How to write a compelling i4i application

Researchers bidding for funding from the National Institute for Health Research’s Invention for Innovation Programme are five more times likely to be successful if they have attended a pre- application course run by programme director Martin Hunt. Here he explains why and shares some top tips.

Soon after I took on the role of i4i programme director, it became obvious that some people putting in applications, whether academics or clinicians, didn’t really have the deep background knowledge of what is required to secure NIHR i4i funding.

That’s not particularly surprising. We’re looking for applied research that’s gone past the proof of principle stage and we are focused on taking it either to point of introduction into the NHS or at least a long way down that track. Clinicians and academics generally do not have the relevant experience to put together a funding application that addresses many of the areas that are required in order to commercialise a new innovation.