WASHINGTON, D.C. - A global call for innovations that have the potential to save the lives of mothers and newborns at the time of birth elicited more than 600 submissions from all over the world including the United States, Canada and low-and middle-income countries. After much review, the field has been narrowed down to 77 innovators that show the most potential to meet the call for Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development.

From July 26-28, these 77 finalists will compete in a final review process at the DevelopmentXChange in Washington, DC. Innovators will display their ideas in an open marketplace amongst development experts, fellow innovators, and potential funders. Finalists will also participate in a series of workshops such as business planning, fundraising, measurement, monitoring and evaluation.

The award nominees will be announced at a high-level forum at the end of the three-day event. These award nominees will enter into final negotiations before awards can be issued. We will also announce the winner of a People's Choice Award, an honorary award based on public voting that will take place on the Saving Lives at Birth website and at the XChange event. Voting will open July 15 and close on July 27th at 5pm EST.

In March, the partnership among USAID, the Government of Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, and The World Bank submitted a call to the global community for transformative ideas that have the potential to save the lives of mothers and newborns in rural settings around the time of birth in three key areas: technology, service delivery and demand.

The DevelopmentXChange is the first step in building a community of innovators to help meet this challenge and find new ways to help women who don't have access to healthcare facilities plan for a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery.

The 77 finalists who will showcase their work during the DevelopmentXChange include non-profit organizations, universities and university affiliates, and for-profit organizations. Approximately one third of the finalists are based outside of the United States; of those based outside the United States, 50 percent of these are from lower- and middle- income countries.

To learn more about and vote for these finalists' innovations, visit www.savinglivesatbirth.net.