Funding Opportunity: NHS England has announced the third round of the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call.

Applications are invited for innovations or new approaches that will detect cancers earlier and increase the proportion diagnosed at stage one or two.

The competition aims to fast-track high quality, proven, late-stage innovations into front-line settings, as well as address implementation evidence gaps.

Innovations will be 100% funded up to the total value of £4 million  (excluding VAT) over a maximum of 24 months.

Please sign up for the:

• Online Briefing Webinar: Tuesday 6 February 2024, 3pm-5pm Sign up here
• Online Innovation Matchmaking event on Tuesday 12 March 2024, 2pm- 5pm Sign up here.

Applications will open on Monday 8 April 2024 and close on Wednesday 29 May 2024, 1pm. Full details and Challenge brief on the Competition page.

The competition is open to:

• All types of innovation, including but not limited to, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, digital health solutions, behavioural interventions, software, artificial intelligence, and new models of care.
• Single organisations (contracts are executed with individual legal entities) based in the UK or EU from the private, public and third sectors, including companies (large corporates and small and medium enterprises), charities, universities and NHS Foundation Trusts, as long as a strong implementation and commercial strategy is provided
• Organisations based outside the UK or EU with innovations in remit for this call can apply as subcontractors of a lead UK/EU based organisation or via a UK or EU subsidiary.

Key Dates:

Online launch event: Tuesday 6 February 2024, 3pm-5pm. Sign up

Online innovation matchmaking event: Tuesday 12 March 2024, 2pm-5pm. Sign up

Workshop: Thursday 4 April 2024, 10am-12pm

Application Opens: Monday 8 April 2024

Q&A: Thursday 18 April 2024, 11am-12.30pm

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 29 May 2024, 1pm

Assessment: May/June 2024

Peer review (if shortlisted): July/September 2024

Interview Panel(s): Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 October 2024

Contracts awarded: October/November 2024

Find out more here.