Nexa – Climate and Health Innovation Funding Programme
Organisation
Grand Challenges Canada and the Science for Africa Foundation
Category
SME and Startup Scale-Up Support Opportunities
Focus Areas
- Climate & Environment
- Health
Application Deadline
22 July 2026 (2:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. UTC)
Overview
Applications are now open for the Nexa – Climate and Health Innovation Funding Programme, an international funding initiative co-led by Grand Challenges Canada and the Science for Africa Foundation. The programme seeks bold, locally driven innovations that strengthen climate resilience by improving how health systems anticipate and respond to climate-related health risks across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Nexa supports innovations that enable health actors to use climate intelligence to improve decision-making, strengthen healthcare delivery and reduce the health impacts of climate change in vulnerable communities.
The programme recognises that climate change is accelerating public health challenges, including rising temperatures, deteriorating air quality and the spread of climate-sensitive infectious diseases. Through investment in innovative technologies and solutions, Nexa aims to strengthen resilient health systems while supporting locally led innovation ecosystems.
Funding Focus
Applications must directly address at least one of the following priority areas:
Climate-informed Early Warning and Monitoring Systems
Innovations that enable health actors to anticipate and respond to:
- Extreme heat events
- Poor air quality
- Climate-driven changes in mosquito ecology leading to diseases such as malaria and dengue
Climate-responsive Patient Care Delivery
Solutions that strengthen local responses to:
- Mosquito-borne infections
- Heat-related health impacts
- Poor air quality
Successful innovations should connect climate information with health data to improve health service delivery and decision-making.
Funding Streams
Proof of Concept
Supports early-stage innovations that are testing new ideas, products or technologies under real-world conditions.
Funding available
- Up to USD 200,000 per innovation
Suitable for innovators seeking to demonstrate technical, operational and financial viability before scaling.
Transition to Scale
Supports innovations that have already demonstrated proof of concept and are ready for wider implementation.
Funding available
- Approximately USD 250,000 – USD 2,000,000 per innovation
Funding levels are determined according to the maturity of the innovation.
Who Can Apply?
Proof of Concept
Applicant organisations must be legally incorporated (or equivalent) in:
Eligible African countries:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
or
- Brazil.
Transition to Scale
Applicant organisations may be incorporated in any country, provided the innovation will be implemented in eligible countries across:
- Africa
- Latin America
- The Caribbean.
Eligible Organisations
Applications are invited from:
- Companies
- SMEs
- Social enterprises
- Government organisations
- Non-profit organisations
- Research institutions
- Universities and academic institutions
Individuals, sole proprietorships, unincorporated trusts and partnerships are not eligible.
Why This Opportunity Matters
Nexa aims to accelerate innovative solutions that strengthen the intersection of climate resilience and public health by:
- Improving the use of climate intelligence within healthcare systems.
- Supporting earlier responses to climate-related health threats.
- Strengthening community resilience.
- Enabling locally developed innovations to scale their impact.
- Building stronger partnerships between climate and health stakeholders.
Key Benefits
Successful applicants may receive funding to:
- Test innovative climate-health solutions.
- Scale proven technologies and interventions.
- Strengthen health system resilience.
- Improve health outcomes in climate-vulnerable communities.
- Expand locally developed innovations across regions.
Application Deadline
22 July 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. UTC).
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online through Grand Challenges Canada's Fluxx Portal. Applications submitted via any other channel will not be accepted.
Click HERE to visit the official website.