The University of Limerick (UL) will lead a major €4 million research initiative, CyberUnite, to strengthen the cybersecurity of cross-border critical infrastructure. Co-led by Professor Donna O’Shea of UL’s School of Engineering and Dr. Kieran McLaughlin of Queen’s University Belfast’s Centre for Secure Information Technologies, the project marks the first time an Irish government agency… [Read More]
Industry
Bettervest & CEI Africa Partner to Boost Off-Grid Clean Energy in Sub-Saharan Africa
German impact crowdinvesting platform bettervest and CEI Africa, a foundation funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW, have signed a Framework Agreement to expand their collaboration on improving energy access in Sub-Saharan Africa. bettervest is the first German crowdlending platform to receive CEI Africa funding, underlining its role… [Read More]
AfDB Boosts Zambia’s Private Sector Growth
The African Development Bank (AfDB) reinforced its commitment to Zambia’s private sector-led growth by hosting a strategic side event during the inaugural Invest in Zambia International Conference. Themed “Catalyzing Private Sector Growth: Unlocking AfDB’s Financing Toolkit in Zambia,” the session brought together private companies, financial institutions, development partners, and government officials to explore opportunities for… [Read More]
£2M Grant Powers University of Stirling’s Aquaculture Welfare Project in Asia
The University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture has secured $2.7 million (around £2 million) in funding from Open Philanthropy to lead a three-year project aimed at improving the welfare of farmed fish in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. This project builds on a previous initiative funded by Open Philanthropy that focused on fish welfare in Thailand… [Read More]
Global Updates: Education Aid for Afghanistan, Seaweed Farming Boost in Latin America, Somalia Faces Drought Crisis
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a $3.5 million contribution from the Government of Indonesia to support its school meal programme in Afghanistan. With this funding, WFP will procure over 1,200 metric tons of fortified biscuits, benefiting 200,000 primary school children over a three-month period. For many students, this daily snack is… [Read More]
$50 Million Climate Resilience Fund Launched to Support At-Risk Communities
A new Adaptation and Resilience Fund (A&R Fund) has been launched to deliver over $50 million to locally led climate adaptation solutions. The fund is a collaborative effort by several global philanthropic organizations including ClimateWorks Foundation, Howden Foundation, Laudes Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation. It aims to support people in low- and… [Read More]
Global Plastic Treaty Negotiations Begin in Geneva to Tackle Pollution Crisis
Plastic waste is set to triple by 2060 unless the global community reaches a binding international agreement, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). This stark warning underscores the urgency of the UNEP-led negotiations currently underway, following a 2022 decision by UN Member States to create a legally binding instrument aimed at ending the plastic… [Read More]
New AFFM Project to Boost Fertilizer Access for Farmers Across Tanzania
The Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM), a special fund administered by the African Development Bank Group, will officially launch a partial credit guarantee project in Tanzania on August 7, 2025. The project aims to improve fertilizer access for 550,000 smallholder farmers across the country by strengthening the supply and distribution chain of fertilizers. With an… [Read More]
HAVAÍC Announces Second Close of $50M Fund 3 to Back African Tech Startups
HAVAÍC has announced the second close of its US$50 million African Innovation Fund 3, securing US$25 million in commitments. This milestone is backed by key investors including Sanlam Multi-Manager, Fireball Capital, and the SA SME Fund. The fund is aimed at accelerating investment into Africa’s innovation ecosystem, focusing on scalable post-revenue startups with regional and… [Read More]
Educators Insights 2025: Transforming Nigeria’s Education Landscape in Port Harcourt
The Educators Insights Summit, held on July 30th at the Atrium Event Centre in Port Harcourt, brought together over 1,000 school owners, principals, and policymakers, marking a major moment for education in South-South Nigeria. Hosted by Cloudnotte, the event focused on urgent priorities such as school growth, access to funding, and the adoption of emerging… [Read More]
£30 Million Funding Boost for Local Leaders Across UK Nations to Spur Innovation
The UK government has announced that local leaders across all four nations of the United Kingdom will each receive at least £30 million to direct science and technology funding towards their regional strengths. This initiative, part of the £500 million Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, aims to unlock transformative research and innovations that improve everyday life… [Read More]
Clean Cooking Sector Hits Milestone with Record Growth and Surge in Carbon Revenue
The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) has published its latest Clean Cooking Industry Snapshot, revealing significant financial shifts within the sector. Since 2018, revenues among tracked clean cooking enterprises have increased eightfold, while capital raised has grown fivefold—largely due to a sharp rise in debt financing. The report underscores the increasing influence of carbon markets in… [Read More]
Canada Invests Over $850,000 to Drive Sustainable Economic Development in Northern Ontario
The Government of Canada has announced $863,023 in funding through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor) to support innovation and sustainable economic development across the region. The announcement was made by Pauline Rochefort, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development and Member of Parliament for Nipissing–Timiskaming, on behalf of Minister Patty Hajdu. Of the… [Read More]
Zambia Strengthens Labour Standards Compliance with Support from ILO Workshop
A three-day Normative Capacity-Building Workshop organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) from 23 to 25 July 2025 at Pamodzi Hotel marked a key development in Zambia’s efforts to improve compliance with international labour standards. The event brought together diverse stakeholders, including officials from major government ministries, employer organizations, worker representatives, and development partners. Participants… [Read More]
Erasmus+ EU Funding for Education, Youth, Training & Sport Opportunities
The 2025 Erasmus+ Capacity Building for Higher Education programme has proposed 173 new projects for funding, aiming to enhance international cooperation in higher education. These projects are part of a broader effort to strengthen the global role of higher education institutions in tackling shared challenges and adapting to rapid changes in the education landscape. The… [Read More]
Morgan State University Reaches Historic $100M in Research Commitments
Morgan State University has achieved a historic milestone by surpassing $100 million in sponsored research funding for the first time, reaching $104.4 million in Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). This represents an 18% increase from the $88.5 million secured in FY24. The achievement marks significant progress toward the university’s strategic goal of obtaining R1 (very high… [Read More]
UK Invests £30 Million to Decarbonise Shipping and Create Maritime Jobs
The UK government has announced £30 million in new funding to accelerate the decarbonisation of the maritime sector and support economic growth in coastal communities. The investment, part of the sixth round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), will fund projects that develop green maritime fuels and technologies such as ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, solar,… [Read More]
Boosting SME Lending: Africa’s New Trade Finance Fund Unveiled
Nigerian investment management firm ARM is preparing to launch a new trade finance fund aimed at increasing access to trade finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa. The fund will work by providing loans to banks on the continent, thereby strengthening their ability to extend financing to local businesses involved in trade. The… [Read More]
€45 Million Investment to Advance Green Hydrogen in Sustainable Industries
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) and the National Growth Fund programme GroenvermogenNL have awarded over €45 million to the HyCARB project, led by the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). This funding follows the call for proposals under the theme “Hydrogen and green electrons for carbon-based chemistry,” aiming to support the Dutch chemical industry’s… [Read More]
Swiss Network in India and HCLSoftware Join Forces to Develop Next-Gen GovTech Solutions
HCLSoftware has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Swiss Network in India—comprising the Embassy of Switzerland, the Swiss Business Hub India, and Swissnex in India—to join the Indo-Swiss Innovation Platform. This collaboration aligns with the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) framework and is aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in digital infrastructure… [Read More]
USDA Forest Service Announces $80 Million Investment in Timber Industry and Forest Conservation
The U.S. Forest Service has announced an $80 million investment through its Wood Innovation Grants program to boost wood products manufacturing, expand active forest management, and accelerate energy innovation in timber-producing communities across the United States. This funding initiative is aimed at strengthening rural economies, improving forest health, and promoting sustainable use of natural resources…. [Read More]
Empowering Communities with the West Africa Clean Cooking Fund
The West Africa Clean Cooking Fund aims to revolutionize cooking practices in a region where over 267 million people still rely on traditional biomass fuels. This reliance contributes to serious health problems, particularly for women, and leads to environmental degradation, including deforestation and rising greenhouse gas emissions. The fund will be accelerated through an initial… [Read More]
UNDP’s timbuktoo Initiative Reshapes Development Finance at FFD4
On the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted a high-level event titled “Building the Future of Engagement with the Private Sector.” The event focused on mobilizing private capital and reforming the international financial architecture, highlighting UNDP’s timbuktoo initiative as a prime… [Read More]
