Greetings,
We are excited to share this funding opportunity from the Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator (BBA) at Harvard University. The BBA supports Harvard faculty in the performance and commercialization of translational biomedical research. More information about the award can be found in the synopsis and links below. For a full list of currently open opportunities that have been announced through our office, please visit our Current Opportunities web page. As a reminder, our Research Development team is available to provide proposal development support to FAS ladder faculty.
- Pre-proposal Deadline: December 1, 2026
- Full proposal Deadline, if invited: March 10, 2027
- Award Amount:
- Pilot Grants: Up to $150,000 for a period of up to 12 months
- Development Grants: Up to $400,000 for a period of up to 24 months
Accelerator funding is exempt from Harvard indirect expense charges.
Program Overview
The Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator (BBA) seeks to support innovative, investigator-initiated research by providing providing strategic, monetary, and advisory support for well-defined life sciences research projects. Managed by the Office of Technology Development (OTD) and in consultation with the independent BBA Advisory Committee comprising leaders from the business and investment community, the Accelerator's primary goal is to advance technologies to the point where an industry partnership can commence. In addition to funding support, Accelerator projects and investigators benefit from access to a team of industry consultants with deep expertise spanning all areas of therapeutics discovery and development as well as to a network of nearly one hundred contract research organizations (CROs) from across the globe that can be utilized as needed. Proposals are welcomed from Harvard principal investigators (PIs) with early-stage research in a range of life science ares, including:
- Therapeutics
- Diagnostics
- Drug delivery technologies
- Medical devices/instruments
- Enabling technologies for drug discovery
Accelerator awards are made in two categories: Pilot Grants and Development Grants. Within the established budgetary parameters, projects will be funded at the level deemed necessary to achieve the proposed research objectives.
- Pilot Grants are funded at a maximum of $150,000 for a period of up to 12 months. Pilot Grant awards are intended to support proof-of-concept activities that (if successful) would establish a basis for a subsequent Development Grant proposal.
- Development Grants are funded at a maximum of $400,000 for a period of up to 24 months. First year funding of up to $200,000 will be provided immediately. The remaining funding is contingent upon formal review of the progress made and approval from the BBA Advisory Committee members. Development Grants are expected to generate partnerable technology within the proposed timeframe.
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Activities Eligible for Funding
The focus of the proposal must be applied research in the life sciences. Examples of studies eligible for funding include but are not limited to:
- Optimization of small molecule modulators of novel therapeutic targets
- Development and validation of cell therapies and gene therapies
- Development of therapeutic or diagnostic antibodies or other biologics
- Testing of lead molecules or biologics in cell-based and/or animal models of disease to confirm their clinical or diagnostic relevance
- Preclinical development and optimization of lead molecules, biologics or novel modalities (e.g., ADME/T, PK/PD, formulation, or safety studies)
- Development and validation of clinical biomarkers and/or relevant diagnostic methods
- Development and validation of novel vaccine technologies
- Development and validation of drug delivery technologies
Eligibility Criteria
- Anyone with a faculty appointment with PI rights, whose employer is Harvard University and who has an obligation to assign intellectual property (IP) rights to Harvard, is eligible to apply.
- If a proposed project secures funding from industry during the interval between the date the proposal is submitted to the Accelerator and the time funding decisions are made, it will no longer be eligible for Accelerator funding.
- If invited to submit a full proposal, budget items may not include equipment, computers, travel, student tuition, PI salary, or salary for collaborators at other institutions. No more than 50% of the funding may be spent on salary support for personnel within the PI's lab.
- There is no requirement for any background or pre-existing inventions, nor any prior intellectual property. However, if there is any background intellectual property for the project, it must have been assigned exclusively to Harvard.
Pre-proposal Process
- Any Harvard PIs who are interested in learning more about this funding opportunity should contact BBA and schedule a meeting to discuss the scope of work.
- BBA and OTD staff will work with applicants to develop a pre-proposal according to a Word template that will be provided.
- Based on recommendations from the BBA Advisory Committee, a subset of applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.
Selection Criteria
- Proposals will be evaluated on overall potential for technology transfer, including scientific/technical merit, need, and commercial potential of the technology.
- Pre-proposals and proposals may be shared with a limited number of Harvard's industry partners, under confidentiality, to solicit feedback regarding research plans and begin engagement aiming to increase the likelihood of eventual commercialization.
- The following evaluation criteria will be considered during the review process:
- Potential impact and significance for human health and public benefit
- Significant market need and opportunity
- Differentiation with respect to technologies that are currently available or in development
- Likelihood of generating strong intellectual property assets
- Significant de-risking or value inflection point without which the technology is not partnerable
- Demonstrated interest from potential industry partners
- Innovation and technical/execution risk
- Appropriateness of the research objectives and proposed technical milestones
Additional Information and Resources
Download the BBA RFP for more details about the program.
Finalists from the pre-proposal round will be announced in January 2027. Invited full proposals will be due March 10, 2027. Award announcements will be made in June 2027, with a funding start date of July 1, 2027.
Read about recently funded research and BBA Success Stories, or view a list of previously funded projects.
Questions from FAS or SEAS faculty about this opportunity may be directed to BBA. |
