NHS England has announced the fourth round of its Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call
The competition will support solutions that help the NHS meet cancer waiting time targets and improve early detection and diagnosis. The call is open to organisations across the UK and EU, including businesses, universities and public sector bodies, provided they partner with an NHS organisation in England.
The main funding stream open to businesses offers up to £3 million per project, with 100% of eligible project costs covered. Projects must be ready for real-world use and evaluation across multiple NHS sites in England.
Innovations should address one of two key challenges
- improving productivity in cancer care, for example by reducing waiting times, improving triage, or increasing diagnostic capacity
- supporting earlier detection and diagnosis, including new screening methods or tools to identify cancer sooner
Examples include AI tools to support diagnosis, digital solutions to reduce administrative burden, and new diagnostic technologies such as blood or saliva tests.
To apply, your innovation must
- be market-ready, with regulatory approval where required
- have evidence of safety and clinical use in at least one healthcare setting
- be capable of deployment across multiple NHS sites in England
Applications are not open to early-stage ideas, treatments such as drugs or vaccines, or general wellbeing apps.
The competition is expected to open in September 2026.
For full details, read the challenge brief from the NHS Cancer Programme.
First published 23 June 2026
