Apply for Cancer Challenge to support people Diagnosed with Cancer (UK)

This exciting first of its kind Cancer Challenge is a collaboration between the SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) Centre of Excellence in Wales and the Innovation and Market Development Unit in Northern Ireland.

Wales and Northern Ireland have ambitions to improve cancer patient outcomes and reduce health inequalities. Key aims include earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and increased use of technology and innovations. Both strategies outline plans for patients who are living with cancer that cannot be cured or who are dying from cancer, to ensure that they receive an improved standard of individual and personalised end of life care.

This challenge seeks to deliver emerging and near-to-market innovations with proven safety and efficacy for real-world testing that will lead to earlier, faster diagnosis, reduction in waiting times, improvements to the efficiency and efficacy of treatment and palliative care support (enabling people to live well and die well with cancer). Successful applicants, and their public sector partners, will be expected to deliver demonstration and/or scale and spread innovative projects which can evidence the potential benefits, cost effectiveness and sustainability of their solutions.

Challenge Theme

• Successful outcomes should demonstrate measurable improvements in cancer patient outcomes, reduce health inequalities and provide advancements in efficacy/efficiency in one or more of the following key areas:
  • Cancer screening/earlier diagnosis
  • Faster diagnosis
  • Reduced waiting times
  • Cancer treatments including Surgery, Radiotherapy and Systemic Therapy
  • Acute Oncology Services
  • Specialist Cancer Services
  • Palliative Care
• The key focus will be on real-world trials of emerging and near-to-market innovations within Northern Ireland and/or Wales which will demonstrate efficacy, sustainability of service, affordability and scalability of solutions that can be delivered at pace where financial viability will be key. They are not seeking research projects such as early feasibility studies or evidence generation studies aimed at developing the product/solution further.
• However, they are seeking rigorous evaluations and adoption readiness reports that support the required evidence base for service development and potential scale-up across Wales and Northern Ireland, which may also be valid in other health care contexts.

Funding Information

• This challenge is open to applications that deliver a Phase 3 project. Current funding of £1,000,000 is available to a portfolio of projects – which may be subject to change, dependent upon the number/quality of submissions received. They are seeking a broad range of projects, from rapid or low-cost demonstrations to large scale demonstrators. All costs must be clearly justified and value for money demonstrated with willingness for appropriate contributions from the provider to help deliver the project.

Who can apply?

• Any organisation can submit an application, although it is expected that opportunities presented by SBRI will be particularly attractive for SMEs. Universities and registered charities may apply, however they must demonstrate a route to market, i.e. the application must include a plan to commercialise the results.
• Applications are invited to include a named health, public or third sector collaborator within Wales or Northern Ireland who has committed to their involvement in the project, evidenced by a signed letter of support. However, innovations will be evaluated on merit, and they will endeavour to facilitate partnerships for those who do not have any existing relationships;
• Funding for collaborator costs should be included as a subcontractor cost in the project applications;
• Projects can include more than one subcontractor; however, the involvement and role of each organisation should be clearly specified and the commitment evidenced, ideally with named individuals stated in the application;
• Multi-sector applications will be welcomed – in particular, applications that demonstrate significant benefits for NHS & Third Sector organisations;
• Academic partners are also welcomed, particularly in relation to independent evaluation and meeting any required technical/scientific testing.

Exclusions

• They are not looking to fund projects that:
  • Propose early innovations that have not yet sought regulatory approval (e.g., CE marking, MHRA, Clinical Trials, etc.).
  • Are purely focussed on feasibility – they are seeking real-world practical demonstration (not academic/research papers).
  • Cannot evidence engagement with potential future customers to understand needs.
  • Fail to address how any potentially negative outcomes would be managed.
  • Cannot evidence how a proposal will generate positive economic or societal impact.
  • Fail to consider affordability & practicality of widespread implementation including capital, infrastructure and future operating costs.
• Integration to any national systems during this SBRI trial will need to be compatible with Health Board systems for any future procurement (post SBRI).

For more information, visit Innovate UK.