The Gates Foundation is part of the Grand Challenges partnership network. Visit <a href="https://www.grandchallenges.org" target="_blank">www.grandchallenges.org</a> to view the map of awarded grants across this network and grant opportunities from partners.

Grand Challenges supports exceptional scientists with the expertise to do breakthrough R&amp;D as well as the experience, networks, and skills to excel as scientific leaders. These champions co-create projects with global partners, mobilize key institutions in their countries, and improve public health in their communities and around the world.

Grand Challenges funds innovations to tackle the biggest problems in global health and development. Since 2004, through the Grand Challenges program, we have supported more than 2500 innovation projects in more than 90 countries.

For more than 20 years, Grand Challenges has built trusted relationships with global health funders and researchers. We tap into this powerful network to create unique scientific collaborations with a transformative impact on people's lives.

Innovation happens all along the journey from idea, to experiment, to product or policy, and finally to delivery at scale in communities. We fund innovation projects while supporting an environment of champions, systems, and partnerships to maximize the impact these projects make in people's lives.

The 4 Pillars of the Grand Challenges Ecosystem

Doing groundbreaking science requires the right mix of institutions, policies, and tools. Grand Challenges works with partners in low- and middle-income countries to build or strengthen the capacities they need to succeed in R&amp;D.

African Scientific Leaders Outline Focused Actions to Strengthen Health R&D

While national and regional policies have sought to address long-standing barriers within Africa’s R&D ecosystem, many challenges persist, particularly at the operational level. The Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellows now outline actionable pathways to unlock Africa’s health research potential, actively calling on researchers, policymakers, implementers, funders, and governments to collaboratively contribute to reshaping and enabling the continent’s R&D landscape.In a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44360-025-00015-8" target="_blank">commentary</a> recently published in Nature Health, the Fellows argue that “the challenges we face as Africans in the current rapidly changing international funding environment underscore the importance of engaging in relevant actions to collectively shape a bright future for African R&D.” The full paper can be found on <a href="https://gatesopenresearch.org/documents/9-59" target="_blank">Gates Open Research</a>.

Why Smart Money Backs Health Innovation

Share this content

Explore More Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship

Science at the Frontlines of Birth

The Real Flex in African Health Domestic Financing Explained

How Bold New Research is Changing Everything

Advancing Health in Africa through Data and Bio-Specimen Sharing