UNICEF is investing in six blockchain projects in emerging markets to “solve global challenges using blockchain technology,” — from healthcare delivery transparency to the management of finances and resources.
Each project will receive up to $100,000 from UNICEF’S Innovation Fund.
Blockchain is not new to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). It has an internal team dedicated to it and these investments are part of a broader program which has already supported more than 30 startups.
Now, these new six projects, all located in developing economies (Argentina, Mexico, India, Tunisia and Bangladesh), were selected from more than 100 applications. They offer answers for a variety of challenges, like the extension of access to electronic prescriptions or to funding for local social impact initiatives.
For example Prescrypto, a blockchain-based electronic prescription startup from Mexico, is building a platform to track patients medical history and will use the new funding for larger-scale development and to strengthen the team around the project.
“It [the investment] functions just like a VC fund,” said UNICEF’s principal advisor Chris Fabian, “except that we're investing in companies in emerging markets exclusively, companies that have some human good baked into them.”
In addition to funding UNICEF will provide the six startups with access to its network of partners and experts, namely for further support in a second round of investments.
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