UKRI:2809 - MINDSET INNOVATION SUPPORT PROGRAMME

The Mindset programme is a £20M investment, delivered by Innovate UK, which aims to achieve a post Covid transformation of UK Mental Health provision in the face of an accumulating crisis. The ambition is to achieve transformation through the development and scale-up of emerging digital therapies - by catalysing collaboration between healthcare and creative sectors, to develop an innovation sector with global potential, and to provide urgently needed new digital delivery models for Mental Health services. In essence, the use of immersive digital technologies (XR) to deliver mental health therapies. UKRI and IUK are looking for suppliers to provide a flexible tailored package of support to innovative projects supported by Mindset over the next 2.5 years. Providers should be able to demonstrate experience with, and provide advice and support to projects for the following:

• Health economics
• Commercialisation
• Digital Therapeutic Care Pathways
• Health Regulation
• Access to finance (Note that bidders are not expected to offer finance) In addition, the innovation support programme should provide:
• Outreach and engagement into both the Digital Health and Creative Industry sectors
• A network of support to facilitate knowledge sharing across the portfolio of projects
• Provide briefings and advice to potential applicants to Mindset R&D competitions Innovation Support (IS) for Mindset and the Clinical Mental Health & Wellbeing sector, working with NIHR Mindtech, Innovate UK KTN and other partners to bring businesses, NHS providers, regulatory and academic partners together to share knowledge. The Innovation support provider will also be responsible for supporting Mindset R&D applicants and award recipients to address gaps in their knowledge and capability through a balance of general support and active interventions. The vision for the £20M Mindset investment is to achieve a post Covid transformation of UK Mental Health provision by supporting the development and scale-up of emerging digital therapies. This will be realised by catalysing collaboration between healthcare and creative sectors to develop an innovation sector with global potential, and to provide urgently needed new immersive digital (XR) delivery models for Mental Health services and trials. XR refers to Extended Reality and covers Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR) and Virtual Reality (VR), haptics, interfaces, platforms, and software and will often be referred to as immersive technologies. The proposed overall approach to Mindset is based on 4 workstreams:
• Workstream 1: An early stage ‘R&D Fund’ to develop new innovative mental healthcare solutions
• Workstream 2: A ‘Test and Trial platform’ for the distribution and procurement of mental health and wellbeing XR experiences, products, and solutions
• Workstream 3: An ‘Investment Partnership fund’ for XR/Digital Mental Health SME’s
• Workstream 4: A programme of ‘Innovation Support’ for the Clinical Mental Health & Wellbeing sector, working with NIHR Mindtech, the KTN and other partners to bring businesses, NHS providers, regulatory and academic partners together to share knowledge. Additional information: To join the UKRI:2809 Market Consultation Exercise, email [email protected] with "Expression of Interest – UKRI:2809 Mindset Innovation Support Programme PIN" in the subject line. You'll receive two documents: The Invitation with programme info and The Questionnaire, due back by noon on April 17th, 2023.