Deadline: November 21, 2025
The UNICEF StartUp Lab Education Challenge 2025 — Innovate for Out‑of‑School Children invites innovators, social entrepreneurs, startups, and NGOs to develop creative solutions that help tackle the challenge of out-of-school children in Ghana. This initiative focuses on inclusive, low-cost, and technology-driven models that can track enrolment, retention, and learning, ensuring that every child has access to quality education.
This programme provides an opportunity for participants to receive funding, mentorship, and real-world testing of their solutions, aiming to make a tangible impact on Ghana’s education system. By addressing the needs of marginalized communities, the challenge strives to create sustainable and scalable education solutions.
About the Opportunity
The UNICEF StartUp Lab Education Challenge 2025 — Innovate for Out‑of‑School Children offers:
- Prototype Grant: Participants receive a US$ 5,000 non-equity grant to develop and test their solutions.
- Mentorship: Guidance from UNICEF experts and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to strengthen design, implementation, and pilot strategies.
- Pilot & Co-Creation: Opportunity to co-create solutions with national stakeholders and pilot innovations in real-world settings.
- Scaling Potential: Designed for solutions that are feasible, affordable, and scalable, aligning with Ghana’s national education ecosystem.
This challenge provides a platform to innovate, pilot, and refine solutions that can have a lasting impact on out-of-school children and their communities.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be an innovator, social entrepreneur, startup, or NGO working on education or child-focused solutions.
- Develop solutions that are inclusive, targeting out-of-school children including girls, children with disabilities, and those in remote or underserved areas.
- Offer solutions that are affordable, scalable, and community-driven, with a clear plan for long-term sustainability.
- Align with national systems and policies, demonstrating potential integration with the Ghana Education Service.
- Operate in Ghana, or directly serve Ghanaian out-of-school children.
Benefits / Award Details
Participants in this challenge will gain:
- Funding Support: US$ 5,000 to prototype and test innovative solutions.
- Expert Guidance: Mentorship from UNICEF and the Ghana Education Service to enhance solution effectiveness.
- Pilot Opportunities: Practical testing and co-creation with key stakeholders to validate solutions.
- Scaling Potential: Support for solutions with potential for national adoption and sustainable impact.
Application Requirements
Applicants are encouraged to:
- Present real data on the number of out-of-school children in their target area to demonstrate the scale of the problem.
- Emphasise inclusion, showing how their solution addresses barriers for girls, children with disabilities, and rural communities.
- Highlight scalability, demonstrating how the solution can expand beyond the initial prototype.
- Ensure affordability, describing how the solution remains cost-effective and sustainable.
- Showcase partnerships with schools, local governments, or community organisations.
- Outline a clear prototype plan, detailing how the US$ 5,000 will be used to build, test, and evaluate the solution.
Timeline / Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 21 November 2025
Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated based on:
- Relevance and impact of the solution for out-of-school children
- Inclusivity and accessibility of the solution
- Feasibility, scalability, and sustainability
- Quality of the prototype plan and resource utilisation
- Potential for collaboration with stakeholders and integration with national education systems
Additional Information / Terms
Participants should be aware of the following:
- The US$ 5,000 grant is for prototyping purposes; additional funding will be needed for scaling.
- Collaboration with government bodies can involve bureaucratic processes; strong local partnerships are recommended.
- Sustainability beyond the pilot phase is crucial for long-term impact.
- Competition is strong, so applicants must clearly demonstrate innovation, feasibility, and measurable impact.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can apply now to participate in the UNICEF StartUp Lab Education Challenge 2025.
Apply now for the UNICEF StartUp Lab Education Challenge
Read more about the UNICEF StartUp Lab program
For support with proposal drafting, refining, and review, contact us for proposal drafting, refinning and review.
