QBE AcceliCITY Humanitarian Challenge 2025

Applications open 1 September 2025

Disasters are getting more intense, more frequent and more complex – but communities are adapting in real time, often without the tools they need.

The QBE AcceliCITY Humanitarian Challenge backs real-world solutions that help people prepare for, respond to and recover from climate-driven disasters.

We’re calling on global startups and entrepreneurs to bring forward ethical, scalable, tech-driven solutions that support disaster resilience – especially in communities facing the greatest risks.

This is a global challenge designed to meet local needs – and it’s grounded in community insight, not just innovation hype.

What we’re looking for

We want early-stage innovations that can:

Turn complex climate risk data into clear, local insights so people can understand what’s coming and act early

Make recovery simpler so people can get the right help after disaster without retelling their story or navigating a maze of services

Help communities respond faster, together so when needs change quickly, locals can step in and know who needs what, where and when.

Solutions don’t need to be perfect just grounded in real needs, backed by a capable team and ready to grow.

Why join this Challenge?

Pitch your idea – then co-create it with the people it’s built for.

Selected teams don’t just win – they build, test and scale where it matters most:

• Accelerate with purpose through the AcceliCITY program and Humanitech Innovation Curriculum
• Strengthen your solution with expert mentoring and feedback from frontline communities
• Pilot in real-world settings with support from the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.

Whether you win or not, you’ll gain exposure to real users, mentors who understand humanitarian complexity, and a network of problem-solvers building for long-term impact.

A different kind of innovation challenge

This is not your standard startup competition. It’s a partnership between:

Australian Red Cross and the Global Disaster Preparedness Center
Humanitarian insight and deep community ties

QBE Foundation
Global networks and risk expertise

Leading Cities
International reach and experience scaling civic innovation

Together, we’re creating a pathway to help early-stage solutions move fast, stay grounded and scale with impact.

These capabilities rarely sit in the same room. This collaboration is uniquely placed to help startups overcome the real-world barriers to scale – from compliance and procurement to community trust and systems integration.

Backed by results

Since 2018, the QBE AcceliCITY partnership has helped startups from over 70 countries raise more than $2.2B in capital and generate $1.5B in revenue.

In 2024, the Humanitarian Challenge attracted 128 global applicants. Winning startup WEO piloted its digital twin mapping technology in Dargo, Victoria – a town repeatedly hit by fires and floods – and is now exploring opportunities to scale across other high-risk communities.

This model – co-designed, locally piloted, globally supported – is already turning bold ideas into systems-shifting solutions.

Get ready to apply

Finalists will join a powerful global network and receive support to pilot in communities that need it most.

This is your invitation to build for impact – not just innovation.