Showcase SDG Solutions: UN STI Forum Call for Innovations 2026 — Global Exposure and Networking for Young Innovators

If you have a practical solution that helps bring clean water to a village, powers homes with affordable energy, or reinvents how cities breathe and move, this is one of those rare, low-friction stages where your work meets global decision-makers. The United Nations Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) is taking submissions for its 11th Call for Innovations. The focus for 2026 is “Transformative, equitable and coordinated science, technology and innovation for the 2030 Agenda and a sustainable future for all,” with special attention on five SDGs: 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

This is not a traditional grant with a big cheque tied to strings. Instead, think of it as a spotlight and a networking ticket: global recognition, opportunities to connect with funders and policy makers, and a platform to pitch further support. For early-stage teams and young innovators—especially those from underrepresented groups—the STI Forum is a proving ground. If you’ve tested your idea in low-resource settings and can show measurable impact or a convincing pilot, you should read on.

Below I’ll walk you through what this opportunity actually offers, who makes a smart applicant, how to shape an application that gets noticed, timelines, required materials, and mistakes to avoid. By the end you’ll know exactly what to prepare and how to submit before the January 18, 2026 deadline.

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

This Call for Innovations is primarily a visibility and convening opportunity. Winners—selected innovations—are showcased at the STI Forum where UN Member States, researchers, funders, and development organizations gather. That means exposure to people who can translate a promising pilot into scale: program officers at multilateral agencies, impact investors, government technocrats and academic partners.

The practical upside is threefold. First, you get a platform to present your work to a highly relevant audience. Second, the Forum is a networking nexus—introductions made there often lead to collaboration, funding partnerships, or invitations to technical working groups. Third, the knowledge exchange component is real: you’ll receive feedback from stakeholders who operate at different levels (policy, implementation, research), which helps sharpen a pitch for follow-on funding or regional scale-up.

For innovators working in low-resource settings, the Forum also confers credibility. Showing your work at a UN-convened event signals that your approach has passed at least one selection filter and is worth a second look. And while the Call emphasizes early-stage and young innovators, “early-stage” doesn’t mean conceptual only—you’ll be stronger if you can show pilots, user feedback, or tangible outcomes.

Who Should Apply

If you are a young innovator or part of an early-stage team that has developed a practical solution tied to the five target SDGs, you should consider applying. That includes social enterprises, small NGOs, university spinouts, community groups, and municipal innovators who have tested interventions in real-world, low-resource contexts.

Examples:

• A community startup in Kenya that has installed low-cost solar microgrids in informal settlements and logged measurable reductions in kerosene use.
• An academic-engineering team in Nigeria that piloted a low-energy water purification device at three schools, with water quality and attendance data.
• An Indigenous-led cooperative in South Africa that developed a waste-to-brick process for informal housing, demonstrating lower material costs and local employment.
• A youth-run NGO that uses sensor networks and mobile apps to map informal transit corridors and propose data-backed interventions for safer streets.

The Call intentionally prioritizes representation: women innovators, Indigenous leaders, and other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. If your project centers community leadership, inclusive design, or partnerships across sectors (public/private/civil society), that narrative strengthens your candidacy.

You don’t need a fully scaled enterprise. What matters is clarity: can you explain the problem, the solution, the measurable outcomes from your pilot or prototype, and a credible path to scale? If yes, you belong in the applicant pool.

Eligibility and How Organizers Evaluate Fit

Eligibility is straightforward: the Call seeks innovations that address the priority SDGs in low-resource settings, and the organizers want to surface young and early-stage innovators. The selection committee looks for submissions that are practical, scalable, and have evidence of impact—or a clear plan to measure it. They also look for innovations that bring diverse perspectives, meaning applications from women-led teams or Indigenous communities will be read through that inclusive lens.

If your work requires a partner to implement at pilot scale (a municipal authority or NGO), include that partner in your application or provide letters of support. International partnerships are acceptable—what matters is the demonstrable fit between the innovation and the context where it was piloted.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

Below are six concrete, tactical tips that separate passable applications from memorable ones. This section is long because these tips matter—a lot.

1. Tell a concise story of problem, solution, and evidence. Start with a one-paragraph “what and why”: what problem you solve, for whom, and why current options fail. Follow immediately with a short evidence section—pilot metrics, user feedback, or a crisp before/after indicator. Numbers matter: “reduced waterborne illness by 30% in pilot schools” is far stronger than “improved water quality.”

2. Show scalability and a realistic next step. Selection committees want to know this isn’t an isolated experiment. Lay out a credible path to scale—cost per unit, potential partners, regulatory hurdles, and a timeline for replication. If expansion needs $X for the next 12 months, say so and justify the budget logic.

3. Be specific about context. Low-resource settings are not monolithic. Describe local constraints (grid unreliability, limited internet, supply chain gaps) and show how your design addresses them. A technology that depends on 24/7 grid power will raise questions; show fallbacks or hybrid models.

4. Prioritize clarity over jargon. Your application will be read by people across disciplines and geographies. Avoid acronyms or define them. Use plain descriptions for technical elements: instead of “novel membrane separation,” say “a filter that removes X contaminants using low pressure and local materials.”

5. Provide user voices. Short, quoted testimonials or a one-sentence user story (“Marta, headteacher, reports fewer absences since clean water system installed”) ground your project. If you have photos or brief videos, note that they’re available upon request or linked.

6. Prepare concise supporting materials. A one-page impact sheet, a one-paragraph funding ask, and a two-minute pitch video can make you memorable. If you include letters of support, ensure they are specific—detail the support, not just praise.

Spend time polishing a 150–200 word executive summary. This is often the first thing reviewers read. If that summary fails to communicate impact and scalability within two paragraphs, you’ll struggle to recover later in the packet.

Application Timeline (Work Backwards from January 18, 2026)

Start at least six weeks before the deadline. Even though the form looks short, the difference between a hurried and a polished submission can be weeks of iteration.

• December 1–15, 2025: Finalize core narrative and metrics. Draft your 200-word summary, evidence section, and scalability plan. Reach out to a mentor or colleague for feedback.
• December 16–31, 2025: Collect supporting documents. Secure letters of support, confirm data points, and finalize any visuals (logo, photo, short video). Prepare any partner confirmations.
• January 1–7, 2026: Refine language and test the application form. Make sure images and uploads meet format limits. Have two outside readers—one technical, one non-technical—review the submission.
• January 8–14, 2026: Final edits and compliance checks. Ensure you meet any institutional or partner clearances. Convert documents to PDF where required.
• January 15–18, 2026: Submit early. Don’t wait for the last day; forms can glitch and networks can fail. Aim to submit by January 15.

If you’re starting later than six weeks, compress but don’t skip user validation. Even a single short interview with an end-user can raise the quality of your submission.

Required Materials and How to Prepare Them

The application form collects key information about your innovation; anticipate needing these materials:

• Short project summary (150–200 words) that opens with the problem and outcome.
• A description of the innovation (500–800 words) including how it works, who benefits, and what evidence exists.
• Pilot data or impact metrics: clear before/after indicators, sample size, and measurement methods.
• Implementation partners and letters of support (if applicable). Ensure letters state specific commitments (e.g., “We will host a 3-month pilot in two clinics”).
• Contact details and a short bio for the primary innovator(s), focusing on relevant experience.
• Optional media: a short 2-minute video, photos, or one-page impact sheet.

Preparation advice: write your narrative offline in a text editor so you can iterate. Collect raw data in a spreadsheet and prepare a one-page visual summary (simple bar charts or before/after numbers). For letters of support, provide a template to the signatory with suggested phrases and the specific commitments you need them to state. If you include video, keep it tight—focus on the problem, the solution in action, and an end-user quote.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

Reviewers pay special attention to evidence of impact, clarity of scaling strategy, thoughtful risk mitigation, and inclusive leadership. An application that combines the following will likely be competitive:

• Clear outcomes: measurable impact from a pilot, with transparent methods.
• Cost clarity: a realistic per-unit or per-beneficiary cost that shows the approach could scale.
• Partnership readiness: named partners who can take the work to the next stage.
• Inclusivity: design and governance that includes women, marginalized groups, and local leadership.
• Policy relevance: evidence that your solution fits into local or national plans (e.g., a municipal sanitation strategy).

Don’t assume novelty alone wins the day. Reviewers want usefulness. A well-implemented simple solution that can be copied across contexts often beats an elegant but fragile prototype.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Fix Them)

1. Vague outcomes. Saying “we improved community health” without numbers or methods weakens your claim. Fix: include specific metrics (e.g., reduced clinic visits for diarrheal disease by X% over Y months) and how they were measured.

2. No scalability pathway. If your pilot depends on imported parts that cost $1,000 each, reviewers will doubt scale. Fix: show local sourcing options, cost-reduction strategies, or a staged scale plan.

3. Over-reliance on jargon. Too many technical terms make reviewers tune out. Fix: write a plain-language summary and have a non-specialist read it.

4. Weak or generic letters of support. Letters that only praise aren’t useful. Fix: request letters that specify commitments and roles.

5. Missing user perspective. If the user experience hasn’t been tested, it raises flags. Fix: include at least one user quote and a short description of user feedback integration.

6. Last-minute submission. Technical issues or missing attachments can sink an application. Fix: submit several days early and confirm receipt if the platform provides that option.

Addressing these common problems early will make your application feel polished, credible, and ready for exposure on a global stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is there a funding award attached to selection? A: The Call primarily offers recognition and exposure at the UN STI Forum. While there isn’t a direct grant tied to selection, the visibility often leads to funding opportunities from partners who attend or follow the Forum.

Q: Can teams outside the UN system apply? A: Yes. Individuals, teams, NGOs, startups, and academic groups globally can submit, provided the innovation addresses the SDGs and has relevance to low-resource settings.

Q: Do I need prior funding to apply? A: No. Early-stage projects with pilots or tested prototypes are eligible. If your innovation has been funded, note the funding source and how it was used. If not funded, describe how you validated the idea.

Q: Are consortiums or partnerships encouraged? A: Yes. Cross-sector partnerships strengthen applications, especially when a partner commits to implementation or scale. Include letters that specify the partner’s role.

Q: Can I submit multiple innovations? A: The Call is geared toward single, focused submissions. If you have multiple, pick the strongest and most mature one. You can inquire with organizers if submission rules permit multiple entries.

Q: What happens after selection? A: Selected innovators will be invited to showcase their work at the STI Forum, gain networking opportunities and potentially be included in follow-up events or curated briefings with funders and policy actors.

Q: Is there technical support for the application? A: The platform is largely self-service, but organizers often publish guidance. Reach out to the contact points on the official page if you need clarification.

Q: Will I get feedback if not selected? A: Policies vary by cycle. Historically, finalists and selected innovators receive feedback and engagement opportunities. Expect limited formal critique for non-selected applicants, but you can sometimes request summary comments.

How to Apply (Get Started)

Ready to go? Don’t wait. Gather your pilot data, draft a concise impact summary, and collect any letters of support. Then visit the application form and submit your materials before the deadline.

Apply here: https://airtable.com/appPbafSnmhrgnXJM/pagltw1P0t2cafu0i/form

A few practical closing tips: save a PDF copy of everything you submit, note the timestamp of submission, and prepare a one-page follow-up email you can send to new contacts you meet at the Forum. This Call is a high-visibility chance to move your project from promising pilot to fundable program—treat it like the beginning of a conversation, not a one-off application.

Good luck. If you want, paste your draft summary here and I’ll help tighten it for maximum impact.