Grants · Medical devices

A. Safronova. 1,000,000,000+ Rubles in Non‑Repayable Grants for Medical Devices

Grant

A non‑repayable subsidy awarded to companies or individuals for:

• conducting research
• research and development (R&D) work
• training
• other purposes, subject to a subsequent report on the use of funds

Grants:

• are awarded on a competitive basis
• are a non‑repayable form of financing
• require that funds be spent for their designated purpose

Key institutions providing financial support for medical devices

• Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE)
• Skolkovo Innovation Center
• Russian Fund for Information Technology Development (RFITD)
• Russian Science Foundation
• Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia
• Ministry of Industry and Trade
• Presidential Grants Foundation
• Regional departments and foundations

Stages of the medical device life cycle covered by grants

Amounts in rubles. Grant descriptions below.

Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE)

FASIE offers 6 core support programs:

• Umnik
• Student Startup
• Start
• Development
• Commercialization
• Export

Medical device development projects can fall under the following tracks:

• "Medicine and Health Preservation"
• "Clinical Decision Support Systems"
• "Biotechnology"
• "Sports (sports tech, equipment and gear, medical and biological support)"
• "Digital technologies (e.g., digital platforms for medical devices)"
• "Systems for collecting, storing, processing, analyzing, modeling and visualizing data arrays"

FASIE: support measures

1. Projects at the idea stage for creating a medical device

Young innovators, students and startups can receive up to 4 million rubles to develop a medical device prototype (the "Umnik," "Student Startup," and "Start" program competitions are launched regularly, several times a year).

Current and upcoming competitions for August–September:

• Start‑1 competition. Grant amount – up to 4 million rubles.
• Start‑2 competition (for those who have completed Start‑1). Grant amount – up to 8 million rubles.
• Umnik‑Electronics competition. Grant amount – up to 500,000 rubles.

The project requires developing a prototype of:

• a medical device
• a hardware‑software complex
• software for a medical device

Key requirements for the development:

• uniqueness
• commercial viability
• innovativeness

Grant funds can be used for:

• compensation for specialists (including physicians, engineers, IT specialists) who develop medical devices
• purchasing components and materials to build a prototype, and work by subcontractors (e.g., testing samples)
• laboratory rental

2. Design‑center projects ("Technostart")

Projects of small innovative enterprises developing under a design‑center model (electronic component base and/or electronic equipment) that seek to develop and launch production of new products and/or electronic goods using the infrastructure of modern technology centers, based on the results of their own scientific, technical and technological research, can apply for a grant: up to 15 million rubles under the "Technostart" program.

The "Technostart‑1" and "Technostart‑2" competitions are planned for August–September 2023. Grant amount – up to 15–20 million rubles.

The project requires:

• creating an experimental sample of an electronic medical device
• conducting its testing

Key requirements for the development: uniqueness, innovativeness, commercial viability.

Grant funds can be used for: compensation for specialists (including physicians, engineers, etc.) who develop medical devices; purchasing components and materials to build a prototype, and work by subcontractors (e.g., testing samples); laboratory rental.

Part of the R&D work must be carried out using the infrastructure of the technology center.

3. Growing projects ("Development")

Companies with a track record in developing innovative products and a certain level of sales can receive: 20–30 million rubles under the "Development" program.

Current and upcoming competitions for August–September: Development‑Electronics — grant amount up to 30 million rubles.

The project requires:

• refining functionally significant elements of a medical device or medical device software based on the innovativeness and uniqueness of the final development
• preparing the final product for market launch

Grant funds can be used for: paying the team, purchasing materials, components and equipment; promotion services, server and laboratory rental, as well as office space.

4. Scaling projects ("Commercialization")

Companies in the medicine and biotechnology sector can apply for: 30 million rubles under the "Commercialization" program, if they have annual revenue of around 60 million rubles, a stable financial position, and registered intellectual property.

The project requires:

• making minor refinements to elements of a medical device, hardware‑software complex, or medical device software
• launching/expanding sales

It is important to have registered rights to the medical device!

Grant funds can be spent on: paying the team, purchasing production equipment; renting production space, marketing, etc.

5. Export projects ("Internationalization" / "Export")

Projects aimed at entering foreign markets, as well as companies planning to export medical developments and internationalize, can receive up to: 20 million rubles under the "Internationalization" and "Export" programs.

Competitions under the Digital Technologies track are suitable only for digital products — i.e., software for medical devices.

Projects aimed at bringing medical devices to foreign markets involve work on:

• adapting the product for foreign consumers (appearance, etc.)
• building sales channels

Grant funds can be spent on: compensation for the project team, registration of medical devices in foreign markets; translating instructions into a foreign language, marketing and promotion; other expenses may also be provided for under the program, according to the competition documentation.

Skolkovo Foundation

Companies engaged in medical device development can apply for:

• residency in the Biomedtech cluster

Skolkovo residency

A few important points to know:

• Participant status at "Skolkovo" is available to companies engaged in R&D activity, i.e., those developing innovative medical devices
• Both legal entities and individuals can apply
• If the application is approved, the company must be registered or its charter amended
• The application must be filled out in as much detail as possible, with all documents and research results attached
• An application can be submitted any number of times, but after the 3rd submission it is checked for uniqueness

It is important to maintain reporting and confirm ongoing R&D activity in order not to lose Resident status. "Skolkovo" Resident status gives the company an advantage when applying for grants from other development institutions.

Skolkovo: support measures

1. Micro‑grants

Resident companies have access to micro‑grants of up to: 1.5 million rubles per application, but no more than 4 million rubles per year. Available to companies with no fewer than 3 and no more than 50 employees.

Grant funds can be directed toward current tasks such as:

• conducting research on medical device development
• testing in‑house developments
• purchasing materials or components
• protecting intellectual property
• testing hypotheses
• registering the medical device
• participating in exhibitions and conferences

2. Growth grants

Resident companies can receive grants of up to: 7 million rubles for project "growth," i.e., scaling up medical device sales. Available to winners of accelerator programs.

Grant funds can be directed toward scaling the business (developing new medical devices or related products, testing, marketing), excluding expenses for:

• setting up serial production of medical devices
• construction and renovation of real estate
• purchasing vehicles
• purchasing premium goods, works and services
• paying stipends and prizes to third parties

3. Digital implementation grants

Companies engaged in medical device manufacturing that need to implement digital solutions (integrating a medical device with a digital platform) can apply for grants of 20 to 700 million rubles.

Grant funds must be directed toward: paying for software licenses for the medical device; paying for implementation and configuration services for the digital product.

Important feature of this competition: the developer company's project must be included in the list of Especially Significant Projects (ESP).

Especially Significant Projects (ESP)

Opportunities:

• Grants under the national "Digital Economy" project
• 20–700 million rubles from the Skolkovo Foundation under the "Implementation" competition
• 10 million – 6 billion rubles from RFITD under the "Implementation" and "Development" competitions

Project requirements:

• creating an industrially significant product
• Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 or higher
• import‑substitution potential
• implementation period of 6–36 months

Applicants: Russian legal entities with experience implementing similar projects, not undergoing reorganization or bankruptcy, with no outstanding debts or fines.

Result: creation of an industrially significant product; TRL 9; inclusion in the register of domestic software and/or electronic products; achievement of planned commercialization targets.

The "Digital Economy" track covers projects related to developing software for medical devices or hardware‑software complexes.

RFITD

1. Implementation Grant

RFITD is the operator under Government Resolution No. 550 for the implementation of Russian software or hardware‑software complexes. Possible grant amount – from 10 million rubles. To participate in these competitions, the project must be included in the ESP list.

Grant funds must be directed toward: paying for software licenses for the medical device; paying for implementation and configuration services for the digital product.

2. Grant for the Development of Domestic Software or Hardware‑Software Complexes

In the amount of 10 million rubles or more. As of 2023 the competition related to development has not yet been announced.

Eligible uses of funds:

• development of medical devices and software
• testing and trials
• workspace rental
• purchasing materials and components
• specialist travel, if required

3. Grant for Marketing and Promotion of Russian IT Products

Up to 1 million rubles — funds can reimburse advertising campaigns related to promoting digital platforms for medical devices. Important feature: the digital platform must be included in the register of domestic software.

Russian Science Foundation (RSF)

Among the current support measures:

Competition for RSF grants: "Conducting basic and exploratory scientific research by international research teams" (jointly with the Iran National Science Foundation – INSF). Grant amount – up to 7 million rubles annually. Application deadline – until September 11.

Competition for RSF grants: "Conducting basic and exploratory scientific research on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation." Grant amount – 8 to 15 million rubles. Applications due by November 15.

Competition for RSF grants: "Conducting basic and exploratory scientific research by individual research teams." Grant amount – 4 to 7 million rubles. Applications accepted until November 15.

The RSF regularly updates its support measures; current competitions are listed on the official website.

Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation

The Ministry periodically offers competitive programs suitable for companies whose activities involve research in medicine. For example, the competitive selection for research conducted jointly with organizations from ASEAN countries offers grants of 4 to 7 million rubles annually; projects with organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean can apply for up to 10 million rubles.

The application deadline for these particular competitions has already passed, but the general terms will remain applicable for the 2024 programs. Grant funds can be directed toward conducting research related to the development of new medical devices.

Government programs and subsidies

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, together with the Ministry of Health, also plans to support medium and large businesses in Russia's medical sector.

1. Grant for developing reference standards for vital and essential medicines (VED list)

Relevant for medicinal substances used in medical device coatings. Possible support amount is no less than 20 million rubles, depending on project scope. As of 2023 the competition has not yet opened, but it's best to prepare documentation in advance.

2. Subsidy for rehabilitation‑oriented medical devices involving people with disabilities

The competition is held 1–2 times a year.

3. Moscow equipment grants

The Moscow Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development offers up to 30 million rubles to SMEs registered in Moscow, covering costs for purchasing treatment equipment and creating/testing medical devices, including lab and production‑line equipment.

Presidential Grants Foundation

Competitions for non‑profit organizations are held twice a year. Tracks suitable for medical‑sector projects: protecting public health and promoting a healthy lifestyle; projects in science, education and public awareness.

Grant amount is determined by the applicant based on project cost; the organization's own contribution, additional resources, and prospects for further development matter for evaluation. Next application period: September 1 – October 16, 2023.

Grants from Russian and foreign private companies and charitable foundations

There are many competitions and scholarships for young scientists and students working on modern medical technologies and creating innovative medical devices, for example:

• The "Film Your Science" competition
• The "Young Medicine" competition
• The "Akademina" competition for women scientists
• The "Akademus" competition for scientific and academic publications

Federal Project "Medical Science for the People"

The Russian government is prioritizing medical science, developing a practice‑oriented approach as part of this federal project. More than 503 million rubles will be allocated for healthcare research, funding new medical devices, medicinal products based on cell and tissue‑engineering technologies, and their clinical studies.

Summary

Legal entities and individuals engaged in activity in the medical field can count on financial support from state and private foundations. Grant and competition programs are constantly being updated, so it's important to stay current and, where possible, to prepare project documentation and information in advance.

For funding above 1 million rubles, particular interest goes to projects that have:

• an innovative component
• commercial prospects
• import‑substitution potential

Other articles · Issue No. 2, 2023