Launchpad Funds is a request for expressions of interest to seed or scale funds tackling important, underfunded problems in global health and wellbeing. We’re looking for funds built around a specific outcome and led by a “general manager” personally accountable for delivering it.
There are two tracks:
1️⃣ Pre-seed funding: $200k–$10m over up to 24 months. At the lower end, this supports an individual developing a fund’s idea and strategy. At higher levels it can also fund building a team, and at the highest levels, initial exploratory grantmaking.
2️⃣ Seed and scaling funding: $10m–$50m+ over up to 36 months. This is for established ideas that haven’t yet secured anchor support, or existing funds that could scale well beyond current funding. We expect most of it to go toward regranting.
Across both tracks, we’ll weigh a fund’s potential to absorb $100m+ from other funders over the next several years. We expect to make at least 10 pre-seed grants and at least 3 seed and scaling grants.
We’ll consider applications from:
• Individuals well-positioned to become a general manager
• Early-stage funds
• Existing funds with room to scale
• Funders and incubators that could host a new fund
• Implementing organizations ready to own an entire problem
The application form is intentionally short; we expect it to take 1–2 hours.
Applications are due October 2, and we’ll make decisions on a rolling basis. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gJV_2fUV
Launchpad Funds is one part of a broader acceleration of our global health and wellbeing giving in 2026–27. Otis Reid, our Executive Director of Global Health & Wellbeing, has written more on what we’re scaling and why: https://lnkd.in/gGZAB_gs
