Global Innovation Exchange launches COVID-19 Innovation Hub

May 8, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 8, 2020 — Global Innovation Exchange, the largest global development innovation platform, has launched the COVID-19 Innovation Hub to source and supply COVID-19 innovations. The hub features innovations that could prove helpful for COVID-19 responses and recovery in countries around the world.

The COVID-19 Innovation Hub, a joint initiative by U.S. Agency for International Development, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, provides a growing list of more than 700 innovations, including those that are ready to deploy as well as innovations that could be adapted for COVID-19 responses, or inspire new, much-needed solutions.

A smaller list of COVID-19 Recognized Innovations — identified by entities such as UNDP Singapore, Grand Challenges Canada, Y Combinator, and the South Korean Government — highlights innovations that have already been selected for their COVID-19 efforts.

“Our goal with this initiative is to ensure that the innovations being developed or adapted across the globe are discovered quickly by decision-makers and hence utilized for COVID-19 response and recovery efforts,” said Sweta Govani, lead for Global Innovation Exchange at R4D. “In the medium-term, we are also looking to capture stories and lessons learned — and exploring ways to integrate relevant innovations into the larger development community in the long term.”

Innovators, funders and those engaged in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts are invited to visit the COVID-19 Innovation Hub to browse innovations across 12 response areas, and funding opportunities for COVID-19 innovators. The 12 response areas include: prevention; treatment; testing; emergency communications; humanitarian assistance; transport; data; education; enabling community and connection; economic workforce support; vulnerable groups; and policy-related. Innovators are invited to submit COVID-19 innovations for the hub’s consideration.

Since its soft launch last month, the COVID-19 Innovation Hub has featured more than 130 funding opportunities. It is also mapping COVID-19 innovation data and trends, which are updated weekly.

Country governments, implementing agencies, donors or others working on COVID-19 response or recovery are also invited to request a customized list of solutions for their consideration.

For more information, contact the Global Innovation Exchange team at partners@globalinnovationexchange.org.

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About Global Innovation Exchange
Global Innovation Exchange (GIE) is the largest, searchable development innovation database showcasing 15,000+ innovations and USD1.5 billion+ of funding opportunities with 45,000+ registered users and 50+ partners. GIE’s mission is to help scale the most promising global development innovations by powering data, tools, analysis, and connectivity for various actors in the development innovation ecosystem such as donors, innovators, accelerators, country governments, and thematic experts. GIE is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Australian Department of Foreign Assistance and Trade (Australian Aid), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and managed by Results for Development. www.globalinnovationexchange.org

About Results for Development
Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too. For more information, visit our website at: www.r4d.org

Global & Regional Initiatives

R4D is a globally recognized leader for designing initiatives that connect implementers, experts and funders across countries to build knowledge and get that knowledge into practice.