Ground Breaking Ideas Sought to Improve the Lives of Millions

SEATTLE (March 4, 2013) — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is accepting applications for Round 11 of its Grand Challenges Explorations initiative, an agile, accelerated grant program encouraging bold approaches aimed at improving the lives of the world’s poorest people. Anyone – students, scientists, entrepreneurs - with a transformative idea is invited to submit an easy, online, two-page application.

"To overcome persistent health and development problems, we need new, game-changing ideas,” said Chris Wilson, Director of Global Health Discovery & Translational Science at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  “Inspiration can come from anywhere and we are hopeful that this new round of Grand Challenges Explorations will uncover innovative approaches to improve lives around the world.” 

Since its launch in 2008, the Grand Challenges Explorations initiative has funded more than 800 grants in 52 countries. The program welcomes proposals from a broad spectrum of contributors, and encourages cross-discipline approaches.

Topics for Grand Challenges Explorations Round 11:

• Develop the Next Generation of Condom

• Increasing Interoperability of Social Good Data – in partnership with Liquidnet for Good

• “One Health”: Bringing Together Human and Animal Health for New Solutions

• Labor Saving Strategies and Innovations for Women Smallholder Farmers

• New Approaches for Detection, Treatment, and Control of Selected Neglected Tropical Diseases

Proposals are being accepted at www.grandchallenges.org through May 7, 2013.

The Gates Foundation and an independent group of reviewers will select the most innovative proposals, and grants will be awarded within approximately four months from the proposal submission deadline. Initial grants are USD$100,000 each. Projects demonstrating potential will have the opportunity to receive additional funding up to USD$1 million.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

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