UN Global Pulse Opens Accelerator Applications to African Startups
The United Nations Global Pulse has opened applications for the next cohort of its Scale Accelerator programme, offering African-based UN startups an opportunity to advance innovative solutions towards broader impact.
Launched in 2023, the initiative supports UN-led projects that have moved beyond initial pilots and demonstrated positive results. It focuses on helping these startups build sustainable scaling solutions amid evolving global challenges, drawing on evidence-based methods and multidisciplinary expertise.
The programme selects nine teams for a structured journey that includes an in-person workshop in Helsinki, Finland, scheduled for 8–12 June 2026. Participants, typically three members per team, receive guidance from experts and introductions to partners in the public and private sectors. UN Global Pulse covers travel costs. At the end, three teams with the strongest scaling strategies will receive a Scale Catalyst Grant of USD 60,000, plus tailored mentoring and technical assistance to put their strategies into action.
While open to teams across the UN system, including agencies such as FAO, WHO, WFP, UNFPA and OHCHR that have participated in previous cohorts, the call holds particular relevance for Africa. Many UN initiatives on the continent address data-driven development, humanitarian response, climate resilience and public health through digital tools and AI, areas where Global Pulse has long engaged.
Applications must come from UN-led teams; purely private-sector or non-UN-endorsed projects do not qualify. Interested groups should demonstrate how their innovation creates or adapts value, whether by solving an entrenched problem, capturing an opportunity or addressing emerging needs.
This latest cohort builds on three prior rounds that supported 22 teams from 12 UN entities, awarding eight grants and helping turn tested ideas into wider-reaching interventions.
The programme underscores the UN’s push to move beyond short-term pilots and achieve lasting outcomes for people and planet.
The deadline for submissions is 11 February 2026 (midnight EST). Details, including the application process and FAQs, are available on the official programme page.
