Cancer Innovation ChallengeThe Cancer Innovation Challenge was a £1M programme that I set up in 2016 to bring together three of Scotland’s Innovation Centres – The Data Lab, Precision Medicines Scotland, and the Digital Health and Care Institute, to help Scotland become a world leading carer for people with cancer.
While Scotland has some of the world’s best cancer data, it doesn’t have world-class cancer treatment outcomes. The Cancer Challenge aimed to leverage Scotland’s lead in data science to use data to help improve the cancer patient experience.
The Cancer Innovation Challenge used a pair of SBRI – Small Business Research Initiative/open innovation funding calls to drive industry innovation:
Each funding call was to support up to five innovative ideas at £25k each, and successful bidders were able to then apply for a second tranche of £100k in funding if their proposals were viable and had significant traction with Health Boards, patients and clinicians.
While funders are generally keen on innovation, they’re also keen that their funds are spent wisely and organisations adapt and adopt their approach as the program delivers. If you’re truly trying to support innovation, then you’re not sure what results or outcomes will be produced when you start.
In that situation, it’s vital to manage risk and to have an exit strategy if you’re not able to delivering the innovation you’d envisaged. The Cancer Challenge use a very clear multi-stage approach so there were multiple places to review progress and make go/no go decisions.
The Cancer Innovation Challenge was the first time a Scottish University (the University of Edinburgh in this case) ran a SBRI funding call.
A fundamental mistake many projects and small programs make is to try and develop their own networks when they don’t have the scale, the scope, the staff or the budget to do so. So while I made sure the Cancer Challenge had funds for branding, events, and dissemination, we didn’t prioritise building a network – instead we were determined to make the best use of existing networks wherever possible – from medical and health conferences to the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The Challenge was delivered through extensive engagement with health, clinical and patient networks across Scotland, which allowed us to maximise impact and develop strong partnerships across Scotland and the UK.
The Cancer Innovation Challenge was funded by the Scottish Government via the Scottish Funding Council.
Articles and case studies: Funding is available for NHS Scotland Health Boards to trial the PROMs & PREMs innovations supported by the Cancer Innovation Challenge. Learn more and how to apply.
Key lessons in how to structure a high-risk project that keeps funders happy and give you flexibility in managing innovation programmes.
Key lessons in how to structure a high-risk project that keeps funders happy and give you flexibility in managing innovation programmes.
As part of the £1M Cancer Innovation Challenge, Product Forge is running a three day long open data event to use synthetic data to develop new ways to work with cancer data in Scotland.
Publicity flyer for the Cancer Innovation Challenge – this is what we’re trying to do.
The Cancer Innovation Challenge has £1M of funding to develop new innovative approaches to using data to deliver better cancer treatment outcomes in Scotland. Here are four ways you can take part in the Challenge.
Scotland lags behind much of Europe in outcomes for cancer patients. The Cancer Innovation Challenge has £1M of funding to develop new innovative approaches to using data to deliver better cancer treatment outcomes in Scotland.
