The Discovery Pod

Redefining What Social Profit Innovation Looks Like With Dr. Karlee Silver, President & CEO, Grand Challenges Canada

May 20, 2026·31 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

In the social profit sector, solving the world’s “knottiest problems” requires more than just good intentions—it demands true social profit innovation. But what happens when proven, life-saving solutions exist, yet never reach the millions who need them most?In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Karlee Silver, President and CEO of Grand Challenges Canada, an organization that has marshaled over $500 million to support game-changing ideas, touching 100 million lives globally. Dr. Silver challenges the conventional view of innovation, defining it as a broad spectrum that includes social and business ingenuity—not just technology.Discover their unique platform approach, which focuses on identifying critical barriers and mastering the discipline of making the best next investment to move an innovation along. From attracting “unusual suspects” like an Argentine car mechanic who developed a life-saving birth tool, to building a nationally owned “Uber ambulance” system in Tanzania, learn how Grand Challenges Canada systematically de-risks bold ideas so they can achieve massive, sustainable impact at scale.The advice and conversation can be applied to social profit organizations across the country and the globe, offering a blueprint for redefining what social profit innovation looks like.

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