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The United Nations charity arm, UNICEF, continues its excellent work to help children around the world. The body is trying to use blockchain technology to solve some of the problems faced around the world.
UNICEF announced yesterday to invest $ 100,000 in six blockchain startups. The startups would use the funds received to carry out research on how to solve some global challenges with the help of blockchain technology. Research will venture into areas such as transparency of health care provision, finance and resource management and more.
UNICEF stated in its announcement that "UNICEF's Innovation Fund will invest up to US $ 100,000 in the six companies, Atix Labs, Onesmart, Prescrypto, Statwig, Utopixar and W3 Engineers deliver open prototypes source of blockchain applications within 12 months. "
This last round of financing by the organization is part of a larger one as they have so far invested in 20 technology startups. UNICEF indicated intentions in 2016 that it would provide funding to blockchain startups to help them solve some global challenges. At the start of this year, the UN Children's Fund section invited blockchain companies to present their proposals.
UNICEF also added that: "Selected from over 100 applications in 50 countries, these six companies will build prototypes and systems for global problems such as transparency in healthcare delivery, cost-effective access to mobile phone connectivity and the ability to direct financial and financial resources for social impact projects. "Each of the chosen startups is based in developing countries such as Argentina, Mexico, India, Tunisia and Bangladesh.
Both Atix Labs and Onesmart are working to create a platform to track finances. Prescrypto is planning a platform to help trace patient history, while Statwig is working to ensure that the delivery and supply chain of vaccines are clean and transparent, Utopixar, which is working on a social collaboration tool while W3 Engineers is planning an offline network system that would work without internet access.
Chris Fabian, Chief Adviser, UNICEF's Innovation Talking about Blockchain claimed that "Blockchain technology is still at an early stage – and there's a great deal of experimentation, failure and learning ahead of us as we see how and where we can use this technology to create a better world.This is exactly the stage in which the UNICEF Innovation Fund invests: when our funding, technical support and attention to vulnerable populations can help technology to grow and mature in the most equitable and fair way possible ".
In addition to funding, UNICEF is also planning to assist them with the products and technology they need, as well as providing access to their network of partners and experts. With all these resources, companies have been tasked with providing open source prototypes of their projects in the next 12 months.
