Grant and Funding Programs for Pharma & Biopharma Startups
Biopharmaceutical and biotech startups companies face many challenges in the quest to advance early-stage drug candidates through development, clinical trials, and onto commercialization.
Funding is among the top priorities and is essential for the continued progress of promising drug candidates. Estimates vary, but it can cost $8-10 million just to get to IND stage, another $8-10 million for Phase I, and $20-40 million for Phase II, depending on design. Phase III costs considerably more.
Startup programs, grants, and funding sources can help accelerate the journey to your next milestone.
- Our Grant Programs
- Funding Resources
- Venture Capital Investors
- Incubators and Accelerators
- Biotech Hub Resources Workflow
The application cycle for the 2024 ANZ Advance Biotech Grant Program has started. Click the link below to submit your application today!
Biotech Resources
- M Ventures
Our strategic venture capital arm globally invests in innovative ideas, driving transformation. Discover the future of healthcare and technology with us.
- Open Innovation Offers
Join forces with our open innovation programs, stimulating creative solutions for humanity’s greatest challenges. Explore, innovate, and shape the future with us.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Explore the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s grant opportunities. A valuable collaborator resource to solving key health and development problems worldwide.
- Concept to Clinic: Bringing Your Molecule to Market
Uncover key insights from our Life Science Executive Summit, a platform for biotech innovation, funding strategies, and process development.
- Emerging Biotech Executive Summit: Your Connection to Success
Unlock the potential of biotech with important excerpts from our Emerging Biotech Executive Summit. Gain insights from industry leaders and advance your molecule to market.
Our Grant Programs
We offer several grant programs to help biopharmaceutical and biotech start-ups, entrepreneurs, scientists, and students bring innovative ideas to the next level.
The Advance Biotech Grant Program
The Advance Biotech Grant Program is offered on a regular basis in different regions of the world. The program recognizes stand-out emerging biopharmaceutical and biotech start-ups and awards grant recipients with products, services, and consultation to advance production and help accelerate the path to commercialization. Since 2014, more than 40 biotech startups have been recognized through this Program. We are honored to support their missions as they pursue therapeutic solutions for patients suffering from cancer, brain tumors, osteoarthritis, and cardiovascular disorders. To be considered for the grant, you must describe your therapeutic focus, clinical strategy, and explain how we can help you overcome challenges and address gaps in expertise to bring your innovation across the finish line.
Apply to the 2024 ANZ Grant Program
The ANZ grand prize for an emerging, start-up biotech or biopharmaceutical company includes AUD 136,000 in products and services, and support such as upstream, downstream and formulation consultation services, and a subscription to the Emprove® Premium program. The application cycle for the 2024 ANZ Advance Biotech Grant Program has started! Click here to submit your application today!
Previous Winners
2023 - North America
- Proteologix (Grant Prize Winner)
- Chimeron (Finalist)
- Vesigen (Finalist)
2021 - North America
- Elevian (Grand Prize Winner)
- Strand (Finalist)
- Mucommune (Finalist)
2021 - Europe
- VectorY (Grand Prize Winner)
2020 - North America
- Combined Therapeutics (Grand Prize Winner)
- Tenaya Therapeutics (Finalist)
- Respana Therapeutics (Finalist)
2020 - Europe
- VAR2 Pharmaceuticals, engaged in the design and development of a proprietary therapeutic proteins targeting cancer-specific carbohydrate structures for multiple cancer indications.
2019 - Taiwan
- Mycenax Biotech (first prize)
- PharmaEssentia Corporation (second prize)
- AbGenomics International Inc.
- AnTaimmu BioMed Co., Ltd.
2019 - Asia
- Sound Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
- Elpiscience Biopharma, Ltd.
- HanX Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Hangzhou Sumgen Biotech Co,. Ltd.
2019 - North America
- Rubicon Biotechnology, for its approach to treat chronic pain using a biologic selectively inhibit neuroinflammation without affecting normal motor or sensory function.
- TechnoVax Inc, for developing a virus-like particle platform that facilitates the development and the production of a range of vaccines
- RAFT Pharmaceuticals, for its approach to treat chronic pain using a biologic to selectively inhibit neuroinflammation without affecting normal motor or sensory function.
2018 - Europe
- GlioCure, for developing an anti-tumor and neuroprotective peptide, GC01, to treat the most frequent and aggressive type of brain tumor, glioblastoma
- GenoScience Pharma, to explore new agents such as GNS561 – a never-before used mechanism-of-action in commercialized cancer treatments/anti-cancer drugs in the pipeline.
- ResoTher Pharma, to develop new medicines for cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders.
2016 - Europe
- GeneQuine Biotherapeutics (first prize), for developing novel therapies for osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease with high unmet medical needs
- TILT Biotherapeutics (second prize), for enabling tumor T-cell therapy with oncolytic viruses
- Reneuron (third prize), for developing novel stem cell therapies targeting areas of significant unmet or poorly met medical needs
- Magnus Life Science (fourth prize), for funding, building and managing companies to translate innovative, curiosity driven science into therapeutics and devices that bring significant benefits to patients
2015 - Asia
- Beijing Biokey, for developing a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of fibriotic disease
- Guangdong Jia Genetic Medicine Engineering Research Center, for developing novel therapies to treat cancer and autoimmune disease
- Hangzhou DAC Biotech, for developing antibody drug conjugates to treat cancer
- Akeso Biopharma, for developing a pipeline of antibodies targeting cancer, cardiovascular and immune diseases
- Shanghai Mattel Biotechnology, for developing an innovative long-acting fusion FVIII to treat hemophelia
2014 - North America
- NGM Biopharmaceuticals, for developing biologics for the treatment of cardiometabolic conditions, bile acid-related disease, and potentially other diseases resulting from manifestations of cardiometabolic abnormalities and metabolic related cancers.
Our Annual Research Challenges
Our Research Challenge is a competition for technology pioneers at the leading edge of innovation. In this challenge, you’ll be presented with a task and a time limit, and the opportunity to apply your expertise and competitive spirit. Our research grants are designed to stimulate innovative research in challenging areas of future importance.
FUNDING RESOURCES
Lack of funding is a reason why promising therapeutics being developed at emerging, start-up biotechs and biopharmaceutical companies may fail to reach commercial status. With the cost to develop a drug estimated to be millions, funding is a challenge for all early-stage drug developers. There are many financing options, from biotech crowdfunding, nondilutive funding, and noncoercive funding, to biotech grants, angel investors, venture capital and other resources. Here are some good places to start in your search for funding.
- Merck offers a wide range of grants and awards for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research.
- EMD Serono Partners provides scientists and engineers with best-in-class lab materials, technologies, and services that accelerate access to health for people everywhere.
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awards grants primarily to U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations and other tax-exempt organizations.
- Grants.gov provides a listing of available federal grants
VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTORS
Venture capital (VC) investors look for disruptive technologies that align with their focus areas and a team that can deliver on that vision. When an early-stage, emerging biotech or biopharmaceutical company can clearly define why they are innovative and how they differentiate from others in addressing a relevant issue, the VC will take notice. Leadership that shows both focus and agility increase the likelihood of a successful partnership. Likewise, the entrepreneur should look for VCs that take an active role in translating innovations towards commercial success.
M Ventures, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, a subsidiary of Merck is a venture fund that joins forces with industry visionaries to maintain science and technology leadership for the next generation
INCUBATORS AND ACCELERATORS
For very early-stage biotech and biopharmaceutical companies, especially those whose founders are new to corporate leadership, an incubator or accelerator facility may be the right solution. These facilities provide not only reasonably priced lab-space and access to a core facility, but a network of support from legal and financial management resources to funding and coaching. These resources can go a long way to help establish a new biotech or biopharmaceutical entity.
Biotech Hub Resources Workflow
Discovery
Identifying the considerations, resources, and support you need to develop a new biologics candidate
Pre-clinical
Establishing safety and effectiveness for your Investigational New Drug (IND) application
Phase I–II
Accelerating your process development with tips, templates, and application guides
Phase III and Manufacturing
Progressing from scale-up and tech transfer to quality production for trials and commercialization
Regulatory
Navigating one of the world’s most regulated industries starts with a trusted guide
Related Webinars
APPLY TO THE ANZ ADVANCE BIOTECH GRANT BY AUGUST 31, 2024
Thank you for your interest. To apply to our ANZ Advance Biotech Grant Program, please fill out and submit the form below. ENTRY IN THIS PROMOTION CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES.
Sponsor, or its affiliates, shall not have any obligation to keep confidential any information received as a part of the application form. It is the responsibility of the participant to submit only such information that it deems public and not confidential. Sponsor, or its affiliates shall not be responsible or liable for any participants failure to abide by this requirement
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