UNICEF StartUp Lab – Reducing Single-Use Plastics through WASH & SBC Innovation Challenge

The UNICEF StartUp Lab Innovation Challenge, under the KOICA–UNICEF Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Ghana Project, is seeking scalable innovations that reduce single-use plastics across the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) value chain. The challenge focuses on developing circular, closed-loop systems that improve plastic collection, reuse, reduction, replacement, responsible disposal, and recycling while leveraging Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) approaches to improve community adoption.

• Develop scalable solutions that reduce single-use plastics in the WASH value chain.
• Solutions should promote circular economy approaches including reuse, reduction, replacement, responsible disposal, or recycling.
• Innovations should support improved sanitation, environmental sustainability, and community behaviour change.

• USD 5,000 cash prize.
• Opportunity to pilot the solution within UNICEF WASH and community programmes.
• Mentorship and technical support.
• Data support to develop scalable sanitation models.
• Investment readiness support.
• Exposure to the innovation ecosystem.
• Opportunity to connect innovations with public WASH systems and national plastic policy initiatives.

• Pre-application submission.
• Application review.
• Selection of innovative solutions.
• Pilot implementation with UNICEF WASH programmes.