25 social impact tech-enabled startups were welcomed into the 5th cohort of the UNICEF StartUp Lab accelerator programme. These social impact startups are addressing critical challenges affecting children, adolescents, and communities, in areas including education, health, nutrition, WASH, climate action, financial inclusion, and youth employment.
Participating startups will complete a carefully designed curriculum, comprising six structured venture-building modules covering diligence, product development, business modeling, finance and unit economics, marketing and communications, and investor readiness. Startups selected for the programme will receive equity-free prototype grants amounting to US$5,000, with an additional US$10,000 awarded to three standout ventures.
Startups will also benefit from MEST's Investment Readiness Program, which includes hands-on support to prepare investor data rooms, refine pitch decks, and shortlist aligned investors from a curated database of over 100 global funders. The four agritech startups for the 5th cohort of the UNICEF StartUp Lab are:
- Greenearth Agro, a tech-enabled farming platform promoting regenerative agriculture and AI-driven crop planning. By improving farm yields and rural incomes, it enhances food security for families and children in Ghana.
- Farmitecture introduces vertical farming systems tailored for homes, schools, and youth centres. It teaches children aged 10–24 about nutrition, sustainability, and urban agriculture through practical, space-saving food production.
- Agricom Assurance uses predictive AI to offer agricultural insurance that shields smallholder farmers from climate risks—safeguarding income, food availability, and child nutrition.
- Verte Tower develops AI-powered vertical farms that optimize yields in small urban spaces. The innovation addresses food insecurity and supports better nutrition for families and schools.
Read more at UNICEF