The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), launched its fifth Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC) Call for Proposals to accelerate progress on SDG 14 targets. The call invites eligible private sector organizations and innovators globally to submit implementation-ready solutions that address pressing ocean and coastal challenges while advancing sustainable and inclusive blue economy development.
The 5th Call will support practical, market-driven innovations with the potential to deliver measurable environmental, social, and economic benefits and to scale their impact across communities and regions.
“Addressing the challenges facing our ocean requires innovative solutions that can deliver tangible benefits for both people and planet. Through the Ocean Innovation Challenge, UNDP is supporting innovators to scale and replicate practical solutions that strengthen ocean health, build more resilient coastal communities, and create inclusive opportunities through the blue economy. We are particularly interested in solutions that can generate lasting impact at scale,” said Midori Paxton, Global Head of Ecosystems and Biodiversity at UNDP.
The 5th Call focuses on three thematic areas: Marine Pollution and Plastics Reduction, Marine Ecosystem Restoration, and Sustainable Blue Economy, strengthening sustainable growth in coastal areas.
Priority will be given to innovations that directly benefit Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, with a particular focus on improving opportunities and outcomes for women, young people, and vulnerable coastal populations. Preference will be given to innovations that are women-led and youth-led or owned.
The Call is open until 15 November 2026, 23:59 New York time.
Up to 10 selected innovators will receive:
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- Up to USD 100,000 in financial support through a UNDP deliverable-based contract under the Model Innovation Challenge Agreement (MICA);
- Up to 17 months of implementation and incubation support;
- Technical mentoring from UNDP and external experts;
- Project management, monitoring, and reporting support;
- Communications and visibility assistance;
- Fundraising and investment-readiness and investment facilitation support;
- Opportunities to engage with investors, development partners, and private sector networks;
- and Increased visibility through UNDP’s global knowledge-sharing platforms and events.
“Private sector investment is essential to accelerating innovative solutions that help reduce marine pollution, restore marine ecosystems and develop a sustainable blue economy,” said Line Vikström Rosvall, Head of Unit for Climate and Environment at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
“By supporting promising ocean innovations to scale, new investment can be mobilized that create lasting environmental and economic benefits for the world’s ocean and coastal communities. Sida looks forward to continue partnering with UNDP through the Ocean Innovation Challenge to help unlock this potential.”
Since its launch in 2020, the OIC has supported 36 ocean innovation projects across 29 countries, investing USD 8.4 million in ocean innovators. These projects have subsequently mobilized more than USD 25 million in additional funding demonstrating how targeted investment in innovation can help unlock partnerships, attract additional financing, and support solutions with potential for wider scale and impact.
Building on the previous four Calls, the 5th Call aims to accelerate the implementation and scaling of market-ready solutions across the three thematic areas, helping reduce marine pollution and plastics, restore marine and coastal ecosystems, and strengthen sustainable blue economy opportunities.