IKP Grand Challenges Explorations

IKP Grand Challenges Explorations (IKP-GCE) is an initiative to encourage and nurture innovation in areas that impact global health. This is the second call for proposals, the first having been launched in October 2011. This is not a business plan competition, nor is it a venture fund. IKP-GCE is about you, your idea, and empowering you with the tools, network, and funds, to help you take your idea to the next stage of realization. Our network of highly qualified individuals will walk with you for the first two years, help refine your business strategy, provide technical consulting, and help you overcome other hurdles in the early stage of technology development. 

The IKP-GCE initiative by IKP Knowledge Park in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will aim to address global health challenges by encouraging entrepreneurship in India. We are in the search for life-changing ideas from talented and motivated professionals; ideas that will improve the quality of life of people in the developing world. Our ultimate goal is the quest for new drugs, vaccines, delivery systems, diagnostics, devices and service models that can potentially be made available to people from all socio-economic strata.

In 2010, over 5% of India’s GDP was spent on healthcare, a large portion of the expenses incurred by the top tiers of population. About 80% of the spending happens in the private sector, a skewed pattern compared to China or Thailand where the Government covers 75% of the expenses. The healthcare industry stands at USD 17 Billion and is growing at the rate of 13%/year. IKP-GCE is where science meets purpose, at a time when emerging economies such as India are poised to compete with larger economies. We expect that Healthcare innovation from within our nation will address the needs of our nation better; IKP-GCE is a search to identify healthcare innovations that will enable the goal of equitable healthcare.

The IKP Grand Challenges Explorations Program
IKP-GCE is an opportunity to put yourself on the same platform as Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) grantees from all over the world, while also leveraging the mentorship, resources and network that IKP offers. If selected you will be recognized as a GCE Phase I grantee, and will be eligible for a Phase I funding of USD 100,000 for a period of 18 months to two years. Successful projects will have the opportunity to apply for a follow-on grant of up to USD 1 Million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Apart from the funding, IKP Knowledge Park will closely work with the chosen candidates; provide them technical and business strategy advice, as also access to synergistic networks within the nation and outside, including that of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; factors that would be critical to making an innovation a medical and commercial success.

Scope of IKP Grand Challenges Explorations
We are seeking ideas to create drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, devices and delivery systems that will address the health issues as delineated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, such as

For more info, please refer 

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/global-health/Pages/global-health-strategies.aspx

 

Proposals will be selected based on the following criteria
1. Novelty in innovation
2. Potential Societal Impact
3. Access and Affordability to end users
4. Sustainability – commercialization and commoditization
5. Alignment with goals of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s GCE program
6. 18 Month Plan and Execution Capability

FOR EVERY WINNING IDEA...

• USD 100,000 as grant from the Bill & Melinda  Gates Foundation
• Mentorship from industry leaders for 2 years
• Access to IKP, its resources & vast network
• Opportunity for Phase II funding of up to USD 1 M
  

ANYONE CAN APPLY
Students, Researchers, Faculty, SMEs, Non-profit organizations working in the following areas of healthcare (Click here for topics)

Download Program Overview

Moreinfo: http://www.ikp-gce.com