Grand Challenges Canada and CONCYTEC collaborate to support global health innovation in Peru

TORONTO and LIMA, Perú, Jan. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - Grand Challenges Canada, funded by the Government of Canada, and the National Council for Science, Technology, & Technological Innovation (CONCYTEC) of the Republic of Peru are proud to announce a collaborative agreement that will support 'Stars in Global Health' innovators based in Peru.

The Stars in Global Health program is designed to support Bold Ideas with Big Impact from the best and brightest talent, both in low- and middle-income countries and in Canada, to use scientific/technical, social and business innovation to alleviate some of the world's most critical global health and development issues. To date, total investments under the Grand Challenges Canada Stars in Global Health program is $32 million in 295 projects.

Although innovators from Peru are already eligible for funding through the Stars in Global Health program, this new agreement with CONCYTEC will increase the potential to support more innovators in Peru.  Peruvian projects that fall within the 20 high-priority areas that Concytec has established in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Peru will receive special attention. The collaboration will also result in key documents, such as the Request for Proposals (RFP), application questions, and the Proposal Development Resource being available in Spanish. In addition, translation and proposal development support will be offered to potential applicants based in Peru. This will strengthen our overall focus on developing and nurturing a growing pipeline of innovations, particularly in Latin America.

The ideas may encompass development/deployment of products and/or services along the spectrum of global health, including drug discovery, vaccine development, diagnostics, health and medical education, maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases (including cancer and mental health), health-related water and sanitation, and health-related agriculture and nutrition.

For proof-of-concept projects, Grand Challenges Canada and CONCYTEC will co-fund innovators based in Peru up to a total $2 million CAD over two rounds of the program ($1 million each partner). For transition-to-scale projects, both parties will co-match funding provided by a smart partner up to $1 million CAD total ($500,000 each partner) as a grant or loan.

Without any doubt, this partnership will contribute to health, innovation and enterprise development in Peru and spur more innovations from Peru and South-America as a whole. By collaborating, Grand Challenges Canada and CONCYTEC consolidate the warm and growing bilateral interactions between both countries, anchored in Canada's engagement in the Americas.

"Grand Challenges Canada is proud to partner with the Government of Peru to support bold ideas with big impact and strengthen the Canada-Peru relationship in innovation," says Dr. Peter A. Singer, Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada.

"It's a privilege to join efforts with Grand Challenges Canada to help the less favoured population of Peru gain access to better health through the implementation of bold ideas that fall within Peruvian national priorities. Through this instrument, we will fund Peruvian innovators in Peru and abroad so they can contribute to their country", says Dr. Gisella Orjeda, president of CONCYTEC.

For more information, visit grandchallenges.ca or concytec.gob.pe.

About Grand Challenges Canada
Grand Challenges Canada is dedicated to supporting Bold Ideas with Big Impact™ in global health. We are funded by the Government of Canada through the Development Innovation Fund announced in the 2008 Federal Budget. We fund innovators in low- and middle-income countries and Canada. Grand Challenges Canada works with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada's Department for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), and global health foundations and organizations to find sustainable, long-term solutions through Integrated Innovation − bold ideas which integrate science, technology, social and business innovation. Grand Challenges Canada is hosted at the Sandra Rotman Centre.
www.grandchallenges.ca

About CONCYTEC
The National Council for Science, Technology, & Technological Innovation (CONCYTEC) is the governing body of the National System of Science, Technology, & Technological Innovation of the Republic of Peru. It's in charge of leading, promoting, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating the actions of the State across the country in the fields of science, technology & technological innovation; guides the actions of the private sector; and executes support actions promoting the scientific and technological development of Peru, aiming to fulfill its foundational mission which is to lead modern management of science, technology and innovation contributing to competitiveness and social inclusion.
www.concytec.gob.pe

SOURCE: Grand Challenges Canada

FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

Lode Roels
Grand Challenges Canada
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Patricia Vasquez
CONCYTEC
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