PeaceTech Innovation Hub

Launched in January 2025

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Why It Matters – and Why Now

The PeaceTech Innovation Hub is a pioneering initiative led by the EssentialTech Centre and E4S, aiming to mobilise science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to prevent conflict, support peace processes, and foster post-conflict recovery.
This initiative is both timely and vital for three key reasons:

1. Armed conflicts are on the rise, with increasing levels of violence.
2. Science and technology hold immense, yet underutilised, potential to serve peace.
3. The EssentialTech Centre has proven expertise, with a track record of high-impact initiatives in fragile contexts.

Key Thematic Areas

Following the PeaceTech Hackathon – the world’s first of its kind – five priority areas were identified:

• Disarmament and humanitarian demining
• Cyberpeace (tackling polarisation, disinformation, and hate speech)
• Support for peace processes (e.g., mediation, de-escalation, peace technologies)
• Post-conflict recovery (both societal and environmental)
• Protection from gender-based violence

The programme will remain flexible and responsive to emerging needs and new thematic areas identified on the ground.

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How the Initiative Will Be Implemented

The programme will unfold in three key phases:

I. Project Selection
Priorities will be defined through mechanisms such as the biennial PeaceTech Hackathon and in collaboration with strategic partners. This approach ensures that solutions respond directly to concrete needs identified in the field.

II. Solution Development
Projects will be developed by interdisciplinary teams along two complementary tracks:

• Student-led projects
• Applied research projects
  This dual approach enables the development of a wide range of solutions — from exploratory innovations to strategic and in-depth interventions.
  Each project will be co-supervised by E4S and the EssentialTech Centre, and will benefit from the expertise of field-based partners to ensure relevance and practical value.

III. Deployment and Scaling Up
Once proof of concept is established, projects will be scaled beyond the Hub’s initial framework to ensure long-term sustainability and broader impact.

The Role of the EssentialTech Centre

The EssentialTech Centre will:

• Identify and surface the needs of organisations working in peacebuilding and violence prevention.
• Manage the overall programme.Each project will receive targeted support to:

1. Facilitate effective collaboration between the technological development teams and peace actors.
2. Define a clear and effective deployment strategy for the resulting technology.

The Role of E4S

E4S will:

• Co-supervise student projects linked to the Master’s in Sustainable Development of Technology.
• Provide support on economic and social dimensions across all projects.

A Tangible Impact

The goal of the PeaceTech Innovation Hub is not only to generate innovative ideas for peace, but also to ensure these ideas are developed and deployed in partnership with professional peacebuilding and anti-violence institutions.
For every project, a practical, sustainable, and scalable implementation strategy will be devised to maximise impact and ensure lasting change.

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