Deadline: 23-Jun-2026
Grand Challenges South Africa, hosted by the South African Medical Research Council, is inviting proposals for affordable and scalable diagnostic and screening technologies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The programme supports innovative solutions in tuberculosis, HIV, women’s health, and maternal health, with funding of up to R16.5 million for advanced projects.
About the Programme
The initiative supports cost-disruptive diagnostic and screening technologies designed for low-resource settings.
Focus areas include:
- Tuberculosis diagnostics
- HIV testing and monitoring
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Women’s health
- Maternal and newborn health
The programme encourages:
- AI-enabled diagnostics
- Software-defined diagnostics
- Multimodal sensing technologies
- Modular and reusable platforms
- Near-patient and decentralized testing
- Same-visit decision-making tools
- Digital surveillance integration
- Environmentally sustainable solutions
Funding Categories
- Proof-of-Concept Awards
- Up to R5 million
- Duration: Up to 24 months
- Mid-Level Awards
- Up to R8 million
- Duration: Up to 24 months
- Advanced Platform Award
- Up to R16.5 million
- Duration: Up to 36 months
Priority Research Areas
Tuberculosis
- Community-level screening tools
- Symptom-agnostic screening technologies
- Near-patient diagnostic systems
HIV
- Decentralized viral-load testing
- Early infant diagnosis
- Near-POC CD4 testing
- Advanced HIV disease triage tools
What Projects Are Encouraged?
The programme prioritizes:
- Affordable diagnostic technologies
- Low-cost consumable tests
- Cold-chain independent systems
- Scalable screening workflows
- Multi-disease diagnostic platforms
- Local manufacturing and innovation capacity
Projects should demonstrate:
- Scalability
- Operational feasibility
- Strong deployment pathways
- Cost reduction potential
What Is Not Supported?
The RFP does not support:
- Implementation-only projects
- Procurement or rollout activities without R&D
- Large clinical trials
- Biomarker discovery without deployment plans
- Projects lacking realistic cost targets
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include:
- South African universities
- Public research organizations
- Non-profit organizations
- For-profit companies registered in South Africa
The lead investigator must:
- Be a South African citizen or permanent resident
- Be affiliated with an eligible South African institution
International collaborators are allowed under programme conditions.
Priority consideration will be given to:
- Women-led projects
- Historically black universities
- Women-led institutions
- Academic-private sector collaborations
How to Apply
Applicants should:
- Develop a scalable diagnostic innovation proposal
- Demonstrate affordability and LMIC suitability
- Present a commercialization or deployment pathway
- Include technical validation and operational plans
- Align with WHO or healthcare target profiles where relevant
FAQ
- What is the maximum funding available?
- Advanced projects can receive up to R16.5 million.
- Which diseases are prioritized?
- Tuberculosis, HIV, STIs, women’s health, and maternal health.
- Who can apply?
- Eligible South African universities, nonprofits, research institutions, and companies can apply.
- Are international collaborations allowed?
- Yes, international collaborators are permitted under programme rules.
- What technologies are encouraged?
- AI diagnostics, software-based tools, modular platforms, and low-cost screening systems are encouraged.
- Are implementation-only projects eligible?
- No, projects must include substantial research and development components.
Conclusion
The Grand Challenges South Africa RFP supports innovative and affordable diagnostic technologies that can improve healthcare access and disease screening across LMICs while strengthening South Africa’s research, manufacturing, and healthcare innovation ecosystem.
For more information, visit Grand Challenges.