One of the key challenges in commercialising University research is access to the early-stage funding necessary to take a novel idea to an early stage of proof - thereby validating the commercial potential to attract additional investment. To overcome this funding challenge, the University has developed a ‘Proof-of-Principle’ (PoP) programme to support projects with significant potential to deliver economic impact via either licensing or creation of a spin-out.

We are pleased to announce two levels of award:

PoP - Up to £12,500 award (for award Nov 2025 and Feb 2026)

PoP Plus – Up to £60,000 award (for award Feb 2026)

The awards are intended to move the projects to the next stage of proof. For example, to develop an early prototype, more in-depth market understanding or the generation of additional data to support validation of the idea. The focus of the fund is to provide short-term investment to develop early-stage ideas, where there are some preliminary findings, but no clear route to the marketplace. The programme has been designed to help you prepare your knowledge and technology for commercialisation. The programme is not intended to support research projects for which no preliminary findings have been generated. It is designed to help academics demonstrate the potential for economic impact (via either licensing or creation of a spin-out) of a new concept, technology or invention and to highlight the need for and type of additional development support that would be required to take the technology closer to the marketplace.

Depending on available funds, there will be 2 or 3 calls for this programme during the 2025-26 academic year, the next of which shall take place as outlined in the timetable below.

Please note this call is for PoP only (not PoP Plus) for awards up to £12,500 and submission of an Invention Disclosure Form (IDF) is a pre-requisite.

Please note a simple email to gareth.caves@qub.ac.uk will suffice as an Expression of Interest.

This is an open call across all QUB faculties and projects should be ready to commence very soon after receipt of funding, as projects should be complete with all funds spent by 31^st July 2026.

A further PoP/PoP Plus call for projects requiring a longer duration is likely in early 2026. 

Useful documents and links

• Proof of Principle Guidance 2025
• Proof of Principle Application Form
• Invention Disclosure Form (General)
• Invention Disclosure Form (Software)
• Invention Disclosure Form (Cell Line)
• Guidelines for Antibody and Cell Line Licencing and Exploitation