A Social Innovation Challenge: Reimagining Women’s Heart Health

The Call focuses on addressing systemic barriers to cardiovascular prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for women; improving early detection and risk stratification; reducing disparities across race, income, geography, and age; integrating community-based, data and AI-driven, behavioral, or care-delivery innovations; demonstrating measurable and sustainable social impact; ensuring financial and operational sustainability at scale; and developing models adaptable across healthcare systems in the United States, Germany, and Japan.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women globally, yet significant gaps persist in timely diagnosis, symptom recognition, and access to appropriate care. Women are often underrepresented in research and face structural barriers that limit effective prevention and treatment. This challenge seeks to address these inequities through innovative and scalable approaches.

Building on the experience of the CARDIO4Cities initiative, the Novartis Foundations aim to support implementation-driven models that leverage data, technology, and multisector collaboration. The initiative emphasizes real-world application rather than purely research-based proposals, encouraging solutions that can be effectively deployed and scaled across different healthcare systems.

Applicants are encouraged to design models that focus on early risk identification, such as AI-enabled screening tools or gender-specific assessment methods, as well as community-embedded prevention programs tailored to underserved populations. Solutions that improve care navigation, reduce diagnostic delays, and ensure continuity of care are also highly relevant.

The Call also highlights the importance of employer or payer-based interventions that can support sustainable healthcare financing and improve outcomes. Strong emphasis is placed on health equity, community engagement, and co-designed solutions that reflect the needs of diverse populations.

Submissions selected at the RFP stage may receive a Final Award that includes seed funding in the anticipated range of USD 50,000 to USD 500,000, along with 12 to 18 months of implementation support. Awardees will gain access to global cardiovascular and health systems experts, receive guiA Social Innovation Challenge: Reimagining Women’s Heart Healthdance on impact measurement and evaluation, and benefit from opportunities for cross-country knowledge exchange. This funding is intended to de-risk proposed models and support their progression toward follow-on investment, institutional adoption, or integration into policy frameworks.

Eligible applicants include public–private partnerships, health systems, enterprises, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and academic institutions. Collaborative approaches are strongly encouraged to maximize impact and ensure successful implementation.

Selected proposals will receive funding and implementation support, while maintaining transparency, avoiding commercial promotion, and adhering to strict governance and conflict-of-interest policies.

For more information, visit Novartis Foundation.