2026 UN Call for Innovations for the SDGs

Challenge Details

Building on the strong outcomes of the 2025 edition, which showcased 28 innovations from across the globe, the 2026 Call will focus on advancing:

• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

Selected innovations will have the unique opportunity to be highlighted at the STI Forum, with a global audience of policymakers, experts, and innovators. Depending on resource availability, this may include the opportunity for in-person participation at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Young innovators from the Global South are especially encouraged to participate.

Subject to the availability of resources, this year’s selected innovators may have the opportunity to participate in a virtual capacity-building program. The intent of such a program is to strengthen innovators’ capacity beyond technical aspects, with potential topics covering how to communicate impact data and build core competencies for commercialization. These sessions are designed to help bridge the gap between innovation and implementation.

The Call seeks to engage young innovators, as well as underrepresented groups, including women and Indigenous innovators, whose perspectives and leadership are essential for inclusive and sustainable development.

The UN Call for Innovations encourages young innovators and early-stage solution developers to apply and contribute their creativity to advancing the SDGs. This initiative co-convened by UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the Youth Science-Policy Interface (SPI) Platform, Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), in partnership with Engineering for Change, ASME ISHOW, and others, working together to empower the next generation of changemakers driving sustainable development through science, technology, and innovation.

Benefits of Participation

• Global Exposure: Gain recognition from UN Member States, researchers, funders, and development organizations.
• Networking Opportunities: Build relationships with collaborators, investors, and policymakers.
• Knowledge Exchange: Contribute to shaping a collaborative approach to STI for the SDGs.

How You Can Get Involved

• Submit Innovations: Share your ideas, solutions, or funded innovations to inspire global action.
• Encourage Participation: Motivate innovators in your networks to submit their solutions.
• Spread the Word: Amplify this opportunity within your community to help us discover and feature groundbreaking ideas.

Disclaimer

If your innovation includes new and inventive features that may be patentable, it is essential to keep any detailed technical descriptions confidential until a patent application has been filed. Public disclosure of an invention before filing a patent application can destroy its novelty and undermine its patentability in many countries. While some jurisdictions provide grace periods for certain disclosures, these are not available everywhere and may limit your ability to secure international patent protection.

When submitting your innovation to this Call, carefully consider which technical details to disclose publicly. You may choose to describe your innovation’s impact and benefits while keeping specific technical features confidential until you have filed a patent application. If you intend to apply for patent protection, please consider consulting with intellectual property professionals before submission.

Alternatively, you may wish to protect your innovation through trade secrets. If you choose to do so, you would need to be careful as to what information you can disclose without undermining the secrecy of your innovation.

You are solely responsible for protecting your intellectual property rights.

For guidance on patentability requirements, visit www.wipo.int/en/web/patents/protection.

For information on trade secrets, visit www.wipo.int/en/web/trade-secrets.

To learn about other types of IP, visit https://www.wipo.int/en/web/about-ip/.