The Alliance understands Grand Challenges as complex problems involving a broad range of interrelated phenomena from different realms of society and a large variety of disciplines and stakeholders. The focus of the Grand Challenges Initiatives is on researching and solving issues that are of global importance and that can be advanced through the expertise of Berlin researchers.

Over the course of the initial funding period, the Alliance intends to introduce three GCIs. The first was Social Cohesion (GCI1), the second deals with the topic of Global Health (GCI2), and the third will be developed in a bottom up process together with science and society.