The GSMA has announced the launch of its newest GSMA Innovation Fund, in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), to address humanitarian challenges.
Through its GSMA Innovation Fund, the GSMA has distributed over GBP5 million (US$6.3 million) to startups, SMEs and social enterprises since 2017.
Its latest fund, the GSMA Humanitarian Innovation Fund, provides grant funding of up to GBP250,000 (US$320,000) and additional non-financial and technical assistance to test and support new solutions that use digital technologies – especially mobile – to address humanitarian challenges in low- and middle-income countries. Humanitarian challenges include, but are not limited to, food insecurity, displacement, and natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes and typhoons.
In addition, the fund is interested in solutions that improve preparedness and response to humanitarian challenges using frontier tech, such as AI and the IoT; that respond to the needs of crisis-affected populations, including internally displaced persons and refugees, through access to humanitarian assistance, services and life-saving information; or existing innovations that can be adapted or replicated in a new context to respond to a humanitarian challenge.
Applications are open here until February 12, 2024.
