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Polyphonic™ AI Fund for Surgery QuickFire Challenge

Johnson & Johnson

Overview

Imagine an operating room where artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, enabled by advanced connectivity and fueled by device, patient and surgical data seamlessly work together. This vision is becoming a reality as innovators seek to unleash the full potential of these advanced technologies to drive real-time insights and continuous learning.

Around the world, more than 330 million surgical procedures are performed each year.1 To help meet this great patient need, over 90% of hospitals and healthcare systems in the United States now have an AI or automation strategy, a significant increase from 53% in 2019.2 These digital technologies are emerging as game changers in surgical environments where every second matters, playing a pivotal role in transforming outcomes for patients. Through connected systems and fueled by real-time collection, integration and analysis of surgical data, surgeons aim to leverage these tools to drive efficiencies, inform decision-making, and extend surgical training and education across the surgical continuum.3

To help accelerate the use of AI in surgery, Johnson & Johnson MedTech has launched the Polyphonic™ AI Fund for Surgery QuickFire Challenge. Researchers and innovators in the Surgical Data Science field worldwide are invited to submit ideas for AI technologies that have the potential to improve surgical decision-making, strengthen data management & governance processes, and drive surgical efficiency across the connected operating room (OR).

Selected applicant(s) will have the opportunity to receive grant funding up to $100,000 and mentorship from experts across Johnson & Johnson.* Awardees may also be eligible to receive computing tools and technologies to help advance their innovations, including access to: GPUs and related software for accelerated computing, cloud platform and application services, Machine Learning (ML) and AI modeling toolkits and other Software Development Kits (SDKs).

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and awardees will be announced quarterly through the end of 2026.

* Subject to terms and conditions of applicable QuickFire Challenge and execution of an award agreement

1Varghese, C., Harrison, E.M., O’Grady, G. et al. Artificial intelligence in surgery. Nat Med 30, 1257–1268 (2024).

2 Pifer R. Vast majority of hospitals say they have an AI strategy, up from just half last year. HealthcareDive (March 10, 2021).

3 Marwaha, J.S., Raza, M.M. & Kvedar, J.C. The digital transformation of surgery. npj Digit. Med. 6, 103 (2023).

Why this challenge matters to us

At Johnson & Johnson, we seek to identify and source promising AI-driven innovation that has the potential to transform surgical care. This challenge builds on J&J MedTech’s commitment to progress what’s next in surgery to help improve patient outcomes.

What we’re looking for

Innovators around the world are invited to submit ideas for AI technologies with the potential to enhance surgical care and improve patient outcomes across the following categories:

Surgical decision support: Perioperative AI that augments delivery of care throughout the procedure, reduces cognitive load and has the potential to serve as a surgeon co-pilot.
Data management & governance processes: Efforts pursuing breakthroughs in data infrastructure, privacy & consent management, labeling frameworks, and regulatory research.
Surgical efficiency: AI that boosts coordination across care teams, amplifies care team proficiency and improves patient management all towards enabling seamless delivery of perioperative care.

Specific surgical areas of interest include: Soft tissue surgery including but not limited to colorectal, bariatric, thoracic, urology, gynecology and general surgery.

Awards

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and awardees will be announced quarterly through the end of 2026.

* Subject to terms and conditions of applicable QuickFire Challenge and execution of an award agreement

Timeline

June 25, 2025

Launch

August 22, 2025 (Cohort #1)

Application deadline

September/October 2025 (Cohort #1)

Cohort award announcement

Q3 2025-Q4 2026

Ongoing application reviews & announcements

AI Based Application Success Predictor

🎯 1. Alignment with Strategic Focus & Unmet Medical Needs

Whether you're applying to QuickFire Challenges, JLABS residency, or disease-specific innovation grants, your proposal must address a clear, unmet clinical or market need in areas J&J prioritizes (e.g., oncology, metabolic disorders, health equity) 

Applications should directly link to J&J’s health equity, prevention, interception, or cure strategies

🌟 2. Transformational Innovation with Clear Milestones

J&J favors transformative science or technology that is not just innovative but also scalable and impactful 

Judges want a 12–18 month project plan with concrete deliverables and clear “time-to-market” goals 

👥 3. Strong Team & Institutional/Diverse Partnerships

Show a solid team with relevant expertise, including leadership, technical competence, and financial capacity 

For Innovation Grants or disease-specific awards (e.g., AACR-J&J Lung Cancer Grants), multi-institutional teams (2–3 PIs across institutions) with clinical components are required .

Health Equity and Veterans Challenges emphasize lived experience and team alignment with communities.

💰 4. Realistic Budgeting & Use of Funds

Provide transparent, justified budgets—QuickFire grants typically cap at US $250–500K, with higher-end provided via programs like JLABS + QuickFire .

Expect documentation of funding sources, existing partnerships, and financial solvency .

🏢 5. Access to Ecosystem (JLABS & Mentorship)

Many awards offer residency at JLABS, mentorship, and ecosystem access—but applicants must demonstrate readiness for such integration .

The offering includes capital-efficient lab space and entrepreneurship support 

🧠 6. Clear Go-to-Market/Implementation Plan

Competitive proposals detail key milestones, scalability strategy, and time-to-market within a short timeframe .

Strong plans also outline clinical validation components, especially for oncology or therapeutic innovations 

🔎 7. External/Peer-Led Selection & Community Input

Evaluation panels often include external experts, including subject-matter specialists and community stakeholders .

Community-based challenges emphasize lived experience with reviewers assessing feasibility, impact, team quality, and scalability.

📋 Quick Reference Summary

Success Factor	Action Items
Strategic alignment	Map proposal to J&J priorities & clinical gaps
Innovation & milestone focus	Emphasize transformative potential & timeline
Team strength	Showcase leadership, partnerships, and experience
Budget clarity	Detail use of funds and funding sources
Ecosystem integration	Demonstrate fit for JLABS and mentorship support
Implementation plan	Define next steps, go-to-market, and validation
Peer/external review readiness	Prepare for scrutiny by experts and communities

🛠️ Pro Tips

Choose a fitting grant stream: QuickFire, disease-specific, health equity, or veterans initiatives.

Highlight unmet clinical or market need directly related to J&J’s innovation priorities.

Assemble a team early: consider cross-institutional and community-led collaborations.

Develop a detailed 12–18 month roadmap with milestones and go-to-market strategies.

Prepare a realistic, justified budget—including current funding and financial stability.

Engage with JLABS network early, showing readiness for incubation and mentorship.

Submit polished, non-confidential documentation—formatted to J&J’s application templates.

Tailor to reviewers: include both scientific experts and representatives of target communities.

Specialties

Surgery

Eligibility Requirements

Potential solutions will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers based on the following criteria:

Clinical relevance and impact
Patient safety and ethical considerations
Feasibility and implementation
Innovation and scalability
Team expertise and collaboration
Additional considerations related to regulatory compliance, cost effectiveness and patient-centered design

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Johnson & Johnson

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

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