Overview

The ICMR–Gates Foundation Grand Challenge supports the development of aspirational, nutrient-dense food products for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age (WRA) to prevent anaemia. This request for proposals seeks innovative approaches to design, prototype, and evaluate food products that combine nutritional efficacy with high consumer acceptability and scalability across diverse Indian contexts. The initiative addresses the persistent burden of anaemia, which continues to affect approximately 50% of adolescent girls and WRA in India despite longstanding national supplementation programmes.

Funding and Benefits

Grant Amount: Up to ₹1 Crore
Duration: 1 Year
Purpose: Prototype development

Successful solutions may also have global applicability in settings facing similar nutritional challenges.

Eligibility

This initiative is open to the following applicant types:

• Academic and Research Institutions: Universities and research centres with relevant nutritional or food science expertise
• Food Industry Partners and Startups: Companies or startups working in FMCG, fortification, or product innovation
• Non-Profit Organizations: Organisations with a mandate in nutrition, health, or community engagement

Collaborations between nutrition science, food industry, and behavioural experts are strongly encouraged.

Research Areas and Activities

Proposals may focus on one or multiple life stages and should address the diverse needs and preferences of the target population segments:

• Adolescent Girls: 10–19 years (peer influence, social norms)
• Young Women (WRA): 20–35 years (reproductive health, convenience, taste-driven choices)
• Older WRA: 35–49 years (sustained micronutrient support, adherence, accessibility)

The Grand Challenge seeks solutions addressing the following dimensions:

• Product Innovation and Design: Development of nutrient-dense or fortified food products delivering key micronutrients (iron); use of bioavailable nutrient forms and synergistic ingredients; formats aligned with consumer preferences including snacks, drinkable formats, gummies, chewables, sprinklers, or hybrid food-supplement formats; incorporation of regionally relevant flavours and ingredients such as millets, seeds, plant-based sources, and spices
• Aspirational Positioning and Consumer-Centric Design: Products that are modern, trendy, and identity-driven rather than medicinal; branding aligned with the aspirations of adolescent girls and women; strategies to minimise stigma and enhance emotional ownership
• Behavioural and Social Insights Integration: Leveraging existing consumption habits; addressing barriers such as peer influence, social norms, and guilt associated with food consumption; addressing the tension between immediate versus delayed gratification
• Nutritional Efficacy and Bioavailability: Demonstration of effective micronutrient delivery (~4–5 mg iron per serving); consideration of low-bioavailability vegetarian diets; potential to contribute to measurable improvements in haemoglobin levels
• Delivery, Scalability, and Sustainability: Integration into public delivery platforms (schools, community programmes) and commercial retail or e-commerce channels; cost-effective production and pricing models; shelf stability and nutrient retention; local manufacturing and supply chain feasibility
• Packaging, Branding, and Market Fit: Attractive, modern, and socially shareable packaging; clear and credible communication of benefits; avoidance of classification as HFSS or ultra-processed foods; alignment with mainstream food categories

Application Process

Complete applications consist of three components:

• Applicant Profile and Information: Submitted via the Google form link, including lead applicant institution and principal investigator, co-applicants and collaborating organisations, organisational type, and contact information
• Proposal Document: Maximum 3–4 pages (including figures and references) with up to 2 additional pages for the budget table and budget narrative. Must be in Arial or Times New Roman, 11-point or larger, with single spacing and at least 0.5-inch margins. Accepted file types are Microsoft Word (.docx) or Adobe PDF (.pdf), maximum 3 MB
• Budget Table and Narrative: Using the provided budget template, covering personnel, subcontracts, subgrants, capital assets or equipment, travel, supplies, and other expenses. Include a one-paragraph budget narrative explaining major cost drivers

Proposals must be structured with the following sections: Introductory Information (including a bold statement of the core innovation and target population segment), Proposal Information, Development Plan and Path to Impact, Cost and Manufacturing Plan, and Team and Capacity.

Deadline and Timeline

Date of Publication: 3rd June 2026
Last Date of Submission: 3rd July 2026, 11:30 PM IST
Webinar Date: To be communicated (recording will be shared)
Application Portal: https://forms.gle/egd92XzphwgEc3ya8

Late submissions will not be considered under any circumstances.

Contact Information

Dr. Priyanka Gupta Bansal
Scientist-E, Reproductive, Child Health and Nutrition Division
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Email: gcanemia1@gmail.com