNICEF Venture Fund
- Application deadline
- 6d — 11 Nov 2026
- Location
- International
- Registrations needed
- Private Limited company registration
About this grant
UNICEF Femtech Ventures is a five-year initiative (2025–2030) of the UNICEF Venture Fund, UNICEF's innovation financing platform. This second call picks the next cohort of companies using frontier technologies such as AI, machine learning, blockchain and data science to build open-source solutions for the health, wellbeing, and sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and women in emerging markets.
Selected companies receive up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) in equity-free funding, 12 months of technical mentoring, and access to UNICEF's global network, including its relationships with governments. UNICEF takes no equity and seeks no financial return: the open-source code or hardware you build is its "equity". You keep all other intellectual property.
The call covers three pillars:
- Healthcare access for women and girls – point-of-care and screening tools, maternal and child health platforms, and supply planning for primary and community care
- Informed, safe and accessible reproductive health – reproductive health information in underserved languages, community health worker tools, HPV screening, and privacy-preserving health data
- Mental wellbeing, safety and protection – digital mental health support, tools against gender-based violence and online abuse, and support for frontline workers
Both early- and growth-stage companies are welcome, and solutions ready for low-resource or emergency settings are of particular interest. Women-led startups and young founders are encouraged to apply. The first cohort had 11 companies from eight countries in Africa and Asia.
The funding partners are the Government of Sweden, GSR Foundation and Temasek Foundation. Applications are due 11 November 2026.
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.
Grant providers
The UNICEF Venture Fund is a financial vehicle run by UNICEF. It invests exclusively in open-source solutions, and it does not seek a financial return or take equity. The head office address on UNICEF's innovation contact page is in Stockholm, Sweden. How the fund works The fund…
Learn moreBenefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
What You Get
Selected companies receive up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) in equity-free funding under a UNICEF institutional contract, plus 12 months of technical mentoring, including help choosing an open-source licence. They join the Femtech Ventures portfolio and get access to UNICEF's global network, including its relationships with governments, to set solutions on a path to scale. UNICEF takes no equity; the company must open-source the funded product and remains the licence holder, and keeps all other intellectual property.
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
The UNICEF Venture Fund team assesses all expressions of interest and invites shortlisted companies to submit a detailed Request for Proposal. Companies chosen from the proposals join a 30-minute online demo interview, and the team then recommends investments to UNICEF's internal board. Selected companies sign an institutional contract with UNICEF, register as a UNICEF vendor, must open-source the funded solution by month six, and share real-time progress data publicly.
Application Process
- 1
Expression of Interest
Complete the online EOI by 11 November 2026.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 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
Does UNICEF take equity?
No. The UNICEF Venture Fund does not seek a financial return or take equity. The open-source code or hardware the company develops is UNICEF's "equity", and the company keeps all other intellectual property.
Who can apply?
Only legally registered private for-profit companies registered in a UNICEF programme country. Individuals, students, universities, NGOs and CSOs cannot submit an expression of interest; an NGO can be listed as a partner of an applying company.
Does my solution have to be open source already?
No, but if it is funded it must carry an open-source licence by month six of the one-year investment period. Your whole company does not need to be open source, only the funded solution. Fully open-source solutions get priority.
What counts as a working prototype?
A prototype that works and has generated some initial data to confirm this. You can expand or improve it during the investment period.
Can one company submit more than one proposal?
Yes. Each expression of interest is assessed on its own, and the funding cap applies to each application.
When are applications due?
Applications for this call are due 11 November 2026.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
