Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
An MRC Confidence in Concept catalyst grant funds an 18-month proof-of-mechanism study for a candidate drug.
- Is an instance
A Royal Academy of Engineering catalyst award supports a new SME-academic research partnership for two years.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
A long-running programme grant is not a catalyst grant.
- Not an instance
A travel scholarship is too small in scope to be considered a catalyst grant.
Editorial commentary
Catalyst grants sit between seed and full project funding. They typically range from 50,000 to 250,000 GBP / USD, may run from one to two years, and have an explicit strategic intent rather than open scientific scope. Funders such as MRC, EPSRC, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and Cancer Research UK operate catalyst schemes (e.g., MRC Confidence in Concept, CRUK Therapeutic Catalyst). Outcomes are typically measured by transition to larger awards or licensing/partnership activity.
References
- MRC Confidence in Concept programme; Cancer Research UK Therapeutic Catalyst Awards.
Also known as
Catalyst award · Confidence in Concept (MRC) · Catalyst funding
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
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vocab-term="Catalyst grant"
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