16 International Humanitarian Organisations Pitch Solutions at Luxexpo

On Thursday 29 June 2023, the Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator (HIA) Pitch Event took place at Luxexpo The Box in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

Co-funded by the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), and co-organised by the World Food Programme (WFP) and Luxinnovation, the event presented the sixteen projects selected from the HIA call for projects launched at the start of 2023, which received 375 applications.

The HIA is a programme that aims to promote the development of innovative solutions to enable humanitarian actors to respond to the most complex challenges in the most difficult conditions. The programme particularly targets innovations from the fields of space technology, data science and artificial intelligence, health technology, and supply chain and logistics.

In the presence of Franz Fayot, Luxembourg Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, and Heinz Habertheuer, Director of the Department of Programmes and International Projects of the Austrian Development Agency, the sixteen organisations selected, from Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, Uganda, Niger, Kenya, Denmark, the Netherlands, Cameroon, Libya, Jordan, Cambodia and Luxembourg, showcased their solutions in front of investors, donors, government officials, business leaders, as well as other key humanitarian actors and private sector leaders.

“Today we were able to see sixteen outstanding innovative projects, all of which have the potential to bring positive and lasting impact in increasingly complex humanitarian contexts. I am pleased to see the many international collaborations, presented today as part of the HIA, aimed at finding new innovative solutions and thus responding to the most urgent humanitarian needs. Through the HIA, we want to make the best of innovation available for humanitarian purposes and I am particularly proud that Luxembourg can contribute its part,” said Minister Fayot during the Pitch Event.

“The HIA tackles the toughest topics facing the world; challenges that can be addressed much more effectively and efficiently through innovation and technology. It's hugely inspiring to see how the teams showing up here today are using cutting-edge technology to solve pressing human needs. This will not fail to stimulate Luxinnovation in its efforts to make our companies more and more innovative and eager to develop solutions that can contribute to solving the problems facing our planet,” added Sasha Baillie, CEO of Luxinnovation.

The final winners entitled to funding of up to €500,000 and participation in the acceleration programme, which will constitute the next stage of the HIA, will be selected in July 2023 after the meeting of an innovation committee which will be in charge of this selection.