Overview
What challenges does the Innovation Open Call aim to address?
Innovation Open Call 4 is looking for innovations that address two challenges:
- Improving productivity through managing demand or improving capacity on cancer care pathways - to support the NHS in meeting all Cancer Waiting Time standards by March 2029; and/or
- Driving the earlier detection and diagnosis of cancer (through novel screening, prompt presentation, case-finding, or diagnostic tools) - to help ensure three quarters of people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer-free, or living well with cancer after 5 years, by 2035.
What funding is available?
To address different stages of innovation maturity, and distinct barriers to adoption, the competition will support two complementary funding models:
Funding Model 1
Funding model: Real‑World Implementation and Evaluation Fund
Eligibility: Application is open to single organisations based in the UK or EU from the private, public and third sectors, that have a demonstratable partnership with an NHS organisation in England and an independent evaluation partner. Additional engagement with Cancer Alliances and/or Health Innovation Networks is strongly encouraged.
Amount: Projects will be 100% funded up to the total value of £3M (excluding VAT) over a maximum of 24 months
Aim: Funding to support the real world deployment and independent evaluation of market ready innovations across multiple NHS sites, in England. This model represents a continuation of the programme’s established and proven approach to generating robust service, patient, and health economic evidence to inform commissioning decisions.
Funding Model 2
Funding model: Innovation Spread Fund
Eligibility: Application is open to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) or Cancer Alliances (through their host legal entity) based in England as the lead applicant organisation. The programme will accept a maximum of one application per Cancer Alliance region.
Amount: Projects will be funded up to the total value of £5M (excluding VAT) over the first 24 months of a maximum 36 month project.
Aim: Funding to support the spread and embedding of mature innovations across multiple sites within at least one Cancer Alliance that have already independently measured and demonstrated positive patient outcomes and a favourable cost benefit or cost effectiveness profile across multiple sites in England. This model is designed to “fund the change as well as the tech”, which is often crucial to enable the effective adoption and spread of proven innovations. This will be through an outcomes-based, matched funding agreement with Integrated Care Boards.
How to apply
Step 1: Get Briefed
• Read the Challenge Brief for full details of the two challenges and the two funding models
• Watch the recording of the Briefing Webinar to hear from NHS England and the SBRI Healthcare team. View the presentation slides from the Webinar
• Read the Invitation to Tender for details about how applications are assessed [this will be available in August]
• Read the sample Agreement: Please check the sample agreement to make sure you agree with the terms [this will be available when the competition opens]
Step 2: Check your eligibility
• Please read the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call 4 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page
Step 3: Build your application
• Have you built the partnerships you will need to deliver your project?:
-
Implementation sites in England - have you identified the sites? Is this something that the Cancer Alliances or Health Innovation Networks could help you with?
-
Real‑World Implementation and Evaluation Fund only: Evaluation Partner – Do you have an independent evaluator to measure the impact of your innovation? Have a look at the ‘guide to evaluation’ document to understand what will be required [this will be available in August]
• Read and put together supporting documents:
Real‑World Implementation and Evaluation Fund [documents will be available in August]
- Productivity impact assessment (template)
- Early diagnosis impact assessment (template)
- A Guide to Logic Models
- Logic Model Template
- An Introductory Guide to Evaluation
- Data Metric Mapping Template
- Evaluation Strategy Template
- Real‑World Implementation and Evaluation Fund Finance Form
Innovation Spread Fund [documents will be available in August]
- Productivity impact assessment (template)
- Early diagnosis impact assessment (template)
- A Guide to Logic Models
- Logic Model Template
- Spread Finance Form
- KPI list (optional template provided)
• Attend support webinars [please check the timeline on the left hand side for details of upcoming webinars]
Step 4: Prepare to apply
• Read the example application form [available in August]
• Read the applicant guidance [available in August]
Register: Make sure everyone is registered on Flexigrant [available in September]
Step 5: Submit your application
• Read the portal guidance [available in August]
Timeframe
- Application will open on a date between 21 September - 23 October 2026
- Application will close before Christmas 2026
- Contracts are expected to start no later than 30 April 2027
Contact for all enquiries: [email protected]