Grand Challenges Canada was built on a simple conviction: that Bold Ideas with Big Impact® can change the world. Investing in creative solutions to overcome barriers to health and development is at the core of everything we do, and today, the Government of Canada reaffirmed its commitment to that mission.
The Hon. Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development, announced a CAD $200M five-year institutional support grant to Grand Challenges Canada, ensuring that we can continue to provide the catalytic capital and support that early-stage innovators need to grow, scale and ultimately sustain their impact long after our funding ends.
“Investing in innovation is one of the most powerful ways to accelerate development,” said The Hon. Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development. “It allows us to generate better outcomes from every dollar we invest, and to build a healthier, safer world. Our continued support to Grand Challenges Canada strengthens this commitment and ensures that ideas can grow into solutions that change lives.”
What Canada’s investment makes possible
Since 2010, Grand Challenges Canada has invested in more than 1600 unique innovations in over 100 countries — nearly a quarter of them led by Canadian innovators.
But the reach of those investments isn’t just about the solutions. It’s also about how we invest. We work with innovators to ensure that their ideas are built to last, applying an approach we call Integrated Innovation™. From the outset, we invest in ideas that are scientifically sound, rooted in the local context, and supported by a viable market. With the support of the Government of Canada’s anchor investment, we can unlock additional capital, leveraging an additional CAD $2.70 in investment for every public dollar.
“We are deeply grateful for the Government of Canada’s reinvestment in Grand Challenges Canada,” said Dr. Karlee Silver, CEO of Grand Challenges Canada. “Anchor funding from Canada allows us to take smart risks, provide the catalytic capital and support, and build self-reliance so innovators can generate lasting impact at scale long after we step back. By investing in companies like KA Imaging, we’ve reached more than 100 million people globally with solutions that improve their health and well-being, while growing Canadian companies. By investing in innovation, Canada is strengthening global health and building a safer, more secure future for all.”
A Canadian innovation with global reach
Today’s announcement took place at KA Imaging’s headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario — a powerful example of what early catalytic funding can make possible. KA Imaging received a CAD $100,000 seed grant from GCC in 2012, when its Reveal™ 35C portable x-ray unit was little more than an idea. The initial funding was used to develop a prototype capable of diagnosing TB in low- and middle-income countries. A CAD $1M convertible loan followed in 2016 to support regulatory approval and market testing, bringing GCC’s total investment to $1.1M.
Today, the Reveal™ 35C is the world’s first affordable, portable spectral X-ray system and has been used to produce more than 35,000 scans. It can detect respiratory disease at rates 30% higher than conventional X-ray machines, reduce unnecessary CT scans, and is now in use in multiple markets, including Canada, the US, Pakistan, Turkey, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
“Early support from Grand Challenges Canada helped KA Imaging advance imaging technologies designed to expand access to diagnostics in underserved regions,” said Dr. Karim S. Karim, founder of KA Imaging. “The same innovations can also benefit Canadians by enabling better imaging in settings such as remote communities, emergency care, and critical care units.”
The next five years
Over the next five years, Grand Challenges Canada will continue to invest in bold solutions in global health and development in primary care, climate and health, youth mental health, early childhood development and education, and more. With Canada’s support, we will ensure that innovations can grow into solutions that reach the people who need them most, delivering lasting impact that makes the world —and Canada — healthier, safer, and more secure.
Learn more about the announcement: https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2026/03/secretary-of-state-sarai-announces-renewed-investment-in-grand-challenges-canada-to-advance-global-health-innovation.html
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Grand Challenges Canada (GCC) supports Bold Ideas with Big Impact®. With anchor funding from the Government of Canada, we provide catalytic capital and tailored support to the most promising innovations in global health and development — helping them reach the people who need them most. Learn more at grandchallenges.ca.