About UNITAC
The United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities (UNITAC) is a partnership between the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT), and HafenCity University (HCU) in Hamburg. UNITAC works at the intersection of urban development and digital transformation, using innovation, prototyping and applied research to develop and test digital solutions for more people-centred, inclusive and sustainable cities.
Through this Open Call, UNITAC is seeking innovative projects that apply technology thoughtfully and strategically to address urban challenges, improve people’s lives and ensure that no one is left behind. Through its urban technology acceleration approach, UNITAC aims to support locally relevant solutions that contribute to improved quality of life, particularly for people living in informal settlements or underserved communities.
UNITAC’s work contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11, the New Urban Agenda and UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029.
What tools can be adapted?
This Open Call focuses on the adaptation and contextualisation of five UNITAC established digital tools and platforms:
These tools have already been developed and applied within UNITAC initiatives and will be adapted to new contexts, tailored to case-specific needs, and further enhanced through the development of additional features and functionalities. UNITAC aims to achieve this through a co-creative approach with future partners.
What is UNITAC is looking for?
Through this open call, we seek projects that:
- Address indicators of SDG 11 and other urban-related SDGs, addressing critical urban challenges and locally identified priorities related to housing, land and basic services for all.
- Respond to demonstrated local needs identified by the intended beneficiaries, with clear potential to improve quality of life, particularly for people living in informal settlements and underserved communities.
- Advance people-centred, inclusive and participatory approaches to digital transformation, engaging relevant stakeholders and intended beneficiaries, and where applicable are promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
- Adapt, apply or enhance UNITAC’s digital tools and platforms in innovative and context-appropriate ways to address identified urban challenges.
- Are feasible within the project timeline and demonstrate potential for continued use, replication or scaling beyond the project period.
- Identify and address potential risks and unintended adverse impacts, with appropriate mitigation measures.
What does UNITAC offer?
Selected projects will benefit from the following support from UNITAC:
- A dedicated project team of UNITAC experts with expertise in urban development, data science, software development, communications, project management and related fields to work on the submitted project for 6-12 months
- Access to and adaptation of one of UNITAC’s established digital tools and platforms, which will be tailored to the specific needs, context, and objectives of the selected project through a co-creative development process
- Access to research, knowledge and technical expertise on people-centred smart cities, urban digital transformation, data strategies and digital governance.
- Connection to an international network of UN organisations, academia, civil society organisations, and social businesses working on people-centred smart cities.
- Opportunities to showcase project outcomes at international urban conferences, events and other relevant forums
- Access to research and technology infrastructure to support project implementation, testing, and potential scaling.
Please note: UNITAC does not offer grants or other forms of direct financial support through this Open Call.
Eligibility and submission requirements
The Open Call is targeting local and regional governments, and can include partnerships with non-governmental organisations such as civil society organisations or urban planning labs.
Project proposals should include:
- A clearly defined project idea aligned with the objectives and criteria of this Open Call. The proposed project may be at the planning stage or form a new component of an existing initiative.
- A clear indication of the UNITAC tool(s) to be adapted and applied and the expected impact on improving people's lives, including how they would be used within the relevant local planning, policy, service delivery or implementation context.
- An implementation plan and timeline outlining the proposed activities, outputs, expected results, and contribution to relevant SDGs, with implementation planned over a period of 6–18 months.
- Demonstrated organisational capacity and resources to implement the project, including dedicated local staff, stakeholder engagement capacity, access to relevant data and infrastructure, and the ability to support deployment, operation and longer-term sustainability.
- A clear description of roles and responsibilities, outlining the expected contribution of UNITAC and the applicant or partner organisations during implementation and subsequent operation and maintenance, where relevant.
- For projects involving on-the-ground implementation, demonstrated support and commitment from the relevant government authority at the local, regional or national level, as appropriate to the scope of the proposed project. Applicants must provide evidence that the relevant authority supports the proposed project and intends to adopt, integrate or institutionalise the adapted UNITAC tool(s) within the relevant planning, policy, service delivery or implementation processes. This commitment must be demonstrated through a letter of support from the relevant government authority, submitted with the proposal.
- Applicants can apply alone, if they are a local or regional government institution. Alternatively, local or regional government institution can apply in a consortium partnership with a non-governmental entity.In this casean enclosed letter of intent or cooperation agreement must be submitted with the proposal.
What is expected from organisations during project implementation?
Selected organisations will be expected to contribute to project implementation through:
- Dedicated project capacity: A dedicated project team to support implementation over a period of 6–12 months, with commitment from the organisation’s leadership to support project implementation.
- Local coordination and stakeholder engagement: Coordination of on-the-ground implementation, regular collaboration with the UNITAC team, and engagement with relevant stakeholders, including facilitation of meetings as required.
- Monitoring, reporting and knowledge-sharing: Contributions to monitoring and evaluation, regular reporting on project activities and results, and participation in communication, knowledge-sharing, and dissemination activities.
Continued use and sustainability: Commitment to the continued use and, where applicable, maintenance of the tool following project implementation.
Selection process
All project proposals must be submitted by 05 November 2026.
Only completed submissions will be considered and will undergo the following selection process:
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How to apply
To apply, please complete the PDF submission form.
1. Save the form as a PDF, using your organisation's name as the file name
2. Attach any required supporting documents, including a letter of support or letter of intent/cooperation agreement, where applicable
3. Submit the completed application and supporting documents by email to unitac@un.org
Deadline for submission of proposals is 05 November 2026.
UNITAC is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Contact
Do not hesitate to reach us at unitac@un.org for any questions about this call for projects.
Who is this Open Call for?
For this Open Call, UNITAC invites local and regional governments and partners, which may also include collaborations and partnerships with non-governmental organisations, to submit project ideas that address their most pressing urban challenges with data or technology solutions.