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The Ronald Furlong Fund

Orthopaedic Research UK

Investment amount: Up to £100,000.

Application deadline: Friday 22 May 2026.

Our impact investments support research and innovation that deliver measurable improvements in outcomes for people living with MSK conditions, while also strengthening the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of healthcare delivery. We focus on initiatives that benefit patients, clinicians, and healthcare providers alike, recognising that lasting impact is achieved when innovations are embedded into real‑world clinical practice.

We prioritise opportunities that translate research into implementation at pace and at scale – supporting people, teams, and technologies with the potential to:

Improve quality of life and functional outcomes for individuals affected by MSK conditions;
Enable clinicians to deliver safer, more effective, and more efficient care; and
Support healthcare providers and systems through improved pathways, reduced burden, and better use of resources.

Our investments target innovations that lead to:

Improved clinical practices and care processes, including earlier diagnosis, better decision‑making, and optimised treatment pathways; and/or
New products, services, and technologies that can be adopted across healthcare settings and scaled to deliver long‑term social and system‑level returns.

We invest across a broad spectrum of MSK research and innovation areas with clear routes to impact, including but not limited to:

Digital and data‑enabled healthcare: AI, big data, digital health tools, and computational modelling
Biological and translational science: cell, bone and soft‑tissue biology
Devices and materials: biomaterials, biomechanics, prosthetics, and surgical technologies
Condition‑focused innovation: osteoarthritis, pain, bone fractures, spine and back conditions, rheumatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, infection, and bone cancer
Clinical and surgical specialties: hip, knee, shoulder, foot & ankle, hand & wrist, trauma and orthopaedic surgery
Population and system priorities: paediatric care, co‑morbidity, rehabilitation and exercise, and MSK health awareness and prevention

By aligning patient benefit with clinical utility and system adoption, our impact approach aims to accelerate the translation of research into practice – improving care delivery today while generating sustainable, scalable societal impact for the future.

The purpose of the fund

The fund aims to honour the pioneering, entrepreneurial legacy of Ronald Furlong through:

Investment of up to £100K in UK-registered startups.
Supporting entrepreneurs accelerate innovative and commercially viable ideas to solve the unmet needs of society around bone, joint and muscle wellbeing.
ORUK will ask for equity in the company and the amount will be negotiated at the final stage depending on various business factors, e.g., size, stage of development, nature of the activity, etc.

The application

The Ronald Furlong Fund uses a two‑stage application and review process designed to ensure a proportionate, efficient, and founder‑focused experience.

Stage 1: Short video pitch (initial screening)

Applicants are first invited to submit a short video pitch of up to 5 minutes using Loom.

The video should cover:

The unmet problem in musculoskeletal (MSK) health.
The proposed solution and what makes it innovative.
The potential impact for patients, clinicians, or the healthcare system.
The stage of development and pathway to translation or scale.
A brief overview of the team behind the project.

Loom video pitch guidance

Length: Maximum 5 minutes
Format: Share the link of your Loom recording (no file uploads). Please see a guide on how to record and share a video. Please set the video sharing settings to ‘Anyone with link can view’.
Please title the video ‘[Start-up name], The Ronald Furlong Fund 2026’
Who should present: Founder(s) or project lead (solo or joint)
How to share your pitch: Submit your Loom link through the Ronald Furlong Fund application form on https://oruk.grantplatform.com/
Production quality is not assessed. Applicants are encouraged to focus on clarity rather than polish.

We recommend structuring your pitch as:

Who you are
The problem
Your solution
Why this matters (impact)
Evidence of feasibility or traction
Your team and next steps

You need to present slides.

This stage is intended to be light‑touch and does not require a full written application.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to progress to Stage 2.

Stage 2: Full application and interview

Applicants shortlisted from Stage 1 will be invited to:

1. Submit a full written application, covering:

The innovation or product in detail.
Market need and differentiation.
Clinical, regulatory, and adoption considerations.
Development plan and milestones.
Team capability, governance, and partnerships.

2. Attend an interview with the Ronald Furlong Fund assessment panel.

Final funding decisions are made following evaluation of the written application and interview.

Important information

Only applicants invited to Stage 2 will submit a full application.
Feedback will not be provided to unsuccessful Stage 1 applicants.
ORUK reserves the right to adjust timelines or request additional information.

Key Dates

Wednesday 22 April	Loom Applications open
Friday 22 May	Loom Applications close
Monday 1 June	Invitation to submit full application
Friday 12 June	Full application close
Tuesday 23 June	Interviews

AI Based Application Success Predictor

🦴 1. Strong Focus on Musculoskeletal & Orthopaedic Conditions (Non-Negotiable)

Projects must directly address:
- Bone, joint, and musculoskeletal disorders
Common areas:
- Osteoarthritis
- Trauma & fracture healing
- Joint replacement
- Spine disorders

👉 Weak orthopaedic relevance → low success probability

🔄 2. Translational & Innovation Focus (Top Predictor)

ORUK explicitly prioritizes:
- Translational research (lab → clinic)
- Innovation that can be applied in practice

👉 Key question:
“Will this lead to a new or improved treatment or intervention?”

🎯 3. Clear Patient Impact (Critical)

Successful proposals:

Demonstrate:
- Improvement in patient outcomes or quality of life
Focus on:
- Reducing pain
- Improving mobility
- Enhancing recovery

🚀 4. Strong Emphasis on Commercialization Potential

Unique to ORUK:

Preference for:
- Projects with pathway to commercialization
Includes:
- Devices
- Biomaterials
- Digital health tools

👉 Industry translation is a major differentiator

🧪 5. Feasible, Milestone-Driven Project Design

Must include:
- Clear objectives
- Defined milestones
- Realistic timelines

👉 Projects should show progression toward application or market

👩‍🔬 6. Investigator Capability & Multidisciplinary Teams

Strong proposals include:
- Clinicians + engineers + scientists
Demonstrated ability to:
- Deliver translational outcomes

👉 Multidisciplinary teams are highly valued

🤝 7. Collaboration with Industry or Clinical Partners

Higher success for:
- Academic–industry partnerships
Demonstrates:
- Real-world applicability

📊 8. Evidence of Preliminary Data

Not always mandatory, but beneficial:
- Pilot data
- Proof-of-concept results

👉 Strengthens feasibility and credibility

🌍 9. Alignment with UK Healthcare Needs

Preference for:
- Projects relevant to:
  - NHS priorities
Focus on:
- Cost-effective solutions

👉 Health system relevance improves competitiveness

💰 10. Realistic Budget & Deliverables

Funding is typically:
- Moderate-scale (pilot to mid-size projects)
Budget must be:
- Justified
- Linked to milestones

📊 Summary: Key Predictors (Ranked)

Highest impact factors:

Orthopaedic focus
Translational innovation
Patient impact

Moderate predictors:
4. Commercialization potential
5. Feasibility & milestones
6. Multidisciplinary team

Supporting factors:
7. Collaboration
8. Preliminary data
9. Budget clarity

💡 Insider Insight

Compared to other orthopaedic funders:

Orthopaedic Research UK is:
👉 innovation-driven + commercialization-focused
👉 sits between academic funding and industry translation

👉 Key evaluation question:
“Will this research translate into a practical solution that benefits patients and healthcare systems?”

Specialties

Cancer

Orthopedics

Oncology

Eligibility Requirements

Startups with passionate and driven individuals with game-changing ideas are invited to apply.

Must be backed by evidence-based research or developing evidence
Must be a UK-based company and registered with Companies House in the UK
Pre-seed/seed-level startups only
Must have a clear business and financial plan.
While not a requirement, we would highly encourage Early Career Researchers’ (ECR) active involvement in the team. ECRs: Early career clinical and non-clinical researchers within eight years of their PhD award or equivalent professional training, or within six years of their first academic appointment.

Eligible Countries:

United Kingdom

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Orthopaedic Research UK

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Furlong House 10a Chandos Street London W1G 9DQ

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