UNICEF Launches 'Blue Unicorn Farm' Initiative to Support Innovative EdTech Solutions for Global Learning Crisis
The UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub has introduced an ambitious new initiative known as the "Blue Unicorn Farm," aimed at discovering innovative EdTech solutions to tackle the global learning crisis. Launched recently, this initiative offers up to $150,000 in funding for selected EdTech tools to support transformative educational technologies that enhance learning outcomes for millions of children, particularly in low-resource settings.
The inaugural Blue Unicorn Farm portfolio focuses on five critical areas: foundational literacy and numeracy, school readiness, inclusion of children with disabilities, teacher empowerment, and future skills development. This initiative responds to concerning statistics indicating that 70% of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries struggle to read and comprehend simple texts.
"We are looking for visionary, evidence-based EdTech tools that can significantly improve learning outcomes for children globally," said Frank van Cappelle, UNICEF Senior Adviser on Digital Learning and Head of the UNICEF Learning Innovation Hub in Helsinki, Finland. Selected innovators will benefit from funding, mentorship, technical assistance, visibility, engagement with local ecosystems, and opportunities for scaling their solutions.
Eligible applicants for the Blue Unicorn Farm initiative include technology companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations with evidence-supported EdTech tools. These selected tools will be featured on the Learning Cabinet, a global platform dedicated to innovative EdTech solutions, and will interact with local ecosystems to gain market insights and foster collaboration.
Evaluations will be based on the potential to impact over 100 million children, alignment with learning science, demonstrated positive outcomes, secure data management, adaptability to low-resource contexts, affordability, and overall innovation. The Learning Innovation Hub, in partnership with organizations such as the Asian Development Bank, ARM, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, has developed a rigorous evaluation methodology called the EdTech for Good Framework. The program is particularly interested in tools that offer personalized and adaptive learning, formative assessments, and immersive learning experiences.
While the first call for the Blue Unicorn Farm closed in June 2024, there is an ongoing open call for EdTech tools to be assessed through the EdTech for Good Framework. Tools that successfully pass this screening will be featured on the Learning Cabinet online platform and may be considered for future Blue Unicorn Farm Portfolio calls.
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