UNICEF Femtech Ventures is inviting applications for its second annual cohort of companies developing frontier technology solutions that improve the health, wellbeing, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of girls and women.
Selected startups will receive up to US$100,000 in equity-free funding, 12 months of technical mentorship, and access to UNICEF’s global network including relationships with governments to help set solutions on pathways to scale.
About UNICEF Femtech Ventures
UNICEF Femtech Ventures is a five-year initiative (2025–2030) of the UNICEF Venture Fund. It invests in locally developed, open-source frontier technology solutions that expand access to health, wellbeing, and SRHR for girls and women in emerging markets.
The initiative is supported by partners including the Government of Sweden, GSR Foundation, and Temasek Foundation. It builds on more than a decade of UNICEF Venture Fund experience investing in early-stage open-source technology. The first Femtech Ventures cohort supported 11 companies across eight countries in Africa and Asia.
Women and girls make up nearly half the world’s population, yet women’s health receives only about six percent of private healthcare investment globally. This underinvestment is especially acute in emerging markets. Femtech Ventures aims to close that gap by backing solutions designed close to the communities they serve, with safety-by-design as a core investment condition.
What Successful Companies Receive
- Up to US$100,000 in equity-free funding (UNICEF does not take an ownership stake)
- 12 months of technical mentorship
- Access to UNICEF’s global network, including government relationships that can support pathways to scale
- Membership in the Femtech Ventures portfolio
Three Priority Pillars
Applications should align with one or more of the following focus areas:
Pillar 1: Healthcare access for women and girls
Solutions that improve health outcomes across the continuum of care from antenatal and postnatal support to newborn and child health with emphasis on primary and community care in underserved settings. Examples include:
- Point-of-care tools with automated data or image interpretation
- Affordable screening tools for conditions such as anaemia or thyroid function
- Platforms supporting continuity of maternal care, including in low-bandwidth environments
- Demand forecasting and supply planning tools for essential maternal and child health supplies
Pillar 2: Informed, safe and accessible reproductive health
Solutions that give women and girls better access to information, tools, and services for sexual and reproductive health, especially where stigma, distance, cost, or restricted mobility are barriers. Examples include:
- AI-powered platforms delivering personalized reproductive health information in underserved languages and low-literacy or low-bandwidth settings
- Community health worker platforms for SRHR case management, referral, and follow-up
- Tools improving HPV detection, screening, and prevention in primary and community care
- Consent- and privacy-preserving data solutions for sensitive reproductive health information
Pillar 3: Mental wellbeing, safety and protection
Innovations addressing psychological, emotional, and digital safety needs, including gender-based violence, online harm, trauma response, and maternal or adolescent mental health. Examples include:
- Digital mental health tools providing culturally appropriate psychosocial support
- Decision-support tools for community health workers on maternal mental health risks
- AI-enabled platforms for early detection and response to gender-based violence
- Online safety tools that identify and respond to digital abuse targeting women and girls
Who Can Apply
UNICEF is seeking early- and growth-stage for-profit technology companies that:
- Are registered in a UNICEF programme country
- Have a functional prototype (with results of initial testing preferred)
- Are committed to open-source licensing and principles
- Use frontier technologies such as AI (including generative and agentic AI), machine learning, blockchain, or data science
- Design solutions suitable for low-resource or emergency settings where relevant
Women-led startups and young founders (under 35) are strongly encouraged to apply.
Solutions should prioritize inclusivity, data privacy and security, user control over personal information, and the ability to work in low-connectivity or multi-language environments.
Key Context and Opportunity
The global femtech market is projected to reach significant scale in the coming years, yet the majority of companies remain concentrated in the US and Europe. UNICEF Femtech Ventures deliberately invests in solutions built in emerging markets by founders close to the challenges they address. The first global Femtech call drew more than 1,100 submissions from 85 countries, with more than half coming from Africa — demonstrating strong local innovation capacity.
How to Apply
1. Review the full call details on the official UNICEF page using the Link provided 👉 Here
2. Confirm eligibility (including registration in a UNICEF programme country and open-source commitment)
3. Complete the online application form using the Link provided 👉 Here
Additional resources on the funding process, eligibility guidelines, and post-investment support are available via the UNICEF Venture Fund website.
Final Note
This is a competitive opportunity focused on practical, scalable, open-source technology that can deliver measurable impact for women and girls in emerging markets. Companies with working prototypes that address real barriers in healthcare access, reproductive health information and services, or mental wellbeing and safety are well positioned to apply.
Application Deadline
4 November 2026. Applications should be submitted through the official UNICEF form only.
