Washington, D.C. – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Government of Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) will host a Development^XChange event for “Saving Lives at Birth”: A Grand Challenge for Development July 31.

Saving Lives at Birth taps the global science, tech and health communities for the best new solutions to today’s development challenges. It is part of the partners’ overall effort to bring new thinking to today’s global development challenges, including bringing an end to preventable child and maternal deaths in our lifetime.  

The challenge recently put out a call for submissions in three different categories: service delivery, demand creation, and science- and tech-based innovations designed to save maternal and newborn lives in the hardest-to-reach parts of the world. Of the more than 400 submissions received, 53 finalists will set up individual booths at the DevelopmentXChange to share and demonstrate their ideas and inventions.  At the end of the event, a handful will be selected as Saving Lives at Birth award nominees for funding.

Press interested in attending, please contact the press office at usaidpressofficers@usaid.gov or 202-712-4320.