About us

Our purpose is to provide the education and mentorship necessary to advance research discoveries from the bench to the bedside. SPARK provides access to specialised knowledge and technical expertise regarding diagnostic, therapeutic and medical device development and sources of funding to support translational efforts.

All SPARK members will have access to workshops organised by SPARK and led by industry experts; from medical device regulations to establishing good clinical trials and how to create an enticing target product profile to engage future funders, the SPARK programme will increase researchers’ knowledge and understanding of the product discovery and development pipeline.

Originally started in Stanford University by Professor Daria Mochly-Rosen in 2006, SPARK has achieved unprecedented success in translating early academic discoveries to solutions addressing unmet needs. Where the global success rate for novel ideas making it to clinical trials is <5%, SPARK at Stanford has recorded a project success rate of 62%. By giving our unique individual tailored support to healthcare professionals and scientists, SPARK sets itself apart from other accelerator initiatives. It is no wonder that our programme is now offered in >50 countries worldwide. With this global network at our fingertips, we hope to build the connections and collaborations to propel your idea further in a shorter amount of time.

SPARK members will also be given a £25,000 grant to further their project. Although this is a relatively small amount of money, the SPARK team hopes to leverage this for much bigger funding throughout your time on the programme.