Geneva, July 10, 2025 — Today, in the sidelines at WSIS and AI for Good, a significant move to close the digital economic divide and promote inclusive innovation has been made. 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.
Who can apply? The Call is 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.
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.
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
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
Real-World Impact and Reach — Solutions may fall into two categories:
- Implemented Solutions (e.g., MVPs, pilot-tested projects, scaled platforms and programmes)
- Emerging Concepts (e.g., early-stage ideas or concepts)
*Both technical and non-technical submissions will be welcome.
How to Participate: Key Dates and Submission Guidelines
Innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and organizations across all regions are invited to submit their solutions by 18th August 2025.
- Open Call for Submissions: 16 July
- Jury Review Period: 18 August – 10 September
- Recognition at UNGA 80: 22 – 26 September (New York)
- Showcase at UNIDO Global Conference: 24 – 27 November (Riyadh)
Together, let’s co-create a digital economy that leaves no one behind—empowering communities, driving equity, and accelerating progress for all.
The Global Digital Compact is a comprehensive global framework for digital cooperation and governance of artificial intelligence. Twenty years after the World Summit on the Information Society, it charts a roadmap for global digital cooperation to harness the immense potential of digital technology and close digital divides. On 22 September 2024, world leaders convened in New York for the Summit of the Future, where they adopted a Pact for the Future that includes a Global Digital Compact.
For further information, please contact:
Jason Slater
Chief,
Division of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence
