IRVINE, Calif., July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Applications are now open for the first cohort of participants for the International Consortium for Research, Engineering, Acceleration of Technology Excellence (I-CREATE), the BARDA Accelerator Network Hub for Medical Devices and Diagnostics. I-CREATE supports the development and acceleration of novel diagnostics and medical devices to detect, prevent, or respond to medical consequences that result from health security threats.  .

I-CREATE is led by University Lab Partners (ULP), in partnership with the Consortium for Improving Medicine with Innovation & Technology (CIMIT) at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Science Exchange. This hub is part of a global network of accelerator hubs that provide product development funding, accelerator services, and access to expertise for innovators developing health security solutions.

Startups and university-backed projects worldwide are invited to apply for non-dilutive funding ranging from $50K to $200K. I-CREATE is seeking proposals for the development of innovative diagnostic and medical device innovations, in alignment with BARDA's mission to promote health security. Innovators are invited to submit proposals for funding to allow:

• Demonstration of proof-of-concept for a BARDA-relevant use case for an existing platform technology,
• Demonstration of proof-of-concept for "high-risk" breakthrough technologies,
• Advancement of technologies currently in development to the next value inflection point

Focus areas of interest include new and novel approaches for the detection and diagnosis of pathogens and the consequences of biological threats in BARDA's mission space. Examples of technologies that I-CREATE is prepared to fund:

• Pathogen agnostic approaches
• Lab at home
• Rapid and accurate tests
• Low-cost tests
• Simple and user-friendly sampling approaches (i.e. breath)
• More equitable and accessible innovations

I-CREATE will hold at least one solicitation each year and will announce additional solicitations periodically. All applications submitted by August 16, 2024 will be considered for the first cohort of I-CREATE.

To learn more or to apply to I-CREATE visit www.universitylabpartners.org/BARDA

This project has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under agreement number 75A50124C00007.

About the BARDA Accelerator Network

The BARDA Accelerator Network, a program of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), fosters the growth of the global health security innovation ecosystem by accelerating the development and commercialization of next-generation health security solutions. The Network has 5 Hubs that support the global innovation community: Diagnostics/Medical Devices Hub, Therapeutics/Vaccines Hub, Enabling Technologies Hub, Digital Health Hub, and Special Populations Hub. For more information, visit https://drive.hhs.gov/accelerators

About University Lab Partners

University Lab Partners (ULP) is a premier nonprofit wet lab incubator located in Orange County, CA. Operating two facilities in Irvine and Aliso Viejo, ULP offers highly equipped wet lab facilities along with the benefits of peer-to-peer interactions and accelerator services among a life science-focused entrepreneurial community. For more information, visit www.universitylabpartners.org.

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SOURCE University Lab Partners