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Two researchers at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute look at their motion capture platform on a projector screen

Funding

We support your journey from a research idea through to early-stage commercialisation. Our Research Acceleration Programme (RAP) is a contestable fund for early-stage medical device and digital health technology projects working towards clinical application and commercialisation.

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RAP funding is available in three stages: 

Stage I
Collaboration & Ideation

Stage II
Concept Seeding

Stage III
Acceleration

The RAP funding pipeline displaying that stage I projects receive up to $20k, stage 2 projects receive up to $80k and stage 3 projects receive up to $100k

RAP Stage I

Collaboration & Ideation

Stage I funding supports the formation of new collaborative relationships between researchers, clinicians, companies and partnerships with Māori and Pacific communities.

RAP Stage II

Concept Seeding

For de-risking ideas and creating your proof of concept. Stage II funding supports concepts that have the potential for clinical application and commercialisation.

Updated guidelines and templates will be available soon.

RAP Stage III

Acceleration

Stage III funding supports projects to refine proven concepts and prototypes including small scale clinical trials and preparation for commercial readiness.

Stage III proposals are by invitation.

Funding Deadlines

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  • Who is eligible for this funding?
    Proposals must be led by individuals from one of the CMDT partners, including the following organisations: AUT University of Auckland University of Canterbury University of Otago Victoria University of Wellington Callaghan Innovation Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora Massey University
  • Do I have to complete all stages of funding?
    You can enter the pathway either at RAP Stage I or Stage II, however, to apply for RAP Stage III funding you must have successfully completed RAP Stage II.
  • Can I apply for a funding stage more than once?
    Yes, you can apply for RAP Stage I and Stage II funding more than once, however it would require a strategy as to why you are coming back a second time, particularly for RAP Stage II.
  • How many collaborations are required?
    For RAP Stage I and Stage II funding, you must have a collaboration of at least 2 organisations, with one of them being a member of the CMDT. For RAP Stage III, a single organisation can apply alone.
  • Can I bring international collaborators?
    Yes, we do encourage international collaboration. Your international collaborators will need to bring their own funding to support their side of the project.
  • Are there any priority areas you look for?
    Te Tītoki Mataora | MedTech Research Translator has partnered with Health NZ | Te Whatu Ora, Whānau Tahi, and Moana Connect to propose the following three priority areas: Long-term conditions: Innovative solutions that address any stage along the pathway of long-term condition development, from early prevention through to enhanced care - for example, from early prevention of diabetes through to chronic kidney disease and transplant – that improve patients’ health or quality of life and/or minimise health system burden. Virtual/Digital hospital: Any technology solutions that will help move and support healthcare into the community. Whānau supporting whānau: Technology solutions that empower whānau to support each other in the prevention, diagnosis and management of COPD, Cardiovascular disease or Diabetes in their homes and communities.
  • Where does RAP funding sit in the ecosystem?
    RAP funding sits alongside Pre-Seed Accelerator Funding (PSAF) administered by KiwiNet and Return on Science. RAP funding typically supports concepts at a slightly earlier stage than PSAF which typically concentrates more on the commercial aspects of the project. However, RAP funded projects still need to consider their commercial pathway, although the emphasis is on technology and clinical validation to improve the success of projects when applying for PSAF and beyond.

FAQ's

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