The United Nations Development Programme in Europe and Central Asia (UNDP Eurasia) has launched BOOST x CEF: Green Urban Tech, now open for applications. The initiative invites innovators worldwide to submit tech and digitally enabled solutions that can help cities in Europe and Central Asia accelerate their green and digital transitions.
The BOOST x CEF initiative, led by UNDP’s BOOST regional impact acceleration programme together with the City Experiment Fund (CEF) and supported by the Slovak Ministry of Finance, supports cities in navigating complex urban transformation through strategic innovation. In response to growing urban pressures from the green and digital transition, this initiative is designed to help cities confront these challenges head-on by connecting them with entrepreneurs and impact innovators who can deliver practical, scalable solutions.
Deadline: applications are open until 19 October 2025.
Register now: boostimpact.org/challenges/green-urban-tech.
Who should apply?
The open call seeks solutions that can turn real-time data into greener decisions, engage residents in sustainable lifestyles, and help build urban systems that are more resilient to climate and other risks.
The open call seeks innovators with solutions in the following areas:
- Turning data into green decisions: solutions that turn real-time data into actionable insights for faster, fairer, and greener decisions in cities.
- Engaging residents in the green transition: solutions that motivate and reward residents to adopt sustainable lifestyles and actively participate in the green transition.
- Building green and resilient urban systems: solutions that help reduce waste, restore ecosystems, and build resilience to climate risks.
The initiative welcomes solutions from registered businesses, civil society organizations, or academic institutions. Submitted solutions should be beyond the idea stage, namely, tested with real users.
Teams should be ready and able to adapt their solutions for smaller cities in Armenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and/or Ukraine, in order to pilot their solution in City Experiment Fund (CEF) partner cities in 2026.
Why should you join?
Selected teams will
- Present directly to city leaders at BOOST Discovery Days.
- Benefit from curated matchmaking and partnership support.
- Have the chance to apply for up to USD 30,000 to adapt and pilot their solution in CEF partner cities in 2026.
- Be featured in BOOST’s open solutions directory and urban innovations series.
Key dates
- 19 October 2025: application deadline
- 10 November 2025: announcement of selected solutions
- 19-21 November 2025 BOOST: discovery Days
- December 2025 – January 2026: matchmaking and partnership acceleration
- Q1 2026 BOOST: Innovation Challenge – open application for financial awards
- Q1-Q2 2026: Adaptation and deployment of solutions