BioTools Innovator VANGUARD FAQs

Non-Dilutive Funding Program

High interest focus areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Advanced Assays and Reagents for omics, cell-based, and imaging applications to speed up medical countermeasure development
  • Drug Candidate Identification Technologies (including in silico models) that can identify new or repurposed candidates that address health security threats
  • AI-Based Tools/Algorithms and Automation to develop predictive analytics and/or model process parameters to expedite biopharmaceutical manufacturing of medical countermeasures
  • Novel Sample Prep, Automation, or Miniaturization Tools to speed up development of medical countermeasures and biomanufacturing capabilities
  • Analytical Platforms applicable to multiple Vaccines/Therapeutic Products with a focus on rapid Critical Quality Assurance analytical testing technologies for Drug Substances and Drug Products to harmonize release assays and potency assays
  • Digital Twin Approaches using Multimodal Clinical Data, including AI (e.g., EHR, imaging, unstructured notes) to enable early identification, endotyping, or treatment guidance for disease severity to enable early intervention
  • Integrated Bioprocess Optimization combined with modeling to establish control strategy and expedite manufacturing of medical countermeasures
  • Novel Approaches for Generation of Polyclonal Recombinant Antibodies to treat infectious diseases

For more information on BARDA areas of interest, visit https://drive.hhs.gov/partner.html. You may also find BARDA’s strategic priorities by visiting the pages for each of BARDA’s medical countermeasure programs: https://medicalcountermeasures.gov/

BARDA also recently released TPPs relevant to some of its areas of interest: https://medicalcountermeasures.gov/barda/tpp.

We are accepting proposals from early-stage biotech companies as well as academic and other innovators globally.

We are accepting proposals from early-stage biotech companies as well as academic and other innovators globally. Companies and individuals are welcome to submit an application for the Accelerator Program and a proposal for non-dilutive (DEV) funding from BTI VANGUARD. Applications and proposals will be reviewed independently. Solicitations for both the Accelerator Program and non-dilutive (DEV) funding opportunities will be open on an annual basis.

No, SAM.gov registration is not required.

  • Preliminary Proposal Deadline: September 30, 2025
  • Invitation to Submit Full Proposal: By November 15, 2025
  • Program Start: March 2026

Proposals will be evaluated with a particular focus on 1) the ability of the technology in the proposal 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.

It is anticipated that project milestones will be completed in 6 months from the start of the project, and that the funding will be spent during this time period. Project management and mentor support will be provided during this 6-month period. BTI VANGUARD and BARDA also understand that unforeseen and unpredicted events happen during development, evaluation and validation activities.

There will be reporting requirements on a monthly basis, upon milestone achievement, a mid-project meeting with BARDA, and a final report and presentation.

Allowable expenses for the non-dilutive funds from BTI VANGUARD include: direct costs for development, evaluation, or validation activities, and labor for personnel and subcontractors/CRO partners contributing to the milestone completion. We recommend that the budget is well-distributed across expense categories (e.g. not spending the full budget on a piece of equipment) and keeping personnel costs below 60%.

Companies and individuals that receive funding from BTI VANGUARD will have access to BARDA subject matter experts and other related BARDA resources. Access to these BARDA resources will be managed and coordinated by the BTI VANGUARD Team.

A technology that aligns to the BTI VANGUARD Hub might also be aligned to some of the other BAN Hubs, including Therapeutics/Vaccines and Diagnostics/Medical Devices. Organizations should also look into open Areas of Interest for the BARDA DRIVe EZ-BAA funding opportunity and other BARDA funding and partnership opportunities. The decision about which Hub or program to apply to is up to the organization.

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For additional information and questions, please contact vanguard@biotoolsinnovator.org.