UKRI Translation: MRC Impact Acceleration Awards
Funding
£50,000 – £300,000
Deadline
11 November 2026
Location
England
Applications
Deadline: 11 November 2026
Overview
The MRC Impact Acceleration Award gives single-step support to develop a new or repurposed medicine, medical device, diagnostic or other medical product. Projects must target a high-risk development step, backed by earlier funding, that generates the critical data needed to de-risk the next stage or show that the idea will not work. It sits between the smaller Impact Acceleration Accounts and the larger Proof of Concept opportunity, and was formerly called the Gap Fund. Awards range from £50,000 to £300,000. Applications close at 4:00pm UK time on 11 November 2026. You must be based at a research organisation eligible for MRC funding, show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in it, and be generating preliminary data that builds confidence in a development strategy. Demand management rules apply, so check with your research office before you apply. Official source: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/ukri-translation-mrc-impact-acceleration-awards/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 19 October 2026.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Must be based at a research organisation eligible for MRC funding
- Must address a single, high-risk development step
- Must relate to a medicine, medical device, diagnostic, or other medical product
You must be based at a research organisation eligible for MRC funding. You must show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in the work, and that the project will generate critical preliminary data for a new or repurposed medicine, medical device, diagnostic test or other medical intervention. If you do not have an employment contract for the length of the project, your research organisation must commit to extending it if you are successful. Demand management applies.
This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.
This award is for researchers based at MRC-eligible research organisations in England. It suits those working on early-stage medicines, medical devices, or diagnostics who need funding to tackle a single high-risk development step. It is not for businesses or individuals outside of eligible research organisations.
Regions
No published award history for Medical Research Council (MRC). Some funders do not publish their grants data.
Full details from Medical Research Council (MRC)
Apply to the MRC Impact Acceleration Award to address a single, high-risk development step and generate key data to de-risk a new medicine, medical device, diagnostic or other medical product.You must be based at a research organisation eligible for MRC funding.
Apply on the UKRI Funding Service. You cannot use Je-S, and your organisation must be registered. Select Start application on the UKRI funding finder page, confirm you are the project lead, then sign in or create a Funding Service account. The project lead completes the application, with input from the team and any project partners, then sends it to the research office, which submits it to UKRI by 4:00pm UK time on 11 November 2026. Only the lead research organisation can submit.
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Create free accountLast updated: 19 October 2026