NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovations Program: principles, practices, successes and challenges

Abstract

Commercializing innovations in academic environments is notoriously challenging. Here, we describe the progress of the NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovations program — initiated in 2013 to address these challenges — which we believe could help set a new standard for the early-stage commercialization of biomedical innovations in academic environments.

Insights from the evaluations of the NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovation and Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs programs

“…There was heterogeneity across the three sites with respect to funding award sizes (e.g., $50,000 to as much as $400,000) and types (small pilot projects of short duration or 1-to 2-year projects), funding solicitation processes, project management approaches, and the distribution of administrative and management effort and responsibility between the prime site and their member institutions [15]. Over time, B-BIC added three additional institutions and the NCAI-CC added two.…”

An overview of the process, progress, and outcomes of a National Center for Accelerated Innovation: The Boston Biomedical Innovation Center Experience

“…Three challenges limit the conversion of biomedical research discoveries in the academic environment into clinically useful applications: inadequate funding sources for early-stage proofof-concept studies or validation assessment, limited expertise in product development, and lack of experience in commercialization strategies. To address these impediments, in 2013 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the National Centers for Accelerated Innovations (NCAI) (1) program through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. One of these centers, the Boston Biomedical Innovation Center (B-BIC), strove to identify technologies with clear clinical potential, and to provide the inventors with financial support, project management, mentorship, education, and other resources designed to facilitate successful translation to clinical application and commercialization.…”