MRC IAA
Medical Research Council Impact Acceleration Account (MRC IAA)
The Medical Research Council Impact Acceleration Account (MRC IAA), running from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2026, validates the need for medical and healthcare technology. The fund does this by establishing viability and rapidly de-risking projects through a two stage pre-accelerator programme.
Stage 1 (£5,000) allows for value proposition development and market validation, and stage 2 drives development built on findings from stage 1. Stage 1 provides entrepreneurial training, including pitch-training, to an early career researcher in your research group (PhD students are not eligible). Applications are only accepted via an internal call, and applications must:
- Be based on mid-TRL, validated technology under MRC remit
- Address a specific unmet need which your technology can currently satisfy better than competing therapies
- Outline a clear plan for engaging with end-users, clinicians and industry around this unmet need
- Not focus heavily on foundational research
Please direct queries to the MRC IAA resource account: mrc-iaa@warwick.ac.uk
After completion of stage 1 the team of researchers will pitch a milestone-driven development project to an expert panel, with success unlocking stage 2 funding (up to £45,000).
Stage 2 pitches must capture what was learnt under stage 1, in particular how this shaped your plans to develop the technology. The external panel comprises venture capital, life sciences business consultants as well as external NHS and university tech transfer professionals. Stage 2 funding is milestone gated, with successful completion of milestone goals releasing additional funding, which is assessed at agreed points during stage 2. End of project reporting is required, and there will be continued support from Warwick Innovations after project end.
Call Deadline:
9th December 2024
Applications must be submitted to the MRC IAA email account with your Head of Dept. copied:
Stage 1 cohort start date:
13th January 2025
