
Call 10 opens
on Monday 15th September
Applications will be open to all FCDO staff until 15th October.
Do you see potential in technologies like GenAI, IoT sensors or robotics to tackle the toughest challenges in your work?
The Frontier Tech Hub enables FCDO staff to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions by de-risking the riskiest assumptions, partnering locally and generating decision-ready evidence.
On September 15th 2025, we will open our Tenth Call for Applications. And we’re calling for your ideas to harness frontier technologies in the real world.
This year, we’re especially keen on ideas that accelerate climate and nature action, strengthen humanitarian response, support inclusive economic growth and nurture open, democratic societies—always with value for money and transparency in mind.
Innovative solutions are needed, now more than ever, and we’ve already seen the potential frontier technologies hold to accelerate progress on critical global challenges. If technology could move the needle in your work, bring us your problem and an idea. We’ll help you prove what works and deliver greater impact.



Since 2016, we’ve supported 75 ideas and engaged 95 FCDO staff across 30+ countries.
Explore the portfolio below
Can sharing data about public water filtration systems build trust in the water supply and reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles?
Can open data systems help smallholder farmers prove they’re following deforestation rules and stay in global supply chains?
Can banana fibre paper help fight parasitic nematodes and protect white yam crops?
Can we gather better data on insect biodiversity with the help of sensing technologies and AI?
Can an AI-powered platform connect Kenyan start-ups with the right funders to help them secure early-stage investment?
Can bamboo and straw offer a sustainable, affordable solution for housing in regions most affected by rising temperatures?
Can an AI legal tool tailored to Malawi’s local context help reduce case backlogs and improve access to justice?
Can digital personalised learning technology empower teachers and improve classroom instruction?
Can AI make solar mini grids a more reliable energy source for powering irrigation in Ethiopian farms?
Can an AI-powered chatbot provide immediate support to victims of gender-based violence?
Can a combination of sensors, imagery, and machine learning help locate clandestine graves in Mexico?
Can we use technologies to detect environmentally damaging activities and help hold governments accountable?
Can drones deploy a special nano-biogel fire retardant in Brazil’s forests to stop the spread of wildfires?
Can we use AI to tackle conflict-related misinformation on social media in Arabic?
Is it possible to develop an Artificial Intelligence-based system to predict forced displacement in near real time?
Can AI systems that retrieve and synthesise data support international development practitioners with common evidence-based tasks?
Can technology accurately measure the carbon storage impact of regeneration efforts in the Sahel and link to global carbon markets?
Can IoT technology efficiently manage resources (water, air) and waste in real time?
Can alternative transportation solutions improve accessibility in urban Kenya?
Can producing high-purity silica from agricultural waste develop a new supply chain and create jobs?
Can a chatbot improve the effectiveness and efficiency of vaccine uptake?
Can conventional plastic production facilities be retrofitted to produce bioplastics?
How can the manufacturing of viral vector-based vaccines be optimised for production in Africa?
Can earth observations from satellites coupled with ground big data provide insights for due diligence requirements in a sustainable cocoa production market?
Can drone-based remote sensing successfully track reforestation programs in Sierra Leone and therefore increase climate investments?
Can augmented reality improve educational outcomes for school children in Mexico?
Can blockchain technology increase land-based climate investments in Ghana?
Can AI and machine learning generate a heat map of places where Freedom or Religion of Belief is under threat?
Can digital remittance technology support informal businesses in Southern Africa?
Can virtual and augmented reality support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and contribute to more effective CRSV court cases?
We’ve been developing bodies of evidence for 10 years. What would you like to dig into first?
Click below to learn about different frontier technologies and how the FCDO is using them to solve challenges around the world.
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Drones
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Internet of Things
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Web 3.0
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Geospatial data
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Blockchain
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3D printing
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Sensors
