Advancing innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosis
Limited submission
UK Research and Innovation funds projects to clinically validate and evaluate innovative technologies for early diagnosis of less common cancers.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: October 28, 2026: Full application submission deadline (competition closes)
Funding Amounts: Up to £25.4 million total; project costs must be £1.5M–£4M; award amount per enterprise/project capped at £3M; project duration 24–36 months.
Summary: Supports clinical validation and evaluation of innovative early cancer diagnostic technologies and devices, with a focus on less common cancers.
Key Information: Lead applicant must be a UK business, academic institution, or NHS org; collaboration with a UK SME and clinical expertise required.
Description
This funding opportunity, delivered by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through Innovate UK and in collaboration with the Office for Life Sciences, aims to accelerate the development, validation, and evaluation of early cancer diagnostic technologies and devices. The competition is designed to generate robust clinical evidence supporting regulatory approval and future NHS adoption, especially for innovations targeting less common cancers (all types except breast, prostate, lung, and bowel, including rare forms of these). Projects must be collaborative and demonstrate clear potential for clinical and health economic impact, ultimately aiming to improve patient outcomes and reduce inequalities in cancer diagnosis.
