The University of Cambridge has been awarded Medical Research Council (MRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) funding, previously known as Confidence in Concept, on several occasions since 2012. This UKRI-funded programme supports universities to accelerate the translation of promising discovery research into new therapies, diagnostics, medical devices, and other health-related innovations.
The most recent MRC IAA award to the University was made in 2022, with a top-up provided in 2025. The current award runs until 31 March 2027.
IAA funding is awarded to the University, which then runs internal calls for proposals and allocates funding to selected early-stage translational projects. At Cambridge, the Office for Translational Research has managed the MRC IAA funding call since 2012, supporting researchers to generate proof-of-concept data, de-risk projects, and secure follow-on investment for further development.
You can read more about the national IAA scheme on the UKRI website.