Assess your innovation's TRL
The table below will help you assessing the TRL of your innovation by providing examples of maturity level of various innovation per industry sector. Assess your TRL based on the examples below, and the go to the funding options that correspond to your innovation's TRL.
TRL1 - Basic principles observed
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL2 - Technology concept formulated
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL3 - Experimental proof of concept
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL4 - Technology validated in a lab
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL5 - Technology validated in a relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL6 - Technology demonstrated in a relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL7 - System prototype demonstration in an operational environment
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL8 - System complete and qualified
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |
TRL9 - Actual system proven in an operational environment (competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling technologies, or in space)
| Type of innovation | Readiness level |
| A product that is manufactured | Analytical studies on separate elements of the technology. Laboratory based trials that show the feasibility of the predictions. |
| An industrial process | Laboratory experiments are designed to verify that the conceptual process works as expected. |
| A software | Initial script & functions to solve the desired problem. |
| A medical device | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo trials including the expected device characteristics. |
| A drug | Initial proof of concept demonstrated with a limited number of in vitro & in vivo models. |