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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards
Our Awards celebrate researchers who are transforming ground-breaking discoveries into patient benefit. By spotlighting exceptional talent and ambition, we aim to inspire a new generation of innovators to tackle cancer with entrepreneurial spirit.
Nominations close on Monday 17 March 2025.
About the Awards
We have hosted two successful editions of our Awards, honouring winners across multiple categories spanning the entire entrepreneurial journey, from early-career innovators to established entrepreneurs and frontier technologies.
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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards 2025
The third edition of our Innovation and Entrepreneurship awards will take place on 10 July 2025 at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, in London.
The award categories open for nomination are:
- Early Career Entrepreneur of the Year
- Entrepreneurial Group Leader of the Year
- Woman Entrepreneur of the Year
- New Start-Up of the Year
- Further, Faster, Together (Industry-Academia Collaboration)
Nominees can be submitted for multiple categories via self-nominate or be nominated by a member of the research community (for example, by tech transfer offices, industry collaborators, accelerator mentors, investors, CEOs or academic PIs). through our short (500-word) form. Nominees do not need to be funded by Cancer Research UK but must be UK-based.
Nominations close on Monday 17 March 2025.
Awards ceremony
10 July 2025, London
All our shortlisted nominees are invited to attend the awards ceremony, where the winners will be announced. The ceremony provides a unique opportunity to network with a range of rising stars, seasoned entrepreneurs, industry experts, and inspiring keynotes.
Submit a nomination
This award recognises a PhD or Postdoctoral early-career cancer researcher who has demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurial initiative, attitude and skills. It celebrates their excellence in developing entrepreneurial competencies through participation in bespoke training, such as, but not limited to, the initiatives within our entrepreneurial programmes.
The winning entry will receive £5,000 to be spent on learning and development, including mentorship, coaching or professional courses.
Eligibility criteria:
- Early career researchers: PhD or Postdoctoral researchers
- They may be in the planning or early stage of start-up formation, but have not yet received more than one round of funding (excluding accelerator prizes)
- Have undertaken early steps towards translation. For example, may have been involved in patenting IP or potentially engaging in partnerships with commercial partners
- Have shown their entrepreneurial mindset and have engaged with programmes encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation
- Based in the UK
- Ideally available for the awards gala dinner in London on 10th July 2025
This award celebrates an independent group leader (Principal Investigator) who exemplifies exceptional leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit. It recognises their ability to foster entrepreneurial initiative and attitude, as well as to develop both their own entrepreneurial competencies and those of their research group. This is demonstrated through participation in training programmes, including, but not limited to, those offered by our entrepreneurial programmes.
The winning entry will receive £5,000 to be spent on learning and development, including mentorship, coaching, or professional courses.
Eligibility criteria
- Group Leaders who have demonstrated their entrepreneurial mindset and have engaged with programmes encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation
- Have undertaken early steps towards translation. For example, may have been involved in patenting IP or potentially engaging in partnerships with commercial partners
- They may be in the planning or early stage of spin-out formation, but have not yet received more than one round of funding (excluding accelerator prizes)
- Be based in the UK
- Ideally available for the Awards gala dinner in London on 10th July 2025
This award celebrates the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs at any stage of their career who have established, or are actively working towards establishing, a business or a transformative partnership to accelerate scientific discoveries into novel treatments, diagnostics and/or medical devices for the benefit of people affected by cancer. This award recognises not only their professional achievements and milestone but also celebrates the woman behind the initiative, her personal journey, successes and her ability to inspire others.
The winning entry will receive £5,000 to be spent on learning and development, including mentorship, coaching, or professional courses.
Eligibility criteria
- Open to any woman entrepreneur in the field of oncology
- Be based or have their chief operations in the UK
- Ideally available for the awards gala dinner in London on 10th July 2025
This award celebrates new UK-based start-ups that have laid the foundations of their business, having over the last two years raised their first funding round, and are fast-tracking scientific breakthroughs to develop new treatments, diagnostics and/or medical devices for the benefit of cancer patients. This award recognises the potential of emerging companies to develop and deliver ground-breaking technology with the promise of growth and impact in the cancer sector.
The winning entry will receive £15,000 to support the development of their start-up.
Eligibility criteria
- The start-up has raised their first funding round in the last two years (excluding accelerator prizes)
- Be based in the UK
- Ideally be available for the awards ceremony in London on 10th July 2025. For teams, up to three representatives can be invited.
This award celebrates the advancement of innovation in oncology through successful collaboration between industry and academia. It highlights exemplary partnerships, licenses and knowledge exchange initiatives that drive progress in the field. The award recognises outstanding examples of teamwork, showcasing clear evidence of knowledge transfer between the different sectors and organisations, and demonstrating how value and impact are maximised through effective partnership and collaboration.
The winning entry will receive £5,000 to be spent on team activities, learning and development, mentorship, coaching, or professional courses.
Eligibility criteria:
- The prize is open to teams based in the UK
- The prize is open to teams of any size working on a collaborative project between industry and academia
- The project may be a discrete part of a larger, ongoing industrial programme, or stand alone
- Ideally be available for the awards ceremony in London on 10th July 2025. For teams, up to three representatives can be invited
Special recognition categories
Not open to nominations
We will recognise outstanding contributions to the academic cancer entrepreneurial field via four special awards. The judging panel will select winners from nominees identified by Cancer Research Horizons. These categories are:
- Entrepreneurship Recognition Award
- Horizon Explorer Recognition Award
- New Start-Up Achievement Recognition Award
- Translational Project of the Year Recognition Award
Judging panel
All award entries will be reviewed by a Judging Panel comprised of independent experts.
Further details on the judging panel will be announced soon.
Meet our previous winners and nominees
Our Awards celebrate researchers who are transforming ground-breaking discoveries into patient benefit.
By spotlighting exceptional talent and ambition, we aim to inspire a new generation of innovators to tackle cancer with entrepreneurial spirit.
Want to find out more about our entrepreneurial community?
Find out more about the Awards and how to get involved.