Seed Fund
The Seed Fund builds on 25 years of creating and building successful start-ups. Managed by Cancer Research Horizons' dedicated Ventures team, the fund helps bridge one of the most challenging stages of start-up creation: attracting early-stage risk capital.
Set up with a cornerstone investment of £15m from Cancer Research UK, the fund now totals more than £25m following a £10m donation from the Garfield Weston Foundation and other donations from entrepreneurially minded philanthropists. The target is to reach £30m by the end of 2025. The investment remit includes therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and data-driven and AI solutions.
Eligibility
Cancer Research Horizons supports researchers worldwide, from within and beyond the Cancer Research UK network, with the entrepreneurial spirit to turn ideas into high-potential start-ups to propel them to patient impact faster. Cancer Research Horizons welcomes applicants at any stage of their career, both from research institutions and private companies.
Funding available
- Early-stage validation capital
- Rapid-access funding to help bridge the gap between a new idea and some validating data, obtain expert regulatory advice, entrepreneurial training and/or support market research
- Up to £50k
- Pre-seed capital
- Investment capital to evaluate and support the technical feasibility and commercial potential of early-stage technologies
- Typically, £50-150k
- This applies to pre-company formation or early-stage company validation
- Seed capital
- To assist new company creation and early growth, or further develop a start-up proposition before forming a new company
- Typically, £100-500k, with the ability to invest up to £1m on occasion
- Follow-on capital
- For the seed invested portfolio companies, Cancer Research Horizons can provide follow-on capital to help drive maturation where additional capital may incentivise external investment
- Typically, £100-500k, with the ability to invest up to £1m on occasion
Application process
- Get in touch
- Reach out with your idea. Cancer Research Horizons' team will work with you to assess the commercial potential of the start-up opportunity and advise on the best way to proceed. Contact the Ventures team.
- Develop the opportunity
- Cancer Research Horizons' expert team will support you to ensure the most compelling proposition is built. Depending on the stage, this could include connecting to Cancer Research Horizons' network, help with the business plan, or team training suggestions.
- Apply for investment
- Once ready, Cancer Research Horizons will assist you with completing the application documents and presenting the opportunity for consideration to our independent Investment Committee.
- Further support
- Once investment is approved, Cancer Research Horizons will work with you to put in place all required documentation, secure co-investors where applicable, and implement under flexible models at pace.