Transition to Scale Program

Transition to Scale Program is sponsored by Grand Challenges Canada (GCC). The Transition to Scale (TTS) program supports promising innovations with a proven impact that have the potential to save or improve lives in global health. It specifically targets innovators from low- and middle-income countries who are positioned to scale their bold ideas.

How we fund - Grand Challenges Canada About us Learn more about Grand Challenges Canada What we do We fund and support innovations that save and improve lives Impact See how our investments are transforming lives and driving global change Partner with us Partner with us to fund bold ideas and scale impact Learn more about Grand Challenges Canada Our vision Our vision to build a world where innovation helps everyone thrive Our approach Learn more about how Grand Challenges Canada invests in bold ideas for big impact Grand Challenges model Overcoming barriers through innovation Leadership & team Meet the people driving strategy, partnerships and impact Work with us Join our team and help drive innovation that changes lives Accountability Our audited financials, policies, and commitment to transparency.

Governance How we're governed and held accountable Innovator resources Resources, policies and helpful documents for GCC-supported innovators We fund and support innovations that save and improve lives Learn more about what we do How we fund Learn how we find, find and support high-impact innovations Blended finance We use blended finance and strategic investments to support innovators on their journey to scale Investment funds Learn more about our role as a catalytic investor in global health investment funds Gender lens investing We apply a gender lens to all of our investments Our portfolios Our portfolio includes bold ideas that span global health, humanitarian and Indigenous innovation Being Initiative Being is a global mental health initiative that envisions a world where young people feel well and thrive Global Mental Health Community-driven solutions to promote mental health and well-being Maternal and newborn health Innovations to improve care, outcomes, and survival for mothers and newborns.

Nexa Nexa is a global climate × health innovation initiative led by Grand Challenges Canada and the Science for Africa Foundation, together with a global consortium of partners investing in bold, locally led solutions that help health systems anticipate and respond to climate-driven health threats.

Nexa Lighthouse Nexa Lighthouse is a climate and health initiative co-led by Grand Challenges Canada and AVPN, bringing together Nexa and The Lighthouse Fund with a coalition of funding partners. It supports locally led innovations that help communities across Asia and the Pacific anticipate, adapt to, and respond to climate-related health threats.

OPTions Initiative Expanding access and the creation of next generation methods for pregnancy termination, where there are legal grounds to support it Play Learn Thrive Supporting early childhood development and education for children in crisis settings Sanitation Innovations that improve access to safe, sustainable sanitation for all Saving Brains Early childhood innovations that protect and nurture brain development in the first critical years of life.

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Investing in community-led solutions to end sexual and gender-based violence Stars in Global Health Seed funding for bold, early-stage ideas to address pressing global health challenges See how our investments are transforming lives and driving global change Learn more about our impact By the numbers Explore the impact of our investments around the world How we measure impact How we learn, adapt, and measure what matters Reports & publications Annual reports, case studies, white papers, evaluations and more How to apply Find out if you're eligible and how to apply for funding.

Innovator resources Resources, policies and helpful documents for GCC-supported innovators Our approach is designed to be flexible, inclusive, and responsive to what innovators need at every stage of their journey Our approach is designed to be flexible, inclusive, and responsive to what innovators need at every stage: To test early-stage ideas and generate proof of concept with grants of up to $250,000 CAD.

Transition to Scale funding To grow and strengthen proven innovations with funding, tailored support, and blended finance. Ecosystem catalyst grants To strengthen the systems, partnerships, and environments that help innovations scale. Choreographed investments with governments, philanthropic capital and private equity to drive impact at scale.

The Grand Challenges approach Our work is grounded in a bold, proven model: the Grand Challenges approach. A Grand Challenge is a significant barrier that, if overcome, could unlock transformational impact for millions of people. We identify critical barriers to global health and development —especially those that remain unsolved because they’re considered too complex, too risky, or too underfunded.

We believe that these are the areas where innovation is needed most. We apply the Grand Challenges model through a strategic, six-part cycle: We identify urgent, critical barrier(s) where innovation could deliver transformational impact—drawing on evidence, local insights, and expert consultation.

Launch innovation competitions We issue open calls that reach bold thinkers around the world—especially from underrepresented communities and low- and middle-income countries. We fund the most promising solutions through a rigorous, equity-centered review process, offering support at every stage—from seed to scale. Our investments go beyond capital.

We provide venture advisory, technical guidance, gender and policy expertise, and connections to co-investors and partners. We help innovators strengthen their models, access new markets, and scale through public-sector partnerships, private-sector growth, or both. We measure lives reached, improved, and saved—and continuously refine our model to improve outcomes, accountability, and value for money.

We use a blended finance approach to find, fund and scale high-impact innovations — combining grants, equity, loans and catalytic investments to de-risk bold ideas and unlock new capital. By tailoring our support to what innovators need most, we help bridge the gap between promising solutions and real-world impact. We also invest in impact funds, serving as a catalytic investor to crowd in additional support.

We support innovations that improve lives in areas where the need is greatest — women’s health, mental health, child development, humanitarian innovation, Indigenous innovation, and more. From early-stage ideas to solutions that are ready to scale, we fund bold approaches with the potential to drive change and deliver measurable impact.

Grow your idea with our help & support Through our Transition to Scale (TTS) program, GCC supports promising innovations from low- and middle-income countries who are positioned to take their bold ideas to big impact. Applications to Transition to Scale are managed on an invitation basis.

If an innovation is selected to apply, Grand Challenges Canada will aim to provide a funding decision within six months of submission of a Transition-to-Scale application. Read our Request for Proposals for more information on our current investment areas of focus, eligibility criteria.