Funding

Get in touch for more information or for support in applying for funding opportunities. 

Funding Opportunities

 

Impulse 2026: The Entrepreneurship Programme for Innovators

Deadline for round 1: 2nd February 2026

Now open for applications! Impulse blends teaching, expert advice, networking and extended mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs to help early-stage innovators transform their brilliant ideas into high-potential commercial propositions.

This part-time, 3-month programme – which runs from 28 April to 10 July 2026 – is offered online and in-person via the Maxwell Centre, the University of Cambridge’s hub for industry and research.

Impulse welcomes applications from PhDs, postdocs and researchers across physical sciences, technology and life sciences at Cambridge, as well as early-stage entrepreneurs, researchers, engineers and entrepreneurial managers from external organisations.

Full funding is available through a range of fellowships provided by their generous partners. For the best chance to be matched with an available fellowship, please make your application in the first round, which closes on 2 Feb 2026.

For more information, please download the 2026 brochure or send your questions to impulse@maxwell.cam.ac.uk.

Click here to learn more or apply for Impulse 2026. 

 

The Flagship Pioneering Research for Proposal Call is now Open!

Deadline: 6th February 2026

Are you a Principal Investigator at the University of Cambridge, Wellcome Sanger, MRC-LMB or Babraham Institutes?

Do you have an innovative research proposal for a pre-clinical collaboration that could advance the field of synthetic lethality in oncology and benefit from Flagship’s translational expertise?

In partnership with its in-house drug discovery and development unit, Pioneering Medicines, Flagship invites proposals for creative, high-impact research that:

  • Expands the biological and technological foundations of synthetic lethality
  • Establishes new therapeutic hypotheses in this field
  • Accelerates validation of novel synthetic lethal targets or pathways toward translational readiness  

The successful project is anticipated to receive support for 12-15 months depending on the level of resources required. The program offers up to £225k in initial funding (full economic costing), with follow-on funding or partnership opportunities based on project progress and strategic alignment with Flagship Pioneering.

PIs are invited to submit a non-confidential expression of interest. For more information and the application form, please click here.

About Flagship: Flagship Pioneering invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability and beyond. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered more than 100 scientific ventures, operating with $14 billion of assets under its direction as of its latest capital raise, announced in July 2024. The current Flagship ecosystem comprises more than 40 companies, including Moderna and Quotient Therapeutics.

BBSRC 2025 Transformative Research Technologies (25TRT)

Deadline: 11th February 2026

Apply for funding to pursue early-stage development of cutting-edge research technologies with transformative potential in the biosciences. You must be a researcher or research technical professional based at a UK research organisation eligible for Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) funding.

You can only apply as project lead (PL) on one submitted application. You can be project co-lead (PcL ) on multiple applications.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £225,000. BBSRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

Applications must be between six and 18-months duration.

Who can apply
This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

The 2025 Transformative Research Technologies funding opportunity is open to researchers and research technical professionals (RTPs) normally eligible for funding from BBSRC. Check if you’re eligible for BBSRC funding.

You can only apply as PL on one submitted application. You can be PcL on multiple applications.

The New Investigator Award, Industrial Partnership Award and LINK schemes that feature in BBSRC’s Responsive Mode opportunities do not apply to this funding opportunity. First time PLs should note that, if successful, being the PL on a grant which includes funding for postdoctoral research assistant (PDRA) staff support costs will subsequently make them ineligible for the BBSRC New Investigator Award.

PhD students or student costs should not be included on applications to 2025 Transformative Research Technologies (25TRT).

Individuals based at an international organisation are not eligible to be a member of the core team as they are not eligible for this opportunity. International collaborators can be added as project partners on an application, please see Roles in funding applications: eligibility, responsibilities and costings guidance for more information.

Click here for more information!

BBSRC Flexible Talent Mobility Award Placement Call 2025

Deadline: 12th February 2026

The University’s BBSRC Flexible Talent Mobility Award (FTMA): Placement Call 2025 is OPEN. Support of up to £12,000 per project is available. The deadline for applications is the 12th of February 2026 at 16:00.

The FTMA supports spending time at a project partner’s location for skills development, relationship building or knowledge exchange. The FTMA can also be used to host a partner in a research group/facility at the University of Cambridge.

Applicants may propose their own placements with new or existing partners. They are also pleased to offer a limited number of pre-set placement opportunities proposed by industry who are keen to host researchers/technicians.

Please note this route has additional, interim deadlines to enable project planning and development.

Key Information

  • Eligibility: Researchers (post PhD) and Research Technical Professionals employed by the University of Cambridge or Wellcome Sanger Institute. A minimum of 25% of funding will be allocated to ECRs and an additional 25% to Research Technical Professionals.
  • Project partners: any type of organisation, in the UK or abroad.
  • Project duration: From 1 day up to 6 months. Part time or full time.
  • Remit: Proposals should incorporate data-intensive bioscience, including but not limited to bioinformatics, -omics and multimodal data, analytical approaches for large-scale bioscience data, applications of AI in bioscience/bioimaging etc. BBSRC remit/interdisciplinary applications are welcome. Previous BBSRC or UKRI funding is NOT a requirement.
  • Support: We highly encourage attending our informal online 1:1 drop-in sessions for tailored application advice. Please email Dr Carmen Fernandez-Posada and Dr Emma Brock (iaa@admin.cam.ac.uk). If you are interested in placements with UK policy organisations, please reach out to us, and we will connect you with the Centre for Science in Policy (CsaP), who may be able to help identify a suitable host organisation.

 

CSL Research Acceleration Initiative

Deadline: 24th February 2025

CSL is a leading global biotech company that develops and delivers innovative therapies. Their CSL Research Acceleration Initiative supports early stage biotechs and research organizations to fast-track the discovery of groundbreaking biotherapies. Successful applicants can receive up to $400,000 USD in non-dilutive funding over 2 years to advance their innovative programs.
The 2026 Research Acceleration Initiative will focus on research proposals that align with a CSL Therapeutic Area. Please see CATS website for specific Focus Areas. Interested researchers are invited to:

Attend an information webinar (choose one of two sessions) on Tuesday, 20th January 4:00PM CET (UTC+1) or Tuesday, 3 February 11:00AM CET (UTC+1)
Submit enquiries, expressions of interest and requests for application instructions to Dr Juraj Rievaj: Juraj.Rievaj@admin.cam.ac.uk; You will be required to prepare a non-confidential, 500-word abstract for submission.

 

MRC Gap Fund: Single-Step Support for Medical Product Development

Deadline: 11th March 2026

Apply to the MRC ‘Gap Fund’ for single-step support in developing a new or repurposed medicine, medical device, diagnostic, or other medical product.

Projects must target a high-risk development step backed by prior funding, generating critical data to de-risk onward progression or determine failure.

The ‘Gap Fund’ strategically bridges the smaller Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) and the larger Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS).

Applicants must be based at a Medical Research Council (MRC) eligible research organisation.

If you're interested in applying to this funding, please contact the: Office for Translational Research (OTR) who can support you.

Please visit their website for more information!

The Milner Therapeutics Consortium Call

Deadline: 13th March 2026

The Milner Therapeutics Consortium Call will open on 12 January

The pharma partners in the Milner Therapeutics Consortium have been working together with academics at the University, Babraham and Wellcome Sanger Institutes to better understand disease mechanisms and to discover and validate new therapeutic targets. These pre-clinical projects range from reagent sharing to funded pilot or longer-term collaborations (2-3 years) and are expected to lead to joint publications with the company partners.

The 2026 Consortium Call will seek project proposals for current challenges in:

  • Oncology
  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology and inflammation
  • New technologies that will aid therapeutic discovery
  • Metabolic and cardiovascular disease
  • Dermatology
  • Infectious disease

The Consortium Call offers the following items for successful projects:

  • Expertise e.g. in particular techniques, disease areas, target selection and validation
  • Support for pilot (e.g. 6-12 months) or longer-term projects (2-3 years)
  • Funding e.g. for a research associate and consumables
  • Access to company reagents where appropriate e.g. tool compounds, compound libraries

The Consortium Call is a competitive process; a company may engage in a few initial discussions around a potential project before deciding to proceed and project proposals are then subject to an internal approval process at the company. Although many proposals will not result in a funded project in the short term, these introductions are a good opportunity to make connections and build a relationship with pharma partners, as well as to receive useful feedback from the pharma perspective.

Important dates

12 January 2026 – Call opens for applications
22 January 2026 – Call Q&A Webinar
13 March 2026 – Closing date for applications

Q&A webinar
On 22 January, we will hold a Zoom webinar to provide more information about the 2026 Consortium Call, and answer any questions you may have. Please click here to register.

Contact us
If you have any questions, please email consortium@milner.cam.ac.uk

EPSRC IAA & Siemens Impact Starter Fund

Deadline: 20th March 2026

The EPSRC IAA & Siemens Impact Starter Fund aims to support early-stage research impact and knowledge-exchange projects. Proposals should align with Siemens’ Company Core Technologies (CCTs) which fall within the wider EPSRC research areas, and contribute to strengthening the EPSRC impact portfolio. Activities that consolidate existing collaborations with Siemens or establish new ones that extend beyond research and towards a clear pathway to impact, are both eligible and encouraged.

  • Call opens: Monday 19th January 2026
  • Call closes: Friday 20th March 2026 at 16:00
  • Total Project Award: Up to £20,000
  • Project Length: Max. duration 3 months (finishing 31st August 2026 at the latest)

Applications are welcomed from Principal Investigators and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) employed in any university department to develop impact ideas originating from research in the EPSRC’s remit and within the Siemens’ Company Core Technologies (CCTs). Please note that, in contrast to previous EPSRC IAAs, previous/current EPSRC funding is NOT a requirement. We particularly encourage and welcome applications from different underrepresented demographics and groups.

Applications from Early Career Researchers* with PIs as co-applicants are encouraged. All applicants must have department affiliation and all applications require Head of Department signature.                                   

Visit the website for more information!

 

Cancer Research Horizons Therapeutic Catalyst Award

Open ended

Cancer Research UK is uniting all their drug discovery and commercialization activity to form Cancer Research Horizons. An integral part of Cancer Research Horizons is an exciting and ambitious approach to driving therapeutic innovation. The new organization will be home to over 200 drug discovery scientists and will use cutting-edge capabilities to tackle the biggest challenges in discovering cancer drugs to help accelerate patient benefit.

To support this vision, the Therapeutic Catalyst Award is designed to kick-start exploratory drug discovery efforts in cancer, to validate and de-risk targets and technologies, and to position them for onward investment and progression. As a researcher, you can take your idea from bench to patients with a single funder and partner. Successful projects will receive up to £250,000 for up to 18 months. Informal enquiries can be directed to Matthew Farren and Neil Jones.