We are excited to share with you this upcoming opportunity to feature your innovation at the virtual United Nations Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) Forum 2021. Apply now for the opportunity to showcase at the virtual UN stage on May 4-5, 2021.

And please act quickly, because time is short: the deadline to submit your innovation is later this month, 26 March.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in collaboration with Global Innovation Exchange (GIE) at Results for Development, seeks innovations developed or adapted to address COVID-19-associated disruptions that will remain relevant beyond the pandemic to help accelerate progress towards one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We are looking for innovations that fit into one of the below categories:

1. Innovations that focus on essential nutrition and healthcare services, particularly HIV, tuberculosis, and maternal, newborn and child healthcare services. (SDG 2 & SDG 3)
2. Education innovations to reduce the inequalities COVID-19 has placed on students from low socioeconomic households. (SDG 4)
3. Innovations that respond or prevent gender based violence or intimate partner violence (SDG 5).
4. Innovations that focus on vulnerable and marginalized populations that have been hit hardest by the pandemic including: older persons, persons with disabilities, children, women, migrants and refugees, and indigenous populations (SDG 1, SDG 10).

Additionally, innovations must be locally led, and have a concrete vision and plan to scale their innovation's impact beyond the pandemic to help address any one of the SDGs. Learn more about the criteria and apply here — you can submit your innovation for consideration now through 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday, 26 March 2021.

Why apply?
Selected innovators will be invited to participate at the UN’s Virtual STI Forum 2021 taking place on May 4th and 5th. Innovators will receive the opportunity to:

1. Get expert coaching to prepare Ted Talk style lightning talks for the virtual UN stage
2. Showcase their expertise and innovation at the STI Forum 2021
3. Engage in peer feedback and learning
4. Network with STI Forum attendees relevant to the innovation - other innovators, those who can support or scale up your innovations, and those seeking to utilize such innovations
5. Receive a recording of the lightning talk to demonstrate they were “on stage at the UN”
6. Potentially be included in other learning and exposure activities such as a social media campaign, case studies, and future events. These are not guaranteed.

Submit your innovations by Friday, 26 March 2021 via Global Innovation Exchange at https://stiforum4sdgs.globalinnovationexchange.org.