The UNICEF StartUp Lab, working alongside UNICEF Ghana, MEST Africa, and HOPin Academy, is accepting applications for the AI for Nurturing Care Hackathon. The program calls on multidisciplinary teams to build responsible AI tools that support frontline health workers and caregivers in reducing maternal, newborn, and under-five deaths in Northern Ghana. Applications close on August 11, 2026.
About the AI for Nurturing Care Hackathon
UNICEF Ghana runs the hackathon through the UNICEF StartUp Lab, an accelerator that has backed more than 100 Ghanaian startups since 2019. The Lab focuses on tech-driven solutions across health, education, nutrition, and child protection, and it regularly hosts hackathons to surface fresh ideas from the country’s innovation community.
This cycle responds to a specific and urgent problem. In Northern Ghana, long travel distances, high transport costs, weak referral systems, fragmented health records, and nutrition gaps continue to delay care for mothers and young children.
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Funding Size
- Total prize pool of GHS 110,000 in cash awards
- Winning teams share the prize pool based on final placement
- A fully sponsored three-day bootcamp in Tamale at HOPin Academy for shortlisted teams
Who Can Apply
- Teams of two to three members
- At least one female member required on every team
- Teams must combine technical skills in development, data, or design with domain knowledge in maternal or child health, nutrition, or social impact
- Individuals, startups, students, researchers, and health professionals are all eligible to form or join teams
- A GitHub repository hosting the team’s source code is mandatory for submission
Geographic Eligibility
- Open to teams based in Ghana
- For two-member teams, at least one member must be based in Tamale or the Northern Region
- For three-member teams, at least two members must be based in Tamale or the Northern Region
- Solutions must target community health challenges specific to Northern Ghana
Sector or Thematic Focus
- Early identification of maternal and child health risks
- Referral tracking and follow-up at the community level
- Voice-first caregiver support in local languages
- Nutrition guidance using locally available foods
Application Process
Teams apply online through the official hackathon application form. Applicants should first review the eligibility requirements and, if needed, watch the recorded information session for context on judging priorities and technical expectations. After the application window closes, organizers shortlist teams for the in-person bootcamp in Tamale, where mentors from UNICEF, MEST Africa, and HOPin Academy guide teams through refining their solutions ahead of final presentations and judging.
Required Materials
- Completed online application form
- Team composition details, including location and role of each member
- GitHub repository link with source code
Key Dates
- Application deadline: August 11, 2026
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Selection Notes
- Judges prioritize solutions that work in low-connectivity, resource-constrained settings
- Preference given to teams with a genuine blend of technical and health domain expertise
- Team diversity, including the mandatory female member, factors into eligibility