Finland renews its support for UNICEF Innovation Hubs in Helsinki
Finland's support will help the Innovative Finance and the Global Learning Hubs accelerate and scale solutions in development and education, while UNICEF Innocenti leads foresight and research to guide partners in building future-ready education systems.
In 2022, Finland and UNICEF embarked on a bold journey to reshape the future for every child: launching the UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub (LI Hub) and the Innovative Finance (IF Hub) in Helsinki and advancing foresight and research for children through UNICEF Innocenti.
Over the past three years, the Hubs have pioneered transformative approaches in their respective fields. Through the LI Hub, UNICEF has shaped global standards and industry practices toward more inclusive, evidence-based, and scalable EdTech solutions, enhancing learning experiences for more than 2 million children. At the same time, the IF Hub has established a new, award-winning investment approach: Child-Lens Investing (CLI). With comprehensive guidance for investors, CLI has influenced over USD 170 million in assets under management to embed child-focused considerations in the investment decision-making.
“There is a need for game-changing solutions to tackle global development challenges. We are proud of the progress achieved by UNICEF’s Innovation Hubs and Innocenti, and excited to continue this journey together. Through this partnership, we also aim to showcase Finland’s expertise, values, and commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals”, says Ville Tavio, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland.
Finland will provide EUR 26,5 million in support for 2026-2028, enabling the Hubs and Innocenti to continue shaping the future of learning and redefining how UNICEF unlocks global capital for children and the SDGs.
This renewal of a pioneering partnership comes at a time when the global humanitarian and development needs of children are rising while traditional aid financing is in decline.
“We are truly grateful for Finland for its unwavering support to UNICEF’s innovation work at this critical moment. Building on early successes, we are eager to advance Child-Lens Investing and EdTech innovation to strengthen the alignment of global capital with the well-being of children and to contribute to the solving of the global learning crisis,” said Kitty van der Heijden, Deputy Executive Director, Partnerships, UNICEF.
