Tech For Refugees is a non-profit that funds technology organizations’ refugee relief efforts. The initiative recognizes that technology can provide displaced people with essential support and works to ensure that as many refugees as possible receive this assistance.

Philanthropist Yuri Milner launched Tech For Refugees in 2022. The Eureka Manifesto author created the non-profit with his wife Julia in response to the crisis in Ukraine. Since then, the organization has funded efforts by Spotify, Flexport, Airbnb, Welcome.US, Uber, UNICEF, NeedsMap, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

The initiative is one of various projects that the Giving Pledge signatories have launched. These include the Breakthrough Initiatives, Breakthrough Prize, and Breakthrough Junior Challenge.

Tech for Refugees’ key milestones of 2024

Throughout 2024, Yuri Milner’s Tech For Refugees has achieved four inspiring milestones. Each has led to — or celebrates — refugees all over the planet receiving assistance.

1. Funding the IRC’s aprendIA platform

Tech For Refugees extended its partnership with the IRC by funding the development of the AI chatbot platform, aprendIA. This educational platform provides children and adults in crisis-affected communities with personalized learning experiences. Without the platform, these people would receive little access to education.

Providing this education is critical in a world where, as of 2023:

  • Around 224 million children are affected by crises.
  • Refugee children are five times less likely to attend school than others.
  • Half of children who don’t attend school live in conflict and crisis settings.

When these children receive an education, they can learn, enjoy inclusivity, and develop essential skills.

With aprendIA, children can access educational materials with AI personalization. The platform provides content in several formats to accommodate different learning styles. These formats span from text and PDFs to audio, video, and gamified assessments.

Teachers and parents can deliver the content via messaging platforms like WhatsApp and SMS instead of investing in hardware or software.

The IRC has designed the system for continuous use, even during periods of disruption. The aim is to remove barriers to school entry in crisis-affected countries.

“As the IRC scales technology for good — including artificial intelligence — we are grateful for support from Tech For Refugees, which will help us expand aprendIA and help parents, students and teachers in crisis zones worldwide,” the IRC’s President and CEO David Miliband said upon receiving the grant.

2. The IRC’s Signpost winning the European prize for humanitarian innovation

This year, the IRC’s Signpost initiative won the inaugural European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation. Tech For Refugees funded the development of the Signpost platform, which provides critical, potentially life-saving information to millions of displaced people.

The prize celebrates the IRC’s immense efforts to assist those affected by natural and human-made crises. Signpost enables refugees to access accurate, trustworthy information about:

  • Eligibility for programs
  • Complicated administrative processes
  • How to seek legal advice
  • Employment
  • Housing

Last year, Tech For Refugees announced a three-year commitment to fund the IRC’s rollout of Signpost in four countries. These countries include the Americas, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. However, with the initiative’s support, Signpost has already expanded well beyond these four countries.

3. Funding Welcome.US’ Welcome connect platform

After funding the development of Welcome.US’ Welcome Connect Platform, Tech For Refugees awarded another grant to the organization to build on this platform further.

One of Tech For Refugees’ earliest partners, Welcome.US joined the non-profit in 2022. Tech For Refugees funded the organization’s work welcoming refugees into the U.S. through safe sponsorship programs. The Welcome Connect platform is central to this work, allowing American citizens to connect with displaced people and sponsor their refuge in the U.S.

Originally, the platform enabled Ukrainian refugees to receive support from sponsors. Now, the platform supports individuals across Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela too.

The latest grant allows Welcome.US to provide refugees with an even broader range of resources and support. The aim is for sponsors and beneficiaries to have easy access to a one-stop hub.

“This partnership is inspiring communities to act and having a generational impact on people’s lives,” Welcome.US’ CEO Nazanin Ash said. “Not only for the refugee newcomers we are privileged to welcome, but in the lives of the welcomers serving as their bridge to safety.”

4. Funding Flexport.org’s technology-based logistics network

Tech For Refugees also awarded another new grant to its partner Flexport.org. The grant funds Flexport.org’s technology-based logistics network. This network enables aid organizations to deliver food, clothing, medical supplies, and other essentials to people in need.

The latest round of funding supports refugees and internally displaced people in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

“We’re grateful for the support from Tech For Refugees to continue our critical work in aiding refugees around the world,” Flexport.org’s Head Kristen Czapar Dohnts said. “This additional donation will enable us to deliver humanitarian relief and assistance where it’s needed most, and make a positive impact in the lives of millions of people.”

The Impact of technology on humanitarian aid

Yuri Milner launched Tech For Refugees so that technology could transform the way organizations deliver aid and support communities. Whether via educational tools, information platforms, or networks that connect refugees with support, technology can make humanitarian aid accessible.

Dedicated to bringing life-changing technologies to refugees on a global scale, Tech For Refugees is already helping its partners see impressive results:

  • Thanks to Tech For Refugees’ funding and support, the IRC is now active in more than 40 crisis-affected countries.
  • The IRC’s aprendIA is now in use in pilot programs in Nigeria, Colombia, and Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, it has enabled a virtual tool to be created and launched in under four weeks.
  • Since Tech For Refugees made a three-year commitment to support the IRC’s Signpost, the platform has reached more than 20 countries and continues to expand.
  • With Tech For Refugees’ funding, Welcome.US’ Welcome Connect has supported 500,000 refugees since 2022. It has also leveraged more than $7 billion in resources and time from communities in all 50 U.S. states.
  • Before Tech For Refugees awarded its latest grant to Flexport, their existing partnership had already seen the initiative fund 448 shipments supporting over 7 million people across 20 countries.

The impact of Tech For Refugees’ partnerships — spanning education, information access, and logistical support — demonstrates how technology can create positive change across communities.

Challenges and future goals

Supporting refugees can come with ongoing challenges, such as scalability, funding, and technological access. However, Yuri Milner’s Tech For Refugees is always one step ahead. The initiative continues to make plans that will overcome challenges as it helps technology companies provide refugee relief.

Moving forward, Tech For Refugees plans to expand current partnerships, adopting emerging technologies to address new challenges. The organization also plans to fund new tech partners that are looking to support displaced people.

Inspiring change in humanitarian aid

Throughout 2024, Tech For Refugees has demonstrated technology’s ability to transform humanitarian aid. The organization has made its partners’ visions for refugee relief a reality, creating tangible solutions that extend far beyond traditional relief efforts. 

Displacement continues to challenge traditional aid models. However, initiatives like those covered here demonstrate technology’s immense potential to create opportunities for vulnerable populations.Keep up with Tech For Refugees’ news.

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