Access funding
We offer several funding streams to take you to the next stage of your commercialisation journey, whether you want to validate a discovery, license a dataset, or grow a start-up.
Cancer Research Horizons Seed Fund
What is it?
Our Seed Fund aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and patient impact. We invest in early-stage opportunities that hold promise for real innovation, worldwide, from within and beyond the Cancer Research UK network.
Who is eligible?
We support researchers with the entrepreneurial spirit to turn ideas into high-potential start-ups to propel them to patient impact faster. We provide funds for early-stage validation, pre-seed and seed capital. Our investment remit includes therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and data-driven and AI solutions.
Explore our Seed Fund
Pedro Correa de Sampaio, CEO of Neobe Therapeutics
A Seed Fund recipient's perspective
"We are immensely grateful for the continued backing of our existing investors. Our mission continues to be to transform cancer treatment through engineered live biotherapeutics, and with this support, we are one step closer to making that a reality."
Therapeutic Catalyst Award
What is it?
This scheme aims to de-risk early projects to facilitate further drug discovery research, funding, or partnering. We are seeking projects with strong therapeutic potential to deliver patient benefit.
Who is eligible?
We are looking for academic researchers who have their own lab or have undertaken a significant period of postdoctoral research, based at any university or research institute worldwide.
Expressions of interest are due on 14 February 2025.
Explore our catalyst award
Childhood Therapeutic Catalyst Award
What is it?
This scheme aims to de-risk early therapeutic opportunities to facilitate further drug discovery activity. We are seeking projects with strong potential to deliver novel therapeutics for children and young people with cancer.
Who is eligible?
We are looking for academic researchers based at any university or research institute world-wide, who have their own lab and/or have undertaken a significant period of postdoctoral research.
Expressions of interest are due on 31 January 2025.
Explore our award and apply
Cancer Research Horizons Data Innovation Awards
What is it?
Our Data Innovation Awards provide researchers with up to £100,000 funding to be used to support cleaning, annotation, curation, linking or storage of data that has significant commercial potential.
Who is eligible?
We are looking for researchers that have generated a high-quality cancer dataset or are working on a project that will generate one in the future, where there is a need for additional funding to make the dataset suitable for sharing. You do not need to have Cancer Research UK funding to apply for a Data Innovation Award.
Learn more
Roland Arnold, Birmingham University
A Data Innovation Award winner's perspective
"We’re very grateful for the exceptional help we’ve received from Cancer Research Horizons. They introduced the BCPP team to the opportunity of the Data Innovation Awards and were very supportive throughout the application process."
Project Development Fund
What is it?
We have a Project Development Fund to help kick-start your project or bridge a gap to get your project to the next stage. Proposals should have a clearly defined endpoint that is achievable in the short to medium term. We don't restrict types of proposals, but they must be consistent with our vision and purpose.
Who is eligible?
Any Cancer Research UK-funded researcher with a proposal fitting the above remit is welcome to apply.