- The Giga Accelerator seeks to narrow the digital divide by launching Giga’s first call for proposals aimed at developing open-source scalable solutions to advance school connectivity.
- All growth-stage organizations with digital infrastructure products are encouraged to apply. The application period runs from August 18 to September 21, 2025.
Giga, the global joint initiative between the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) supporting governments to connect every school to the Internet by 2030, has officially launched the Giga Accelerator: A five-month programme designed to identify, fund and scale digital connectivity products for underserved and unserved schools around the world.
The Giga Accelerator, with the support of the Government of Spain, the Regional Government of Catalonia, and the City of Barcelona, and delivered jointly with Plug and Play, will support a global cohort of 12 growth-stage organizations with tested solutions aimed at expanding internet access in rural and remote environments. Organizations within Spain and women-owned organizations are encouraged to apply.
From October 2025 to February 2026, selected participants will join a five-month programme structured to help them strengthen their products, refine their strategies, and prepare for scalable deployment.
Participants will receive up to USD $50,000 in non-dilutive grant funding, alongside mentorship, technical guidance and access to a global network of partners. Delivered mostly virtually but anchored in the Giga Technology Centre in Barcelona, the programme will conclude with an in-person Demo Day at the centre, and leading solutions will have the opportunity to present at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, providing high-level exposure.
“Digital solutions can be a game-changer, with the potential to accelerate progress across 70 per cent of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said Alex Wong, Giga Co-Lead, ITU “To that end, the Giga Accelerator Programme is designed to extend connectivity where it is needed most by helping growth-stage organizations maximize the reach of their digital products and tools.”
Leveraging its expertise in startup acceleration, Plug and Play will oversee the programme curriculum, including expert-led workshops, connections with key stakeholders and one-on-one mentorships focused on overcoming real-world barriers to implementation.
“We’re excited to support Giga and help bring more schools online. Startups have the power to create real impact, and with the right support, they can help every community around the world,” said Saeed Amidi, CEO and Founder, Plug and Play.
Applications are open to organizations from around the world to put forward bold, scalable solutions to some of the most pressing connectivity challenges faced by schools today. The selection process will run through mid-September, with the programme officially kicking off in early October.
The Giga Accelerator will contribute to a broader global effort to support digital public infrastructure and scale solutions that enable every child and community to access information, opportunity and choice.
To apply or learn more, visit https://giga.global/accelerator-programme/
About Giga
Against the backdrop of rapidly evolving digital technologies, it is unimaginable that one third of humanity – or 2.6 billion people – still remain offline. This lack of connectivity extends to many schools, as a result of which the children have fewer opportunities to learn and realize their full potential. Closing this digital divide requires global collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation.
In 2019, UNICEF and ITU joined forces to create Giga: a global initiative supporting governments to connect their schools with innovations in school mapping, infrastructure modelling, as well as expertise in contracting, financing, policy and regulation. Giga tailors its solutions to the unique contexts of each country to achieve long-term, meaningful school connectivity.
Along with Spain, Giga is supported by the Government of Switzerland, the Regional Government of Catalonia and the City of Barcelona. Private sector supporters include Ericsson, Dell, and IHS Towers. Learn more: https://giga.global/about-us
About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.