15 April 2026 - CISL has announced a new collaboration with UNICEF Venture Fund to identify and scale high‑potential start‑ups addressing the growing intersection of climate change and health.
Through the collaboration, CISL and UNICEF’s Innovation Office will work together to source innovators for the 2026 Climate & Health Innovation Programme, targeting bold, scalable solutions that can help protect children and communities from climate‑driven health risks.
As climate impacts intensify, children are among the most vulnerable to risks including heat stress, air pollution, water scarcity, disease outbreaks and disruptions to essential health services. The partnership brings together CISL’s global leadership in sustainability innovation with UNICEF’s deep expertise, country presence and reach across health and humanitarian systems.
The Climate & Health Innovation Programme is designed to accelerate early‑stage and ready‑to‑deploy technologies with the potential to deliver real‑world impact at scale. Selected start‑ups will benefit from:
- Up to US$100,000 in equity‑free funding for solutions including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and blockchain
- Access to CISL and UNICEF experts and technical support, covering health, climate resilience, data and delivery systems
- Opportunities to pilot solutions in real‑world settings across UNICEF programme countries
- Guidance to strengthen evidence generation and product readiness, supporting pathways to scale
- Visibility with global partners, funders and UNICEF country offices, creating opportunities for further deployment and investment
Together, CISL and UNICEF will identify innovations that can strengthen early warning systems, improve climate‑resilient health supply chains and enable climate‑smart models of care delivery - particularly in contexts where health systems are under increasing strain.
Heta Kosonen, Innovation Manager, UNICEF Office of Innovation, UNICEF, said:
“The climate crisis is accelerating, but the systems to support meaningful solutions haven’t kept pace. UNICEF Climate Ventures was created to change that — convening a global ecosystem of collaborators, including the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, to help diverse, high-potential innovations move from pilots to scale. By combining CISL’s global network of mentors and alumni startups with UNICEF’s country presence and government relationships, we’re building the pathways needed to reach the children and communities most affected.”
Jie Zhou, Head of International Innovation, CISL, said:
"True innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum; it requires a deliberate bridge between technical expertise and boots-on-the-ground implementation. By aligning CISL’s deep pool of sustainability leadership and startup talent with UNICEF’s global reach, we are proud to partner with UNICEF for the third year to accelerate the frontier technologies that safeguard children’s health. Together, we can ensure that the most promising climate-tech thrives in the communities where it is needed most."
Reaching innovators working at the climate–health frontier
The programme is calling on start‑ups and innovators developing solutions that address climate‑linked health challenges with a strong focus on scalability, evidence and impact. This includes technologies that can help:
- Anticipate and respond to climate‑related health risks
- Strengthen health system resilience to climate shocks
- Protect children and vulnerable populations from emerging and escalating threats
Innovators selected for the programme will join CISL’s global network working to translate sustainability innovation into practical solutions for some of the world’s most pressing challenges.