BHF Translational Award — Preliminary
Funds milestone-based cardiovascular technologies toward translation to strengthen real-world implementation.
The British Heart Foundation Translational Award supports projects that bridge the gap between cardiovascular proof-of-concept findings and commercial or clinical application. There is no fixed funding cap; applicants must discuss their anticipated budget with the BHF team before submission, and all costs must be fully justified. Awards run for up to three years, with three to five clearly defined milestones incorporating SMART GO/NO-GO criteria built into the full application. The August 2026 round has a preliminary application deadline of 5 August 2026 at 17:00; the February 2026 round has closed. Full application dates are provided only to applicants who pass the preliminary review.
The process is two-stage. A preliminary application is submitted first; following peer review and committee consideration, shortlisted applicants are invited to submit a full application, which then undergoes external review and a committee interview. The principal investigator must be affiliated with an established UK research institution. Commercial organisations may participate as collaborators but cannot serve as the lead. All applications must be developed in partnership with the host institution's Technology Transfer Office, and a strong IP position along with a credible commercialisation pathway are mandatory requirements.
The award is specifically designed for cardiovascular technologies — devices, diagnostics, therapeutics, or digital health tools — that have demonstrated an unmet clinical need and are ready to progress toward market readiness. Projects that lack a clear commercialisation strategy or IP protection are unlikely to succeed at preliminary review. Budget discussions with the BHF team before submission are strongly encouraged to ensure the funding request is appropriately scoped. This scheme operates twice yearly on a fixed preliminary deadline calendar, making it critical to track both the August and February windows to avoid missing a full cycle.
Novel cardiovascular technologies being advanced from proof-of-concept toward commercial and clinical application, requiring a credible IP and commercialisation pathway.
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