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In an ever-enveloping digital age where children are at numerous risks, UNICEF is looking to fund startups that are working to protect them.
The pandemic that has changed life as we know it has made ‘disconnecting’ during a time of remote work and virtual school near impossible. With screen time increased across all age groups, children are at an increased risk for cyberbullying, harmful content and data privacy risk among other issues. That’s why the UNICEF Innovation Fund 2020 has chosen to focus on online child safety this year.
In conjunction with the initiatives, Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and Giga, the fund is looking to invest in startups using fourth industrial revolution technology to address the risks children face..
Startups using machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, or extended reality (virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR)) and that offer/will offer their product open-source should consider applying for the $100k equity-free investments made by UNICEF.
The categories are broken into four overarching themes of digital risks to children: Content, Contact, Conduct and Contract Risks.
Content Risks
Are you building tools and models to make online content, social media and gaming platforms and other services safe for children? Or are you using frontier technologies to tackle inappropriate content?
Contact Risks
Are you building platforms and tools to prevent online child abuse and exploitation? Or are you generating insights to assess and mitigate the threats and harms in digital environments?
Conduct Risks
Are you leveraging existing and new technologies to educate children and young people about digital risks awareness, and appropriate and safe behaviors in digital environments?
Contract Risks
Are you creating tools and platforms leveraging new technologies to protect children’s and other data online? Or are you identifying and blocking inappropriate commercial platforms?
To learn more about the application process and eligibility criteria, click here.
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