If you have an idea that could cut ocean plastic, bring a reef back to life, or help a fishing village earn more from a healthy sea, the United Nations wants to hear from you — and it is putting real money behind it. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has opened the fifth call of its Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC), offering up to USD 100,000 each to up to 10 innovators, plus up to 17 months of mentoring and incubation support. Applications close on 15 November 2026 at 23:59 New York time — ten days from today.
This is not a research grant for universities and it is not a student scholarship. It is a challenge for private-sector innovators — startups, small businesses, social enterprises — with solutions that are ready to be implemented, not just imagined. If your innovation can be put to work in the waters or coastal communities of Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Viet Nam, this call is for you.
At a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Programme | UNDP Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC), 5th Call for Proposals |
| Organisers | United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) |
| Funding per winner | Up to USD 100,000 through a UNDP deliverable-based contract |
| Number of winners | Up to 10 innovators |
| Support beyond money | Up to 17 months of implementation and incubation, technical mentoring, project management support, fundraising and investment-readiness help |
| Application deadline | 15 November 2026, 23:59 New York time |
| Where the work must happen | Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Viet Nam (at least one) |
| Who can apply | Legally registered private-sector organisations worldwide — startups, SMEs, private companies, social enterprises |
| Official call page | Ocean Innovation Challenge — 5th Call |
The Three Themes — and Why Fisheries People Should Care
The 5th Call funds innovations in three areas. All three touch fisheries and aquaculture directly, which is exactly why this call belongs on a fisheries site:
- Marine Pollution and Plastics Reduction: Innovations that prevent, reduce, recover or manage marine pollution — including marine plastics, ghost fishing gear, wastewater and other land- and sea-based sources. Ghost gear alone kills fish and traps marine life long after nets are lost; a solution here is a fisheries solution.
- Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Restoration: Innovations that restore and conserve coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows and coastal wetlands while strengthening biodiversity and climate resilience. Mangroves and seagrass are nursery grounds for the fish that coastal communities depend on.
- Sustainable Blue Economy: Innovations that promote sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, eco-tourism, blue biotechnology, circular economy approaches and ocean data solutions. This theme names fisheries and aquaculture explicitly — a seaweed farming venture, a traceability tool for small-scale fishers, a circular-economy use for processing waste all fit here.
The call is designed to accelerate progress on SDG 14 (Life Below Water). UNDP says it is looking for practical, market-driven innovations with measurable environmental, social and economic benefits — and with the potential to scale and be replicated in other coastal regions.
Who Can Apply
| Eligibility rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Organisation type | Legally registered private-sector organisations: startups, SMEs, private companies, social enterprises and other eligible private-sector entities |
| Nationality | Open worldwide — applicants do not have to be from the five beneficiary countries |
| Where it must be implemented | The innovation must be implemented in at least one of Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Viet Nam, with acceptance of the government authorities |
| Stage of the solution | Implementation-ready — the call targets market-ready solutions, not early concepts |
| Local partnerships | Partnership with local organisations in the beneficiary country is strongly encouraged |
| Priority applicants | Preference for innovations that are women-led and youth-led or owned, and for solutions improving outcomes for women, young people and vulnerable coastal populations |
Can You Apply From India?
Honestly: yes — but only under one condition. The call is open to innovators worldwide, so an Indian startup or social enterprise can apply. The catch is that the innovation itself must be implemented in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Viet Nam. If your venture already works in, say, Bangladesh — or you have a credible local partner there — you are in scope. If your solution only operates in India, this call is not for you, and no application will change that. Treat this as a real filter, not a formality: UNDP requires acceptance of the government authorities in the country of implementation.
What the 10 Winners Actually Get
The money is only part of the package. Each selected innovator receives:
- Up to USD 100,000 in financial support through a 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 — the unglamorous work that keeps a pilot alive.
- Communications and outreach assistance, plus visibility through UNDP’s global knowledge-sharing platforms and events.
- Fundraising and investment-readiness mentoring, and introductions to investors, development partners and private-sector networks.
UNDP’s stated aim is that, by the end of the contract, innovators are positioned to engage with bigger venture capital investors — and that proven solutions enter the OIC’s catalogue of ocean solutions that can be rapidly scaled and replicated.
The Track Record: This Is the Fifth Call, Not the First
This challenge is not an experiment. Since its launch in 2020, the Ocean Innovation Challenge has supported 36 ocean innovation projects across 29 countries, investing USD 8.4 million in ocean innovators. Those projects have subsequently mobilised more than USD 25 million in additional funding. The fifth call is worth USD 1 million in total. That history matters for applicants: the programme knows how to run a call, and past winners have gone on to raise real follow-on money.
How to Apply — Step by Step
- Read the official 5th Call page on the Ocean Innovation Challenge site and confirm your innovation fits one of the three themes and at least one beneficiary country.
- Download the guidance document from the call page — it is the offline version of the proposal form. Use it to collect and organise everything you need before you start the online form.
- Prepare the annexes and templates listed on the call page: application information form, results framework and impact indicators, project work plan, detailed and itemised budgets, co-financing declaration, organisational capacity assessment, integrity and compliance declaration, and the UNDP social and environmental risk screening checklist.
- Submit through the official online proposal form (a Google Form linked from the call page; you will need to sign in to Google to complete it and upload annexes). Only submissions through this form are accepted.
- Submit before 15 November 2026, 23:59 New York time. UNDP notes that you can edit your responses until the deadline — so submit early and refine, rather than racing the clock on the final day.
- Check the FAQ on the call page for anything unclear before you submit; the call page also links the Model Innovation Challenge Agreement (MICA) so you can see the contract terms in advance.
Three Mistakes That Will Sink an Application
- Applying with an India-only project. Implementation must be in a beneficiary country. A strong Indian solution with no presence or partner in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand or Viet Nam will not pass the first screen.
- Pitching an idea instead of a solution. The call wants implementation-ready, market-driven innovations. A concept with no proof it works is not what this round funds.
- Leaving it to 15 November. The form requires a full set of annexes and budgets. Starting on the last day is how good proposals end up incomplete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an application fee?
No fee is mentioned in the official call materials; applications go through the free online proposal form.
Do I need to be based in Asia to apply?
No. Applicants can be from anywhere in the world. Only the implementation must take place in one of the five beneficiary countries.
Can a university or NGO apply?
The call is open to legally registered private-sector organisations. Universities and NGOs are not the target applicants — but they can be partners of an applying company or social enterprise.
What happens after I apply?
Up to 10 proposals are selected through a competitive process. Winners sign a deliverable-based contract (MICA) and receive up to 17 months of implementation and incubation support.
Where do I apply?
Only through the official online proposal form linked on the OIC 5th Call page. Read the guidance document first.
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Fact-check note, 5 November 2026: every date, figure and eligibility rule above was verified on 5 November 2026 against UNDP’s official press release (“Innovators wanted: UNDP launches USD 1 million global challenge for healthier ocean”) and the official Ocean Innovation Challenge 5th Call page. The 15 November 2026 deadline is in the future as of publication. The images in this article are illustrations.