Cancer Research Horizons

Venture Builder Incubator empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to start or grow their tech business.

Bridging the gap between research and entrepreneurship, Venture Builder Incubator gives you the tools, skills, and support to transform your idea into a thriving startup.

Through our ongoing partnership with Cancer Research Horizons, the Venture Builder Incubator provides tailored support to research staff and academics across the UK developing oncology-related innovations. To date, Cancer Research Horizons has supported 29 founders through the programme, helping them secure over £50 million in grants and investment.

Cancer Research Horizons is the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent cancer research organisation. It was launched to take cutting edge innovations from the lab bench to the bedside and translate them into effective treatments and diagnostics for cancer patients.

The deadline for Cancer Research Horizons related applications is on 21 July 2025.

Explore key programme details, including important dates, eligibility criteria, and answers to your FAQ's.


Find out more about our previous programme cohorts and learn from their experience. 


Learn more about our successful founders and how they have benefited from our programme.


Explore our Alumni News Stories:

Papcup

Venture Builder Incubator Cohort 4.0 (2024)

Sânziana Foia aims to revolutionise cervical screening through her Papcup start-up, thanks to help from the University of Edinburgh Venture Builder Incubator.

GambitBio

Venture Builder Incubator Cohort 3.0 (2023)

GambitBio is on a mission to reduce cancer-related deaths by empowering individuals to take control of their health. We spoke with founder Tiffany Ma about how support from Venture Builder Incubator and the partnership with Cancer Research Horizons has helped the company transform scientific research into a powerful tool for early cancer detection.

PharosAI: How a VBI supported pivot is turning an academic idea into a £44M national cancer AI platform

Two years ago, PharosAI was an ambitious concept born during the third cohort of the Venture Builder Incubator (VBI) programme. Today, it has evolved into a nationally backed initiative, supported by over £44 million in funding - including £18.9M from the UK government's Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) - and a consortium of leading UK academic, clinical, and industry partners.

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