Medical Research Commercialisation initiative
The Medical Research Commercialisation initiative supports innovative early stage health and medical research in Australia. It helps researchers transform their ideas into life-saving medicines, devices and treatments to help tomorrow’s patients.
What is the Medical Research Commercialisation initiative?
This initiative incorporates 3 activities under the Medical Research Future Fund:
- Early Stage Translation and Commercialisation Support, which funds support for early stage Australian medical research and medical innovation projects with commercial potential.
- Biomedical Translation Bridge, which funds and nurtures early-stage health and medical research to reach proof-of-concept with the potential to attract further capital and support. Research will have secured at least matched funding from third-party sponsorship or co-investment.
- BioMedTech Horizons, which funds innovative and collaborative health technologies. It drives discoveries that address key health challenges towards proof-of-concept and commercialisation, maximising entrepreneurship and idea potential.
It will provide $311.3 million over 10 years.
Why is the Medical Research Commercialisation initiative important?
It’s hard to turn a scientific discovery into a medical product that’s ready for clinical use. Taking a project from an idea to a final product is a long and expensive process.
This initiative is important because it develops Australia’s world-class research into real treatments, drugs and devices to benefit Australians.
What are the goals of the Medical Research Commercialisation initiative?
The Medical Research Commercialisation initiative aims to support early-stage health and medical research and innovation in Australia through to proof-of-concept and beyond, providing opportunities for commercialisation.
How will we meet these goals?
See the initiative snapshot for details of how we plan to meet these goals.
MRFF snapshot – Medical Research Commercialisation
This snapshot shows this initiative at a glance. It includes budgets, early funding priorities and grant timelines, as at November 2019. Researchers and other stakeholders can use it to plan for upcoming opportunities and see how the initiative will be established, expanded and embedded over time.
Who works with us on the Medical Research Commercialisation initiative?
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) funds the initiative.
Our Health and Medical Research Office oversees this and other MRFF initiatives.
MTPConnect delivers the Biomedical Translation Bridge and BioMedTech Horizons initiatives.
Apply for funding
We list all MRFF grants on GrantConnect when they open. If you want GrantConnect to notify you about future medical research commercialisation grants:
- register with them
- enter ‘MRFF’ in the keyword section of your GrantConnect profile
Status
Upcoming grants
There are currently no upcoming grant opportunities.
Open grant rounds
Expressions of Interest for partnership projects under Round 4 of the BioMedTech Horizons Program opened on 24 March 2021 and will close on 19 April 2021.
Grants being assessed
We are currently assessing applications received under the 2020 Early Stage Translation and Commercialisation Support opportunity.
Grants awarded
We have awarded or announced the following grants under this initiative, as at 25 March 2021.
| Funded Institution | Project Name | Chief Investigator/s | Total Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MTPConnect |
MTPConnect Biomedical Translation Bridge: Catalytic Partnerships Unlocking Commercialisation |
Not applicable |
$22,300,000 |
|
MTPConnect |
BioMedTech Horizons Program (Round 1) |
Not applicable |
$10,000,000 |
|
MTPConnect |
BioMedTech Horizons Program (Rounds 2 & 3) |
Not applicable |
$35,000,000 |
|
Total |
$67,300,000 |
||
Monitoring, evaluation and learning
In 2020, we commissioned a review of the medical research commercialisation landscape in Australia, to map existing government initiatives and understand the sector’s views on:
- existing government funding support for the commercialisation of medical research and any perceived gaps
- the impact of MRFF initiatives on improving the commercialisation of research
- how institutions have positioned themselves to make the most of medical research and innovation commercial opportunities
- other barriers to research commercialisation
Read the outcomes of the Medical Research Commercialisation Landscape report.
Learn more about MRFF monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Related information
See a list of all MRFF grant recipients.
Contact
For more information contact MTPConnect.
Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) contact
Contact for more information about the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), or to provide feedback on the MRFF website.
MTPConnect contact
MTPConnect is administering the REDI, the Biomedical Translation Bridge and the BioMedTech Horizons initiatives. Contact MTPConnect during business hours for information about these initiatives (funded by the Medical Research Future Fund).