Marcel Dassault Prize for Innovation in Mental Disorders
Context and description
Mental disorders present a global economic public health challenge. According to the WHO, mental disorders have been the leading cause of disability worldwide since 2020. In this context, more than 80 million EU citizens of all ages—up to 18% of the general population—will experience some form of mental disorder in their lifetimes. Indeed, mental disorders, which often begin early in life, currently constitute five of the top ten causes of disability worldwide. In addition to psychosocial suffering, major psychiatric disorders reduce life expectancy from 15 to 20 years, in large part due to somatic comorbidities and suicide. Major mood and psychotic disorders are among the top 25 leading causes of years lost to disability.
It is of paramount importance to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in psychiatry. There is an urgent need to improve the quality of life and prognosis of patients battling with mental health issues and to support their families. It is also time to anticipate future needs by pooling human and financial potential towards the development of new approaches and tools for the prevention, early diagnosis and clinical management of mental health disorders, and to invest in therapeutic innovation. It is in this context that the Dassault Group has decided to promote for the eleventh consecutive year, progress in psychiatry through an annual Prize. Since 2022, the aim of this prize is to support entrepreneurial product innovation in the field of Mental Health and Mental Disorders, to attract new talents to the field of psychiatry and to contribute to the development of the PsyTech ecosystem.
The Marcel Dassault Prize for Innovation in Mental Disorders awards a grant of 90,000 € (ninety thousand euros) to support groundbreaking work in the field. Overseen by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Foundation FondaMental, the prize recognizes the most promising project aimed at either adapting an innovation from another discipline to mental health or mental disorders, or developing and/or validating a novel innovation. The award will be presented during a prestigious ceremony held on the iconic Champs-Élysées.
Application
📑 Download the application file summary
Deadline for submission to 23rd June 2025, at 3pm CET (15h00 CET)
Scope of Innovation
Eligible innovations may belong to one or more of the following areas:
- Mental health care and disease management, from diagnosis and prevention to treatment: including digital platforms, medical technologies (e.g., devices), therapeutic solutions (e.g., medications, probiotics, dietary supplements, psychosocial therapies, brain stimulation), and more.
- Discovery or validation of diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers: such as blood-based biomarkers, neuroimaging, electrophysiological markers, gut microbiome signatures, or algorithm-based tools.
Who Can Apply
Applications are open to entrepreneurs, engineers, medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and scientists (basic or clinical) who:
- Have created or are in the process of creating a start-up in the field of mental health in France;
- Have an idea or are in the early stages of developing an innovation with strong market potential, including innovations adapted from other fields.
Award Overview
The Marcel Dassault Prize for Innovation in Mental Disorders awards €90,000 to the selected project.
In addition to the financial support, the laureate will benefit from:
- Continued guidance from the multidisciplinary teams of the Foundation’s Lab’FondaMental to help develop the project;
- Strategic communication support from Fondation FondaMental, enabling ongoing promotion of the innovation throughout its development.
Eligibility Criteria for Coordinator (PI)
To be considered, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Be a researcher, medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or entrepreneur;
- Have created or be in the process of creating a start-up and/or be developing an innovation with near-market readiness provided it’s located in France;
- The innovation must address mental health or mental disorders, including major mood and anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, or neurodevelopmental disorders;
- Applicants of any nationality may apply, provided they reside in France;
- Applications must be submitted in English to allow for independent evaluation.
Evaluation Criteria
All submitted applications will be assessed based on the following:
- Innovation and Originality
The uniqueness of the project and its potential to bring new solutions or perspectives to mental health. - Scientific Rigor and Feasibility
The quality and robustness of supporting data, development plan, and alignment with current research and technological trends. - Impact on Patients and Society
The potential to improve patient outcomes and quality of life, and to reduce the broader societal and economic burden of mental illness. - Path to Market and Implementation
The clarity and feasibility of market access plans, including scalability, regulatory strategy, and patient accessibility. - Team Excellence and Ethics
The strength and complementarity of the team, interdisciplinarity, ethical approach, and long-term vision.
Application Process
- Applications must be submitted through the FondaMental website.
- For questions, please contact: prix-projet@fondation-fondamental.org
- Deadline for submission: 23rd June 2025, at 5:00 PM CET
The Foundation FondaMental reserves the right to reject any application that does not comply with the Prize’s guidelines or the Foundation’s mission.
Any questions can be sent to the following email: prix-projet@fondation-fondamental.org
