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		NIHR Central Commissioning Facility (CCF)

Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme

What is i4i?

i4i provides investment in, and improved identification of, promising healthcare technologies in order to accelerate the development of new healthcare products for the 21st century.

i4i funds translational research, extending between basic research and pre-clinical trials or health technology assessments. This part of the innovation process is an area of high technological and business risk, and the projects funded by i4i reflect this.

MedTech specialist Martin Hunt is the first Programme Director for i4i.

i4i is positioned at the upstream part of the innovation process, close to ideas generators and matching the innovation process as closely as possible. To accommodate innovation from different sources, i4i is divided into the following four funding streams*:

• Stream 1 - i4i feasibility study
• Stream 2 - i4i initial product development
• Stream 3 - i4i commercial viability study
• Stream 4 - i4i collaborative product development

*originally introduced under the theme of i4i Future Product Development (FPD).

Other organisations and funding streams are more focused on the downstream part, commercialisation and exploitation, and i4i also works with them.

Key features of i4i funding:

• Flexibility of entry points; depending on the maturity of the idea investigators can apply for funding from any of four streams and if appropriate proceed from stream to stream.
• Co-ordination between streams through having one secretariat.
• Support to projects that meet milestones and show promise to move onto the next funding stream with minimum delay and to accelerate them along the innovation pathway.
• Rolling programme of calls for proposals to fit better with the innovation process.

i4i funding streams

Stream 1 - i4i feasibility study*
Up to one year investigation led by a clinician or an academic research group, to determine first if prior basic research or an innovative use of an existing technology from a different industry sector can be used to meet an existing or emerging healthcare need, and then to identify the barriers that would need to be overcome before implementation. There must be a potential for any device based on the technology investigated to be developed through further applied R&D. The study must also identify the barriers that would need to be overcome before implementation. Funding to a total of £100k is available.
*formerly i4i FPD1

Stream 2 - i4i initial product development*
A detailed investigation of up to three years led by a clinician or an academic research group that builds on the results of a completed assessment of the feasibility to produce a medical device or product through technological improvements or developments and that provides further evidence of its capacity to deliver improved healthcare outcomes and commercial opportunities. Funding to a total of £150k-£250k per year is available.
*formerly i4i FPD2

Stream 3 - i4i commercial viability study*
Investigations lasting up to one year involving collaboration between at least one industry and one research (academic or clinical) partner aimed at determining whether an innovative use of an existing or emerging product or technology can be used to meet a healthcare need and identifying the barriers that would be need to be overcome. Funded projects serve primarily as the first stage of a full collaborative applied research project. Deliverables are expected to include: analysis of the clinical need, proof of concept, identification of the technical risks, robust plan for commercialisation, formation of a strong consortium to take the commercialisation plan forward. Project costs can be no more than £100k in total and 75% funding is available.
*formerly i4i FPD3a

Stream 4 - i4i collaborative applied research project*
A detailed investigation of up to 3 years involving collaboration between at least one industry and one research partner (academic or clinical) that builds on the results of a completed assessment of feasibility. This will provide further evidence of the capability to deliver improved healthcare outcomes and commercial opportunity, delivering an advanced prototype along with plans for commercial and intellectual property exploitation. Funding is to a maximum of 50% of the total project costs, and £100k-£300k per year is available.
*formerly i4i FPD3b

Tabulated summary of i4i funding streams

For guidance on completing an application to i4i please follow this link.

To apply to i4i please follow this link.

i4i umbrella

The i4i programme is now focusing exclusively on funding proposals from academics, clinicians or companies active in the medical devices sector. Activities under the wider i4i umbrella referenced in the NIHR implementation plan for the Invention for Innovation programme are being taken forward under the auspices of the Department of Health.

Read NIHR i4i Implementation Plan

BACKGROUND

i4i launched in July 2008 establishing closer links between the existing product funding streams and a range of ‘ideas generators’ - including the Research Councils, Biomedical Research Centres, the NHS National Innovation Centre, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), healthcare companies, the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) - and with organisations who can take products to market including individual companies, UK Trade and Investment (UKT&I) and venture capital groups.

Both pre-existing product development programmes – New and Emerging Applications of Technology (NEAT) and Health Technology Devices (HTD) – migrated to i4i with the launch of i4i. (NB Both NEAT and HTD are closed for new applications.)

Read the i4i launch programme

View i4i launch presentations