Design Council Spark 2017: Call for Applications

Applications are now being invited for Design Council Spark 2017, a funding and support programme to help UK-based inventors turn their idea into a commercial product. Following thesuccess of the 2016 partnership, we will join Design Council in supporting the 2017 programme.
This partnership aims to support the development of assistive products that help people living with arthritis to live well and for those products to offer additional therapeutic benefit. This will ultimately help people with arthritis be as independent and in control as possible.
For example, the award that we were involved in funding last year went to Sheffield University graduates Matthew Barrett, Natalie English and Thomas Fantham for their Handy-Fasteners, which is a set of magnetic buttons that can be used on any garment to replace fiddly buttons that can pose a challenge for those with arthritis in their hands.
Successful projects will receive£15,000 for initial product development, as well as a place on the Design Council 16-week programme providing expertise and one to one mentoring. Following the initial intensive programme, the entrants who can demonstrate a clear commercial solution that will help people living with arthritis, will be given the opportunity to pitch their idea for a further£50,000 with ongoing support. A maximum of three shortlisted projects will be funded by Arthritis Research UK, with at least one project receiving a share of up to£50,000.
Entries are open to...

Source: Arthritis Research UK - October 27, 2016 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news