A £40m Healthy Ageing Trailblazers funding competition is now open for applications.

As part of the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, the Healthy Ageing Challenge asks industry and researchers to develop products and services to support an ageing society.

It will support the UK government’s mission to ensure people can enjoy at least five extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035, and will support people to stay in their homes for longer, tackle loneliness, and increase independence and wellbeing.

Competition

The competition fund aims to encourage businesses and public sector led collaborations, including social enterprises, to develop and demonstrate how products, services and business models – which support people as they age – can be adopted at scale.

Stage one – £100,000 for research and business plan development
Stage two – £36m to develop and implement products, services or business models, with individual eligible project costs of up to £6 million.

Information Session

4 October 2019, Belfast City Hall, 1pm – 4.30pm

The Knowledge Transfer Network is holding an information session, facilitated by Belfast City Council, at Belfast City Hall on 4 October 2019 from 1pm – 4.30pm.

Hear from the Healthy Ageing Challenge leads at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) which is investing up to £1.5 million in stage one of this two-stage competition.

Background information

The number of people over 75 in the UK today is one in 12. By 2040, it will rise to one in seven. We’re also living for longer and a third of children born now are expected to live to 100.

This presents a challenge to health services, but it is also an opportunity for businesses and researchers who can help people to stay active and productive as they age.

Funded projects will need to show how they will tackle one or more of the following challenges of older life:

  • Sustaining physical activity
  • Maintaining health at work
  • Design for age-friendly homes
  • Creating healthy, active places
  • Supporting social connections
  • Living well with cognitive impairment
  • Managing common complaints of ageing.

Find out more

Visit the UK Research and Innovation website to find out more and keep up to date with funding opportunities.