The Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, made possible by a generous grant from the Blavatnik Family Foundation, supports Yale faculty in the commercialization of applied research and technology in the life sciences. With the encouragement and support of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Fund is expanding its reach beyond therapeutics and medical devices and calling for applicants working in the digital health, healthcare IT and related spaces to submit proposals for funding consideration. Applications are now open, and award recipients will be announced in spring 2022.

A significant obstacle to the development of early-stage university discoveries is the lack of funding for the proof-of-concept and validation studies needed to demonstrate commercial potential.

Michael C. Crair, PhD, Vice Provost for Research, Yale University said: “With the backing of the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Fund and Yale leadership are wholly committed to supporting projects in the data sciences. We are anxious to build upon Yale’s established innovation footprint by funding projects in this impactful space.”

The Funds primary goal is to advance technologies to the point where additional support from industry and/or technology transfer is achieved.  Typically, supported projects include such areas as therapeutics, diagnostics/biomarkers, medical devices, or research instruments, among other areas. This is the first year the Fund is specifically calling on PIs with early-stage projects in the data sciences applied to the life sciences to apply.

“The data science portfolio at Yale is full of promising applications, software and other technologies. If given the monetary and business development support the Blavatnik Fund offers, these nascent projects have the potential to positively impact patient outcomes. I highly encourage anyone interested in driving their research towards proof-of-concept and commercialization to apply,” explained Bill Wiesler, PhD, Director of New Ventures and of Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale.

Blavatnik-funded projects at Yale have resulted in three FDA-Approved INDs, two licensing deals, and eleven funded ventures that have raised $187 million to-date.

“The Fund is setting aside a significant portion for digital health and healthcare IT this year, and we aim to make a number of awards in the space to jump start this exciting initiative,” Wiesler said.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED. THE DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2021 at 5 pm ET.