UNIDO-UNCTAD Global Call for Inclusive Digital Economy Solutions 2025 (Deadline: 18 August, 2025)

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in coordination with the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) and United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO), announce the launch of a Global Call for Solutions for an Inclusive Digital Economy.

This worldwide initiative, executed in collaboration with members of the Global Digital Compact Objective 2 Working Group, tackles the urgent necessity of promoting equitable and inclusive access to digital technologies and their related opportunities. It aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ensuring that no one is left behind.

The goal of the Open call for solution is to identify and elevate innovative, high-impact digital solutions, both proven and emerging, that empower underserved communities and build more inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital economies worldwide, beneficial for all.

Thematic Tracks

Submissions are invited across five thematic tracks:

• Inclusive Digital Innovation Skills & Entrepreneurial Talent Development: Solutions and community-level initiatives building foundational skills among women, youth, and marginalized groups in digital learning.
• MSME Empowerment & Local Digital Innovation: Solutions enabling MSMEs to access digital markets, finance, and tools—e.g., e-commerce, smart manufacturing, and startup ecosystems.
• Enabling Policies & Regulatory Innovation: Solutions that support predictable, transparent, and inclusive digital policy and regulatory environments to foster innovation and fair competition.
• Innovation Acceleration & Knowledge Sharing: Solutions that promote innovation acceleration, knowledge sharing and technology transfer to support local digital solutions in developing countries and ensure the secure, safe, and resilient functioning of digital systems during digital transformation.
• Stable and Resilient Digital Supply Chains: Solutions that support stable and resilient digital supply chains by promoting inclusive access to digital products and services.

Benefits

Participants whose solutions are selected will receive:

• Global visibility and recognition through high-level UN platforms, including side events at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA.80) in New York (September 2025), and the UNIDO General Conference in Riyadh (November 2025)
• Strategic matchmaking opportunities with UN-led initiatives and partners, with the potential for inclusion in the Global Digital Compact (Objective 2) implementation roadmap and through the UNIDO AIM Global Community Platform
• Access to technical support and funding opportunities via the UN system and partner networks
• Featuring the most innovative solutions on the UNIDO Solutions Platform

Eligibility

• Open to innovators, entrepreneurs, private sector organizations across industries, NGOs and international organizations (including, but not limited to, UN organizations), that are building technologies, business models, or advancing initiatives that promote digital inclusion, resilience, and empowerment—particularly for women, youth, MSMEs, and marginalized communities.

Evaluation Criteria

Solutions will be assessed by an independent expert jury comprising representatives from across the UN system, industry and academia. Submissions will be evaluated against key criteria, such as:

• Alignment with Global Digital Compact Objective 2 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Scalability and Replicability
• Inclusivity and Accessibility

Application

Submit your solution through the application form by August 18, 2025 for subsequent expert jury review. Selected solutions will be informed by September 12, 2025.

For more information, visit UNIDO-UNCTAD Global Call.

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