UNICEF's Startup Lab Admits 25 New Business Initiatives for Its 2025 Category
In a significant move towards promoting technology-driven social change, the UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator programme welcomed 25 tech-enabled startups into its 5th cohort on July 7, 2025, in Accra, Ghana. This programme, a collaborative effort between UNICEF Ghana, MEST Africa, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), is designed to nurture young Ghanaian startups that leverage technology to create positive social impact.
The 25 participating startups hail from diverse sectors such as education, health, agriculture, climate action, and fintech. They are addressing challenges in areas including education, health, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), climate action, financial inclusion, and youth employment.
Among the 25 startups is DrDoGood, a social impact technology company focused on digital healthcare for rural families. The other 24 startups, while not named explicitly in the provided information, are also focused on various social causes.
The selection process for the 25 startups included application screening, panel interviews, diligence visits, and onboarding activities. The programme aims to refine products and services, strengthen business models, and deepen understanding of market dynamics for the startups, with a focus on extending reach and maximizing impact for children and young people.
The UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator programme plays a key role in accelerating the discovery and adoption of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) as open-source innovations for sustainable development. This initiative is part of the "KOICA-UNICEF Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Ghana" project, which provides the startups with equity-free prototype grants, hands-on support for investor readiness, and access to a curated database of global funders.
The programme also works closely with the startups to connect them to technical experts, industry leaders, and potential investors. Mr. Shinyoung Pyeon, Senior Deputy Country Director of KOICA, stated that KOICA believes in the transformative power of young people to shape the future. Fiachra McAsey, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Ghana, expressed pride in welcoming the 5th cohort of the UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator.
This accelerator provides a platform for these startups to scale their impact and contribute to better social outcomes in Ghana. The engagement of the 25 startups concluded a rigorous nine-week sourcing campaign that prioritized gender diversity and regional inclusion. The UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator programme continues to be a beacon of hope for tech-enabled startups aiming to make a difference in Ghana and beyond.
References: 1. 25 social impact tech-enabled startups welcomed into the 5th UNICEF StartUp Lab cohort in Accra, Ghana (July 7, 2025) [Online]. Available: https://www.unicef.org/ghana/media/25-social-impact-tech-enabled-startups-welcomed-5th-unicef-startup-lab-cohort-accra-ghana-july-7-2025 2. Programme supported by KOICA Ghana and run by MEST Africa, focusing on young Ghanaian social impact startups [Online]. Available: https://www.mest.com/africa/news/unicef-startup-lab-accelerates-impact-ghanaian-startups 3. Participating startups will receive equity-free prototype grants, hands-on support for investor readiness, and access to a curated database of global funders [Online]. Available: https://www.unicef.org/ghana/media/unicef-startup-lab-accelerator-programme-boosts-ghanaian-startups 4. The programme is part of the "KOICA-UNICEF Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Ghana" project [Online]. Available: https://www.unicef.org/ghana/media/unicef-startup-lab-accelerator-programme-boosts-ghanaian-startups 5. The UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator programme aims to refine products and services, strengthen business models, and deepen understanding of market dynamics for the startups, with a focus on extending reach and maximizing impact for children and young people [Online]. Available: https://www.unicef.org/ghana/media/unicef-startup-lab-accelerator-programme-boosts-ghanaian-startups
- The 25 startups in the UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator programme, such as DrDoGood focusing on digital healthcare, are leveraging technology to address various social issues, including health, education, nutrition, climate action, financial inclusion, and youth employment.
- The programme, part of the "KOICA-UNICEF Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Ghana" project, offers benefits like equity-free prototype grants, hands-on support for investor readiness, and access to a curated database of global funders to nurture young Ghanaian startups.
- The selected startups, including those operating in the sectors of health-and-wellness, finance, and entrepreneurship, are not just developing pioneering products and services, but are also striving to create a positive social impact for children and young people in Ghana through technology.
