Life sciences and healthtech innovation funding
Biomedical Catalyst: funding for UK life sciences innovation
Award size
Feasibility awards from £50k; primer and late-stage awards up to £2m
Duration
Feasibility: up to 18 months; late-stage: up to 36 months
Timing
Competition rounds run periodically through the year
Who it's for: UK SMEs developing therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices or digital health technology
Stages of funding
Biomedical Catalyst funds across the development pipeline: feasibility studies to test a concept, primer awards for slightly more mature projects, and late-stage awards for technology approaching clinical and commercial validation.
What reviewers want to see
A clear unmet clinical need, a credible scientific and regulatory pathway, and a team capable of delivering the proposed work. Life sciences applications live or die on the strength of the evidence base and the regulatory strategy.
How we help
Our life sciences writers work alongside your scientific and regulatory leads to build the technical case, structure the development plan against realistic milestones, and prepare the finance forms that match the project scope.
What reviewers focus on
- Is there a genuine unmet clinical or healthcare need?
- Is the scientific and regulatory pathway credible?
- Does the team have the expertise to deliver?
- Is the commercial and adoption pathway realistic?
Where applications lose marks
- An unclear regulatory pathway for the intended use case
- Overstating clinical validation already achieved
- A development plan with milestones that don't de-risk the project
- Missing evidence of patient or clinician engagement
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for Biomedical Catalyst funding?
UK-registered SMEs developing life sciences or healthtech innovations, from early feasibility research through to late-stage clinical and commercial development.
How much funding is available?
Award sizes vary by stage, from smaller feasibility awards through to late-stage awards that can reach into seven figures for the most developed projects.
Does Biomedical Catalyst fund clinical trials?
Late-stage awards can support work up to and including early clinical development, depending on the competition round and the strength of the regulatory case.
Working on a life sciences innovation project?
Book a free consultation with a life sciences funding specialist and we'll map the right stage of Biomedical Catalyst funding for you.