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Apply for up to £5,000 to work with a company or industry partner on a collaboration to explore challenges in women's health tech.
About the grant and what can be funded
The aim of the grant is to help you work with a company or other external partner to apply either existing insights or new research and development to a challenge in women’s health.
The application can include any aspect of women’s health including menstrual health, gynaecological conditions, fertility, pregnancy, pregnancy loss and postnatal support, menopause, mental health and wellbeing and healthy ageing.
You can apply for up to £5,000.
Projects must be no longer than 6 months. You can decide the most suitable start date for your project, but the earliest you can start is 1 August 2025 and the latest you can start is 15 September 2025. Projects must be completed by 31 April 2026.
If you require an introduction to a company or industry partner or a UCL researcher, please email Dr Maria Mediero at maria.mediero@ucl.ac.uk
Eligibility
To be eligible:
- the lead applicant(s) must be members of staff or doctoral students at UCL. This includes part and full-time researchers and academics from any discipline. (Honorary lecturers, undergraduate and master’s students cannot apply.)
- the application must be developed in partnership with a company or other external partner (such as a charity, healthcare organisation etc.) Companies must be registered companies, and all partners must have been running for at least 6 months, and work in FemTech, HealthTech, digital health or other tech-enabled design related to benefitting women’s health.
- the proposed project must align with a research area included in the EPSRC, BBSRC or STFC portfolios.
Costs and activities that can be funded
Direct costs (directly allocated or directly incurred, of any type) can be covered. This includes salaries, consumables, travel and subsistence, etc.
The following costs and activities cannot be covered:
- Indirect, estates and generic administrative costs
- Costs associated with the protection of intellectual property
- Contribution towards the purchase of a single item of equipment valued more than £10,000
- Research activity (e.g. any activity that could normally be funded through research grants)
- Public engagement activities that do not involve a two-way exchange of knowledge (e.g. one-way dissemination or broadcast)
How to apply
Before you apply, you should read the guidance (below) and the terms and conditions.
To apply, complete the application form (MS Forms) by 11:59pm on 21 May 2025.
Guidance on completing your application
The lead applicant must be a UCL academic, researcher or doctoral student. If a doctoral student is the lead applicant, they'll need to name a PI on the application form. The PI will have a number of responsibilities outlined in the terms and conditions.
It’s the lead applicant’s responsibility to make sure that:
- all the information provided in the application is correct
- your proposal meets the eligibility criteria
In the application form, you'll need to include:
- details of your proposal (600 words) including:
- the project scope
- how there will be a two-way exchange between researchers and the company or industry partner (this can be in form of workshops and meetings)
- a brief public description of your proposal (200 words)
- 3 to 5 project outcomes with specific deliverables (600 words)
- how you'll report on the project impact (500 words)
- a project timeline (300 words)
- how the grant money will be spent (300 words)
- how your project meets the EPSRC, BBSRC or STFC research priorities (200 words)
- how you plan to embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in your proposed activity
Your application must show:
- how your research is helping to solve a challenge within innovation in women’s health
- why your research is best placed to solve the challenge
- the roles your partner may play, how you’ll collaborate and two-way exchange of expertise/knowledge between UCL and non-academic organisations/communities
Your application will not be considered if:
- it's submitted outside of the published dates (there will be no extensions to the deadline)
- you have not completed all sections on the application form
- you do not have an external partner
- the proposed area of work does not align with the EPSRC, BBSRC or STFC portfolios
- your application is not submitted on the official application form or approved accessible format
- you apply for more than £5,000
- the proposed duration of your project exceeds 6 months
After you apply
Your application will be reviewed by a UCL selection panel.
If you’re successful, you’ll receive an email with details of how the grant will be released by Award Services at Research and Innovation Services.
Successful candidates will receive further mentoring throughout the project from UCL Innovation & Enterprise, including support from UCL Business, the Innovate UK Business Growth team and the Strategic Innovation Partnerships team.
You must spend the grant within 6 months of your selected start date and by 31 April 2026.