Translational funding
Translational funding is used to ‘bridge the gap’ in development between early stage technology resulting from university research and its commercialisation.
The funding can help develop and support your opportunity by de-risking the project to potential commercial partners therefore making it more attractive. Some funding of this type is available from EI, but there are also many other translational funding streams available for academics looking to commercialise their research.
| Fund | Details | Call status |
|---|---|---|
| BBSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) |
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) supports translational and commercialisation activities as well as engagement with external organisations through proof of principle/concept studies, market research and secondments/placements. Contact: Axel Thomson |
Call Open. Application Deadline: Wednesday 18 October at 5pm |
| beLAB1407 |
beLAB1407 provides drug discovery resources and expertise, thereby significantly reducing timelines and ensuring a greater success rate for emerging therapeutic concepts to reach preclinical and clinical proof-of-concept. We catalyse innovation to create sustainable companies. |
Contact: Mark Craighead Rolling deadlines |
| EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) |
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funding is available to develop impact from engineering and physical sciences research through support to activities such as collaboration with external organisations, secondments, travel and events. Contact: EPSRC IAA |
Travel and Events funding - applications open on an ongoing basis Partnership Development Call - Application Deadline: 1 September at 12 noon Open Call - Application deadline: Now closed |
|
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding is available for activities aiming to develop impact from social science research, including collaborative projects, seed funding for industry engagement, secondments, and challenge-led workshops. Contact: Knowledge Exchange Office |
Review ERO pages for current information on deadlines for collaborative projects and secondments/seed funding |
|
| Harmonised Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) |
NEW: Funding for translational projects of £20k to £60k, for up to 12 months, that include at least two researchers representing separate IAA council remits (BBSRC, EPSRC, MRC/Wellcome Trust). Contact: harmonised.iaa@ei.ed.ac.uk |
Application Deadline:
|
| Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) |
ISCF is part of a £4.7 billion government investment in transformative research and innovation to respond to the Grand Challenges set within the UK’s Industrial Strategy: AI and Data Economy, Ageing Society, Clean Growth, Future of Mobility. Through a series of targeted funding calls, ISCF supports collaborations between industry and academia to tackle these challenges, with an ultimate aim to increase UK productivity, economic growth and global competitiveness whilst also benefitting wider society. Contact: Caroline Woodside (ISCF Project Manager) |
Rolling deadlines |
| Innovate UK (secured) |
Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, is part of UK Research & Innovation (UKRI). Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK’s world-class research base. To this end, Innovate UK’s funding programmes often facilitate collaborations between companies and research organisations, such as universities. |
Rolling deadlines |
| MRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) |
Medical Research Council (MRC) funding support for translation and commercialisation of biomedical projects that have a high potential to attract follow on translational funding, investment or industrial partnership. Contact: Lorraine Jackson |
MRC Impact Acceleration Account No live call at present Open call |
| STFC Knowledge Exchange Institutional Award (secured) |
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (SFTC) fund aims to increase, advance and accelerate the achievement of Impact to UK plc from STFC-funded research via industry/stakeholder engagement and commercialisation activities. Contact: Craig Sheridan |
Application Deadline: 29 July, 5pm Project completion: 31 March 2023 |
| Wellcome iTPA Translational Funding Path |
Grant ranging from £1K to £50K supporting the development of early-stage translational projects. Early career researchers and postdocs are encouraged to apply. Contact: Entrepreneurs-in-Residence |
Rolling deadlines |