Published
Knee joints that regenerate on their own. An implant that treats cancer from a patient’s home. A smart health monitor that rests in a person’s tear duct. First-of-their-kind therapies that tackle aging and rare disease.
ARPA-H doesn’t settle for iterative results. We exist to change the course of human health. To do this requires bold program ideas and a model unlike traditional funding agencies. Programs at ARPA-H come from our Program Managers – visionary scientists and engineers who champion bold healthcare ideas. They define a pressing health challenge, outline the path to a solution, then assemble cutting-edge teams to build new technologies, all while staying deeply involved from concept to real-world impact.
ARPA-H does not have its own labs. Instead, we support impactful biomedical research and development (R&D) that other private or federal funders might dismiss as too risky. Our programs tackle the seemingly impossible by compressing the time it takes for innovations to reach the bedside into years instead of decades.
The ARPA model, championed originally by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), centers Program Mangers’ ambitious ideas, accelerated research timelines, and breakthrough advances. If you aren’t familiar with this model, read on.
The Challenge
To be hired as a Program Manager, you need to pitch a program idea to the agency. ARPA-H looks for big challenges that are ripe for innovation. We ruthlessly pursue ideas that others might write off as unattainable or too risky for traditional investment timelines.
These program ideas come from our Program Managers, who bring with them academic, industry, or other R&D experience to build teams and see inventions through to adoption. Once hired, a Program Manager refines their concept and secures approval from the Director. ARPA-H then creates a solicitation for solutions under that program.
An ARPA-H program solicitation is only open for a brief window– long enough for proposers to learn about the opportunity and prepare a strong proposal, but short enough to move solutions forward with urgency. Most programs hold a Proposers’ Day, an event where the research community hears firsthand from agency staff about the goals and technical requirements of a program.
Because ARPA-H uses Other Transaction agreements rather than grants, some proposers may find the application and awarding process unfamiliar. Other Transactions allow for more flexible contracting and negotiations, so that ARPA-H can move at the pace of industry. The exact steps for applying vary program to program, so it is essential to review each solicitation carefully. The expectations are high because building a new future of health takes unconventional approaches.
Performance
Program Managers set the destination; performers chart the route. ARPA-H defines ambitious, measurable goals, and proposers bring forward their best ideas for how to reach them. The strongest proposals are selected for award after a competitive federal review, usually less than a year after the program was announced. Those performers – be they startups, large industry labs, academic researchers, small businesses, hospitals, or other biomedical organizations– then forge new technologies into reality.
Program Managers remain closely involved after awards are made. They oversee the work of on-contract performers, help evaluate progress, and mitigate blockers. The period of performance is only a few years, so the timelines are aggressive; this is an intentional part of the model. ARPAs invest in the kind of bold work that produces big shifts, so incremental progress won’t cut it.
The agency’s contractual model ties funding directly to performance. Funding is disbursed only as research milestones are met. Programs have built-in gates to assess this performance. If results fail to hit the mark, a performer’s work may be stopped or redirected to more promising avenues. This active program management ensures our stewardship of precious taxpayer dollars, so that the most successful work continues.
Graduation
ARPA-H funding is temporary. Once proof of concept is demonstrated, a performer is ready for closeout and transition. That transition could be the start of a clinical trial, moving a solution forward for regulatory approval, or follow-on funding from other investors. A defining feature of ARPA-H programs is that transition planning is baked-in. Program Managers identify potential adopters and partners early, and design programs with clear routes to scale. Partners who pick up our successful efforts often have plans ready to bring solutions to all Americans.
Instead of waiting decades for basic research to reach clinical application, ARPA-H seeks to deliver biomedical breakthroughs in just a few years. This unwavering commitment to accelerate healthcare solutions is at the root of every program. We measure success not by publications or patents, but in tangible, affordable health outcomes and lives saved.
Ready to change what medicine can do? Explore our Open Funding Opportunities, where you can submit your own transformative research proposals, and subscribe to the ARPA-H Vitals newsletter for the latest program announcements.