i4i Product Development Awards
Invests innovative organizations in United Kingdom to build innovation work toward measurable commercialization outcomes.
i4i Product Development Awards sit under NIHR's Invention for Innovation programme, which is administered by LGC Ltd as the NIHR Coordinating Centre. The route funds collaborative R&D for medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, and high-impact digital health technologies that can benefit the NHS or social care. The programme runs in biannual cycles, with April and October calls, and the April 2026 round used a two-stage process from outline to invited full application. Eligible teams include UK universities, research organisations, nonprofits, and SMEs, but the project must include at least one SME co-applicant and show experimental data that supports technical feasibility. The best-fit applications are those that can show real patient or service need, a credible development path, and enough evidence to justify a collaborative build. The wider i4i family also includes themed routes such as PDA NICE early use, THRIVE, FAST, and Challenge Awards, but PDA remains the main researcher-led entry point.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.
Supports United Kingdom healthcare teams developing medical devices, diagnostics, and digital patient-care solutions through NIHR i4i Product Development Awards.
Supports innovators with medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, or NICE-classified digital health technology through NIHR i4i PDA Early Use opportunities.