Spark innovation fund to support inventions to help people with arthritis

Arthritis Research UK have teamed up with the Design Council to support the second round of their Spark product innovation fund, with the aim of developing products that will improve the quality of life of people with arthritis.

The Design Council’s Spark innovation fund supports the discovery and development of UK-based talent in the field of new product innovation. The deadline for applications is midnight on 14 December 2015.

Arthritis Research UK are contributing up to £95,000 to this fund to support up to three innovations which address the needs of those with musculoskeletal conditions. 

They will support up to three shortlisted projects related to arthritis, which will each receive £15,000 of funding and will be invited to join a bespoke 20-week programme of workshops, mentoring and specialist advice. 

Following this intensive programme, applicants who demonstrate a clear commercial solution designed to help people living with arthritis, can pitch for further £50,000 to take their product to market. 

This call does not fund basic research projects or early stage ideas as it’s expected that projects will have been developed to a prototype stage where further validation of the technical, market or commercial concept is required. This funding will enable technologies to show proof of concept and reach technology readiness level five by the end of the project funding.

This funding call is open to UK-based individuals aged 18 and over and entries much be received by midnight on 14 December 2015. 

For more information or to apply visit http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/what-we-do/design-council-spark. 

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