NIHR Product Development Award

Summary:

The i4i Product Development Awards (PDA) supports collaborative research and development of medical devices, in vitro diagnostic devices and high-impact patient-focused digital health technologies for use in the NHS or social care systems. PDA are researcher-led and support early product development and real-world evaluation.

Scope:

The expected focus of a project funded by PDA is one or more of the following:

• Product development required to enable technologies for clinical use or use in social care

• Clinical development of a laboratory-validated technology

• Real-world evaluations to accelerate the development and uptake of innovative products, which already have demonstrated safety and efficacy.

The aim is to achieve benefit to patients and end users, de-risk technologies and make them attractive to follow-on funders, investors and buyers, in particular NHS commissioners and national guidance bodies. Projects must have demonstrated proof-of-concept as a minimum, which is generally described as TRL3.

Requirements:

Essential requirements for Product Development Awards:

• Any R&D activities must be within the scope of the funding programme

• A minimum of two organisations must be involved

• Lead applicants must be based in the UK

• Work packages must not include animal studies

• Projects must have progressed beyond fundamental research and have demonstrated proof-of-concept.