The UK Arthritis Foundation and Design Council has added a product innovation fund to help fund inventors for products that improve quality of life and independence for arthritis sufferers. Design Council Spark is looking for products which can be sold to companies or individuals.
Applicants must be UK residents and plan on developing their product in the UK. Forty products will be selected to go on for further evaluation during a two day workshop. From that point on eight to twelve products will be selected as Spark Finalists. Finalists will receive a twenty week product support programme, access to prototyping materials and facilities, advice on investing and £15,000 to spend on development.
Up to top four products will be selected for the Spark Awards and will receive £150,000 from the Spark research fund or £50,000 from Arthritis Research UK.