Together with existing partners Blockchain for Good Alliance and EMURGO Labs, the initiative will pilot blockchain solutions for sustainable development.
August 19, 2025 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is expanding its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Blockchain Accelerator with the addition of new global partners – the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) and FLock.io – joining founding partners Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) and EMURGO Labs. The expansion comes as the Accelerator prepares to launch its second cohort in September 2025, aimed at driving the adoption of blockchain technology to address global development priorities.
Led by UNDP’s Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab), the UNDP SDG Blockchain Accelerator kicked off earlier this year to identify, support, and pilot blockchain applications in areas such as climate finance, inclusive energy access, social protection, healthcare, and supply chain transparency (find out more about Cohort 1). The Accelerator is funded by BGA and Project Catalyst Fund13.
Between August and September 2025, UNDP and its partners will organize a series of global SDG Blockchain Hackathons – a two-week virtual co-creation process designed to match pressing development challenges with some of the leading blockchain developer teams around the world. Unlike traditional hackathons, this format focuses on building implementation-ready roadmaps designed to solve real-world problems at scale. It also serves as the main selection mechanism for the Accelerator’s second cohort, the next round of the four-month programme.
Each new partner brings distinct strengths to tackle developmental challenges – SDF supports the Stellar network with a mission to create equitable access to the global financial system and FLock.io, UNDP’s AI Strategic Partner, advances privacy AI solutions on blockchain. As part of their engagement, each partner will provide technical mentorship and support to selected teams throughout the hackathons and the subsequent Accelerator programme. BGA and EMURGO Labs remain anchor partners, supporting ten and seven pilots respectively, while SDF and FLock.io will each mentor five pilot projects. This partner-led support model is designed to increase the likelihood of practical deployment and long-term impact.
By combining the technical expertise of blockchain partners with UNDP’s global network and on-the-ground knowledge, the Accelerator aims to accelerate the development of scalable blockchain solutions that advance the SDGs and UNDP’s priority innovation areas – such as climate action, inclusive digital finance, and stronger governance systems.
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