Are you a startup or university-based project pioneering the future of therapeutics and vaccines? We’re looking for innovative solutions that align with BARDA’s mission to enhance pandemic preparedness and health security. Apply to the VITAL Accelerator Program and make a global impact!
Applications are now closed. Follow VITAL on LinkedIn to stay informed about future opportunities!
Receive highly individualized mentoring tailored to your company’s needs over the course of 6 months. Enjoy a flexible hybrid format and get paired with a lead mentor, project manager, and an extended team of subject matter experts.
Access a network of over 250 healthtech and biotech mentors, including entrepreneurs, development experts, investors, and clinicians – a diverse group of professionals dedicated to helping you succeed.
Connect with a global network of fellow entrepreneurs, customers, collaborators, and capital partners to accelerate your growth.
Join our accelerator without financial burden. Our program is entirely free, and we take no equity in your company, allowing you to retain full control and ownership of your innovation.
Submit your application to enter to be selected for the milestone-based awards.
We will notify you in September 2025 whether you have been selected to participate in the VITAL Accelerator Program.
Starting October 2025, you will begin your journey in the accelerator program, receiving tailored mentoring and access to our extensive network of experts.
Watch our info session to gain insights into the VITAL Biotech Accelerator Program and Funding opportunities.
Innovative vaccine and therapeutic technologies and platforms aligned with BARDA’s mission.
For more information on BARDA areas of interest, visit https://drive.hhs.gov/partner.html.
BARDA also recently released TPPs relevant to some of its areas of interest: https://medicalcountermeasures.gov/barda/tpp.
We are accepting applications from early-stage biotech companies as well as academic and other innovators globally.
We are accepting applications from early-stage biotech companies as well as academic and other innovators globally. Companies and individuals are welcome to apply for both the Accelerator Program and non-dilutive funding from VITAL. Applications will be reviewed independently. Solicitations for both the Accelerator Program and non-dilutive funding opportunities will be open on an annual basis.
No. SAM.gov registration is not required.
Stay tuned for the next solicitation cycle.
Applications will be evaluated with a particular focus on 1) the ability of the proposed application of the technology to support BARDA’s mission, 2) the uniqueness of the innovation and its ability to address unmet needs, and 3) the capacity for the proposed use of funds to advance the technology to the next value inflection point.
The Accelerator Program is a 6-month long program, providing customized mentoring with subject matter experts on a bi-weekly meeting basis.
Each engagement starts with a Deep Dive – a multi-hour meeting with multiple subject matter experts. After the Deep Dive, each company or individual will work with their Lead Mentor to develop SMART goals and customized workstreams to provide support in areas such as fundraising, clinical-regulatory, product and platform development, and more. Each company or individual will then meet on a bi-weekly basis with their Lead Mentor, Project Manager, and other subject matter experts as needed. Every Lead Mentor, Project Manager, and other subject matter expert is under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
Each company or individual is matched with a Lead Mentor and a Project Manager, who are both under a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). The Lead Mentor will manage the engagement and will meet with the company or individual on a bi-weekly basis to provide support on topics such as fundraising, clinical-regulatory, product and platform development, and more. Other subject matter experts are also available as needed, all of whom are also under NDA.
VITAL is one of 5 BARDA Accelerator Network hubs. The other 4 are I-CREATE (diagnostics and medical devices), PARATUS (digital health), BioTools Innovator VANGUARD (enabling technologies), and SPARK (innovations in pediatrics). Innovators developing models for vaccines/therapeutics discovery may want to look into opportunities with the PARATUS and VANGUARD hubs in addition to VITAL, depending on the underlying technology. If your technology could significantly and specifically improve sampling, delivery, efficacy, durability, etc., of vaccines/therapeutics for pediatric populations, you may want to look into opportunities with the SPARK hub in additional to VITAL.
VITAL will not fund technologies specific to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) under this solicitation, including diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics. If you are developing AMR innovations, please visit the CARB-X program website to view current funding priorities: https://carb-x.org/apply/funding-themes/
BARDA DRIVe: https://drive.hhs.gov/partner.html
BARDA BAA funding: https://medicalcountermeasures.gov/barda/barda-baa/
BARDA’s main page: www.medicalcountermeasures.gov
