Geneva – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is launching its first-ever Innovation Facility, a dynamic platform and funding mechanism designed to drive transformative solutions to global migration challenges and help improve the global migration system. The Facility will help IOM deliver on our key goals of saving lives, driving solutions to displacement, and supporting pathways for regular migration.

“Innovation and learning are at the very heart of IOM’s strategic approach to addressing evolving migration dynamics, helping us ensure that we leverage the vast cultural and economic benefits of migrants and migration,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Our new Innovation Facility provides a platform for the co-creation of impactful and sustainable solutions by IOM, our partners, communities and migrants themselves.”

From creating a circular model for electronic waste management in displacement settings in Uganda, to developing an innovative ambulatory system to provide neonatal care in remote parts of Nigeria, there are endless possibilities for innovation in the migration space.

The first priority of the new Facility will be to foster robust partnerships and engage with a global community of change-makers to amplify the reach and effectiveness of migration solutions. 

“We invite partners from all sectors to work with us in developing, piloting and scaling innovative solutions that have a lasting impact on the global migration landscape,” said Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations. “Ultimately, the Facility aims to accelerate results that will save lives and protect people on the move, drive solutions to displacement, and facilitate pathways for regular migration.” 

More than a funding mechanism, the Facility also offers targeted technical, mentorship and capacity development support through the INCKED @ IOM – the Innovation Capacity and Knowledge Development Initiative. Developed in collaboration with the UNICEF Office of Innovation, innovators are trained on topics such as systems thinking, foresight, human-centred design and business modelling. This initiative aims to empower innovators to leverage innovation as a tool to address complex migration challenges, while fostering a culture of creativity and collaboration.

The Facility is being launched alongside the IOM Knowledge Management Strategy 2024-2028, aiming to strengthen IOM’s knowledge management approach. It ensures that lessons learned, and good practices systematically inform decision-making and programming. The strategy also addresses knowledge management gaps identified by IOM staff during consultations, while setting a clear vision to strengthen knowledge sharing and contribute to enhanced results across the organization.

The Knowledge Management Strategy 2024-28 plays a pivotal role in the implementation of the IOM Strategic Plan 2024-2028, which identifies learning and innovation as key enablers in achieving the Organization’s strategic objectives. 

Note to Editor

For more information about the IOM Innovation Facility and partnership opportunities, click here. 

For more information, please contact:

In Geneva: Laura Amadori, Head of the Innovation and Knowledge Management Unit at IOM - lamadori@iom.int