Garfield Weston Foundation donates £10m to our Cancer Impact Booster

With the number of new cancer diagnoses predicted to reach 28 million by 2040, the importance of unlocking innovation to treat clinical needs cannot be underestimated. 

This is where Cancer Research UK’s innovation arm, Cancer Research Horizons, comes in. Cancer Research Horizons takes scientific breakthroughs from the lab bench to the hospital bedside, translating them into effective treatments and diagnostics for people with cancer. 

“Attracting early-stage risk capital is undoubtedly one of the most challenging stages of start-up creation,” said Iain Foulkes, Cancer Research UK Executive Director of Research and Innovation, and Chief Executive of Cancer Research Horizons. 

“Too many potential breakthroughs stall due to a funding gap between cutting-edge academic cancer research and a start-up becoming ready for scale-up investment.  

“This visionary support from the Garfield Weston Foundation will help unlock the potential to move forward innovation that could otherwise stall en route to the clinic.” 

Garfield Weston Foundation has donated to our Cancer Impact Booster, supporting the Cancer Research Horizons seed fund for start-up propositions and companies during their early phases.  

Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Horizons have committed £15m to the seed fund and, through our More Research, Less Cancer campaign, we’re asking philanthropists to help us grow the fund and maximise its impact.  

“We’re proud to be supporting Cancer Research UK’s work to help bridge the gap between discovery science and the clinic,” said Sophia Weston, Deputy Chair of Garfield Weston Foundation.  

“Cancer Research UK science has helped underpin the development of more than half the world’s essential cancer medicines. Their scientific prestige and powerful networks will enable the rapid translation of innovative research into effective tools, tests and treatments for people affected by cancer.” 

Established in 1958, Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded grant-maker that supports a wide variety of charities across the UK.  

Since it was established, it has donated over £1.5bn and gifted over half of this in the past 10 years