i4i Product Development Awards: James Lind Alliance commissioned call

This is the James Lind Alliance (JLA) commissioned route within NIHR’s Invention for Innovation (i4i) Product Development Awards, reference 2026/511. It supports the development and evaluation of health and care innovations addressing research priorities identified through JLA Priority Setting Partnerships, reflecting questions important to patients, carers and healthcare professionals. Projects must remain within the i4i product-development remit rather than being purely descriptive research.

Who can apply

Eligible UK organisations may form multidisciplinary collaborations involving academic, clinical and industry expertise. The application must have at least one co-applicant from an organisation different from the contracting organisation. Companies should check NIHR’s UK registration and contracting requirements.

Requirements and application process

Applicants should identify the relevant published JLA priority, demonstrate the unmet need, explain the technology and evidence already available, and set out development milestones, evaluation plans, patient benefit, commercialisation or adoption routes and value for money. NIHR also highlights Addiction Healthcare Goals topics under this route, but these are not mandatory. A separate JLA specification applies.

This is a two-stage competition: outline proposals are due by 1pm on 2 December 2026; shortlisted teams are invited to prepare full proposals.

Funding and timetable

PDA projects run for 24–36 months. Applicants must use the separate 2026/511 application route, even though the four PDA opportunities share an overview page. Invited full applications open on 11 February 2027 and close on 1 April 2027 at 1pm UK time. The general PDA eligibility and financial rules apply alongside the JLA specification.