Edinburgh Incubator Programme to help drive Cancer Research Projects

Having announced the renewal of its partnership with the University of Edinburgh’s flagship Venture Builder Incubator, Cancer Research Horizons, the innovation engine of Cancer Research UK, is to sponsor ten places for cancer-related research projects from across the UK on a 16-week programme supporting PhD students and early career researchers in developing their business ideas, building skills and securing funding. 

Following the collaboration’s inception in 2021, eight companies operating in the field of cancer were selected as start-ups for the Venture Builder incubator and this year’s programme also aims to accelerate commercialisation of ideas aimed at conquering the disease in some of its many forms. Previous cohorts have seen considerable success, attracting £1.8m in funding in the last 12 months.

Laura Bernal, Venture Builder Incubator Programme Manager, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with Cancer Research Horizons again this year. Our Incubator programme is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs across all sectors of business build their skills and take their businesses to the next level and through continuing to build our relationship with the brilliant team at Cancer Research Horizons, we can ensure that we are supporting the commercialisation of vital research across 10 cancer-related projects this year."

The Venture Builder Incubator is delivered by the Bayes Centre, the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading innovation hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, on behalf of the University’s five Data-Driven Innovation Hubs; and Edinburgh Innovations, the commercialisation service of the University. 

Dr Alessia Errico, Associate Director of Search and Evaluation, also Entrepreneurial Programmes Lead at Cancer Research Horizon said: “We want to inspire the next generation of scientific entrepreneurs in the field of cancer research as well as inspiring cultural change within the industry, so working alongside Edinburgh University and their Data Driven Innovation programme provides us with the perfect platform to do this. Supporting entrepreneurs on the journey from an ideation to venture creation is one of the most important things that we can do, so we are excited about what this next year will bring."

Start-ups for the Incubator are chosen after an application process which is open to PhD students, early career researchers and academic staff from the University of Edinburgh or Heriot-Watt University, as well as early career researchers focused on cancer-related projects from across the UK.

Each start-up is provided with £2,000 as well as business support through a series of workshops, networking events, mentoring, peer-to-peer learnings and access to the University of Edinburgh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and its data expertise.

Applications have now opened for the Venture Builder Incubator 3.0. The early bird deadline for applications is Friday 22nd July and those entering before this date are guaranteed application feedback and the chance to resubmit their proposal and an invitation to a Bayes Centre Community Event. The final deadline for applications is Friday 9 September.

More information online