Key Features
Organisations can apply for a share of £500,000 inclusive of VAT, over the 2 phases of the competition. The aim of this competition is to improve existing AI algorithms for skin cancer to accelerate detection and diagnosis.
Programme: SBRI
Award: Share of up to £500,000
Opens: 27th Mar 2023
Closes: 19th May 2023
This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by the Scottish Health Industry Partnership (SHIP)
The aim of this competition is to improve existing AI algorithms for skin cancer to accelerate detection and diagnosis. To achieve this, applicants will be required to work with real world images and metadata in a standardised, Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format in a trusted research environment.
The data pipeline that has been created for this challenge contains standardised image and metadata. This will be captured as part of everyday patient pathways from specifically designed community locality image centres, labelled by consultant dermatologists, and delivered as DICOM format files.
The specific use case for these algorithms is the stream of potential skin cancer referrals from primary to secondary care.
You must:
At this stage contracts will be given for phase 1 only.
You must define your goals in your application and outline your plan for the potential phase 2.
In phase 2 we will ask successful applicants from phase 1 to further improve and refine the capability of their algorithm
You must demonstrate a credible and practical route to market, so your application must include a plan to commercialise your results.
Phase 1: technical feasibility studies
This means planned research or critical investigation to gain new knowledge and skills for developing new products, processes or services.
In phase 1 you must work closely with stakeholders to undertake a feasibility project to refine your existing skin cancer algorithms using the new dermatology DICOM standard.
Phase 2: prototype development and evaluation
This can include prototyping, demonstrating, piloting, testing and validating the diagnostic capability of an existing algorithm using real world data.
At this stage contracts will only be given to successful applicants from phase 1. Progression to a potential phase 2 is dependent on the outcomes from phase 1.
Phase 1 projects must:
Successful applicants from phase 1 will be invited to apply to take part in a potential phase 2 of the competition.
To lead a project, you can:
You must work in conjunction with the identified test bed partner and identified academic research partner. The initial test bed site will be NHS Tayside working with the academic research partner, The Health Informatics Centre in Dundee University.
This competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian or Belarusian entity as lead or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian or Belarusian source.
Contracts will be awarded to a single legal entity only. However, if you can justify subcontracting components of the work, you can engage specialists or advisers. This work will still be the responsibility of the main contractor.
Organisations are advised to only lead on one application per technology.
SBRI will not fund projects that:
A total of up to £500,000, inclusive of VAT, is allocated across phase 1 and phase 2 of this competition.
Phase 1 feasibility study research and development (R&D) contracts will be up to £30,000, inclusive of VAT, for each project for up to 4 months. We will fund up to 3 projects.
In phase 1, you must:
We would welcome applications that bring together sector specialists.
The potential phase 2 would involve up to 2 contracts being awarded to organisations chosen from the successful phase 1 applicants. Up to £150,000 inclusive of VAT for a project of up to 12 months will be allocated for each contract, to deliver clinical grade performance and demonstrate that the product could be integrated into the clinical pathway.
The total funding available for the competition can change. The funders have the right to:
The contract is completed at the end of phase 1, including the end-of-phase report, and the successful organisation is expected to pursue commercialisation of their solution.
Value Added Tax (VAT)
You must select whether you are VAT registered before entering your project costs.
VAT is the responsibility of the invoicing business. We will not provide any further advice and suggest you seek independent advice from HMRC.
VAT registered
If you select you are VAT registered, you must enter your project costs exclusive of VAT. As part of the application process VAT will be automatically calculated and added to your project cost total. Your total project costs inclusive of VAT must not exceed £30,000.
Not VAT registered
If you select you are not VAT registered, you must enter your project costs exclusive of VAT and no VAT will be added. You will not be able to increase total project costs to cover VAT later should you become VAT registered. Your total project costs must not exceed £30,000.
Research and development
Your application must have at least 50% of the contract value attributed directly and exclusively to R&D services, including solution exploration and design. R&D can also include prototyping and field-testing the product or service. This lets you incorporate the results of your exploration and design and demonstrate that you can produce in quantity to acceptable quality standards.
R&D does not include:
SBRI competitions involve procurement of R&D services at a fair market value and are not subject to subsidy control criteria that typically apply to grant funding.
Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.
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