UN teams have one week to submit challenges for SDG Blockchain Accelerator

UNDP: The United Nations Development Programme is the UN's global development network that supports countries in achieving sustainable development. Through its Alternative Finance Lab, UNDP leads initiatives connecting development challenges with emerging technologies. In this news, UNDP's AltFinLab runs the SDG Blockchain Accelerator to match UN teams with blockchain and AI solution providers. EMURGO Labs: EMURGO Labs develops blockchain products and infrastructure supporting adoption across the Cardano ecosystem and EVM-compatible chains. It contributes to the Accelerator through ecosystem expertise and solution builder access. Sui Foundation: Sui Foundation supports growth and adoption of the Sui ecosystem by educating, activating, funding, and promoting builders and creators. It participates as a technology partner in the Accelerator's partner network. Project Catalyst: Project Catalyst is Cardano's decentralized innovation engine and funding program that supports community-approved projects building on Cardano. It participates in the Accelerator ecosystem as part of broader Cardano-related solution sourcing. Cardano Foundation: The Cardano Foundation is an independent Swiss nonprofit advancing Cardano as public digital infrastructure across industries. In the Accelerator, it provides blockchain ecosystem expertise, digital trust perspectives, and access to solution builders on scalable verifiable systems. DFINITY Foundation: DFINITY Foundation develops the Internet Computer, a decentralized cloud for applications and AI agents. In the Accelerator, it offers expertise on sovereign cloud, secure compute, decentralized hosting, and AI-enabled application infrastructure. Partisia Foundation: Partisia Foundation is an independent Swiss organization stewarding the Partisia network and privacy-preserving digital infrastructure. In the Accelerator, it contributes expertise in multiparty computation, confidential data processing, digital identity, and privacy approaches for data and AI applications. FLock Technology Holdings: FLock.io is a London-headquartered privacy-preserving AI research and infrastructure company. In the Accelerator, it leads projects using federated learning and decentralized AI to address data, governance, and implementation challenges in developing regions. SDG Blockchain Accelerator: The SDG Blockchain Accelerator is a global UNDP-led program that develops and scales blockchain, AI, and emerging tech solutions to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. It connects UN entities with technology partners for structured acceleration and implementation pathways. The initiative is currently accepting challenge submissions from UN teams with a deadline approaching at the end of September 2026. Blockchain for Good Alliance: Blockchain for Good Alliance is a global nonprofit focused on applying blockchain technology to societal challenges. It serves as the strategic partner for the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, aiding ecosystem engagement and connections in the blockchain-for-impact community. Stellar Development Foundation: Stellar Development Foundation is a nonprofit working to create equitable global financial system access via blockchain and the Stellar network. For the Accelerator, it contributes expertise in blockchain-based payments, asset issuance, and transparent financial flows for delivery use cases. Timeline: UN teams must submit development challenges by September 30, 2026, for assessment and matching with technology partners ahead of the October 2026 to February 2027 acceleration phase. Focus Areas: Challenges align with priorities including digital payments, digital identity, traceability and supply chains, and data and privacy where emerging technologies can improve delivery, transparency, efficiency, inclusion, or accountability. Partnership Model: The Accelerator works with technology companies assessed on maturity, service fit, geographic relevance, and public-sector readiness to match them with UN teams for co-development and implementation support.