Accelerating the diagnosis, management and support of people diagnosed with cancer in Wales and Northern Ireland

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 we 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.

Typically, SBRI challenges commence with a Phase 1 Feasibility stage. However, for this challenge we are looking for real-world trials and therefore will not be supporting Phase 1 or 2 projects. We are seeking to identify and support the delivery of Phase 3 collaborative projects that can demonstrate the potential and scalability of emerging and near-to-market solutions.

Projects are expected to commence in October 2024 and be complete by 31 March 2025.

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. We are not seeking research projects such as early feasibility studies or evidence generation studies aimed at developing the product/solution further.

However, we 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.

We 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 – we 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).

A virtual Briefing Event was held on Tuesday 10th September: recordings are available at the link below.

If you would like help to find a project partner, contact Innovate UK Business Connect’s Health team.