Globally, wheat is the most important staple food crop providing about 20% of daily calories and protein, and is currently grown on approximately 230 million hectares. The global population is expected to surpass nine billion by 2050 which will result in at least a 60% increase in demand for wheat. To meet this demand, annual potential wheat yield increases must effectively double. This led to an action of the G20 Agricultural Ministers to endorse the formation of the Wheat Initiative. The International Wheat Yield Partnership (IWYP), launched in late 2014, takes lead responsibility for delivering one of the four core themes of the Wheat Initiative’s ‘Strategic Research Agenda’. The goal of IWYP is to increase the genetic yield potential of wheat by up to 50% by 2025. IWYP will achieve this by deploying a new and efficient model for working in partnerships and investing in cutting-edge science. The international partnership currently involves 9 public funding and 4 research organizations, 9 private companies, linkage with other national wheat initiatives and a network of leading scientific experts around the world. Over the first five years, the growing list of partners aims to invest up to US$100 million. The coordinated and integrated IWYP Science Program is currently comprised of 30 overlapping and complementary research projects focused on optimizing various aspects of photosynthesis, increasing biomass and harvest index, optimizing plant architecture, modifying phenology to fit multiple environments, increasing carbon flow to developing grains, optimizing root structure and utilizing novel breeding methodologies. For this, IWYP has created mechanisms to stimulate researchers to form an active and effective overarching team where ideas, technologies, methods and data are openly shared/exchanged, to create added value and new scientific linkages. A distinctive feature of IWYP is the centralized spring wheat translational research and development platform at CIMMYT, where research outputs are validated under field conditions and integrated into elite germplasm for delivery to breeding programs worldwide. Analogous linked Hubs are in development for winter wheat types in the US and UK. IWYP also utilizes publicprivate partnerships to drive research discoveries to delivery for impact in farmer’s fields. For more information, visit www.iwyp.org