This call will fund research to evaluate and further develop scalable digital interventions to advance early intervention in depression, anxiety and psychosis. Teams must have the research expertise required to drive the proposed research, an organisation which can take the intervention to scale (whether a company or not-for-profit) and lived experience experts. This call is open to interventions designed to lead to reductions in symptom(s) and/or functional impairments related to anxiety, depression or psychosis. We expect teams to already have a minimum viable product and feasibility data for their intervention.

Support is available for the evaluation and further development of software and/or artificial intelligence (AI) intended to be used for the treatment of symptoms of anxiety, depression or psychosis or for the reduction of functional impairment. This includes, but is not limited to, web-based programmes, mobile applications, applications of generative AI, chatbots, extended reality, wearable devices or video games.

The following interventions are in scope:

• Those designed to lead to reductions in symptom(s) and/or functional impairments.
• New or improved products.
• Products with differing practitioner/user involvement, such as: provider-administered used with intermittent/regular practitioner guidance; self-guided with human support; and self-guided and fully automated.
• Products that are standalone or integrated (blended) with other treatments (such as with psychological or pharmacological therapy).
• Those that have the individual with mental health problems as the end user.
• Those that are intended to be implemented in healthcare settings, workplaces, schools, homes or other settings.
• Those that are designed for large scale delivery.
• Products designed for children, adolescents and/or adults. Interventions may also target at-risk groups (eg clinical-high-risk for psychosis or perinatal populations).
• Those that offer a competitive advantage in relation to existing options or developments in the field.

This funding call is focused on proposals that target symptoms of anxiety, depression and psychotic disorders. This includes:

• All types of anxiety and depressive disorders (including obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder).
• All forms of psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia, postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder).

While the Trust does not specify any particular diagnostic or classification system, it is expected that applicants will use a framework and measurement approach that fits their research aim, as well as provide a clear rationale for doing so.

The research proposal must include collaboration between researchers and a company or not-for-profit organisation, which may be new or existing. There must be the ability to scale and be sustainable. Proposals should propose to progress the development of the intervention to the next translational stage, such as: generating safety, efficacy, effectiveness or real-world evidence data; generating evidence for regulation; or adapting existing interventions (eg language or cultural adaptation) for new settings or populations. Proposals must also plan rigorous evaluations of the interventions.

Application is open to teams of researchers based anywhere in the world, apart from mainland China. The award will be held by a lead applicant from an eligible administering organisation on behalf of a team of co-applicants. Teams (lead and co-applicants) must include:

• The research expertise required to drive the proposed research, as lead and/or co-applicants. There should be an appropriate number of team members to deliver the proposal within the timeframe. Diverse teams are encouraged.
• At least one individual from an organisation that can demonstrate that they have the expertise and ability to take the intervention to scale (company or not-for-profit) listed as an applicant (lead or co-applicant).
• People with lived experience of mental health problems (lead applicants, co-applicants and/or team members).
• Co-applicants based in each country where the research will take place.

The lead applicant must have appropriate experience and possess a permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract (or the guarantee of one) for the duration of the award. They should be based at an eligible administering organisation, which can be a higher education institution, research institute, non-academic healthcare organisation, not-for-profit/non-governmental research organisation, not-for-profit organisation or company. Organisations must be legally incorporated.

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