Cancer Research Horizons Seed Fund
Accelerating cutting-edge cancer treatments, diagnostics and technologies.
Our business is breakthroughs
We bring together the brightest minds, boldest ideas and best investment partners to fast-track scientific breakthroughs into patient benefit. We invest in early-stage startup propositions and companies to bridge the gap between innovative ideas, and treatments, diagnostics and medical devices, to bring forward the day when all cancers are conquered.
The Cancer Research Horizons Seed Fund builds on over 25 years of Cancer Research Horizons establishing and growing successful startup companies. Our venture build and portfolio investments benefit from the support of our dedicated team and access to expert networks.
Our aim is to grow this fund to £30m, currently backed by a commitment of £15m from Cancer Research UK.
Our investment strategy
We're an impact-driven, evergreen, venture philanthropy fund investing in promising, early-stage opportunities, worldwide, from within and beyond the Cancer Research UK network. We take a long-term view, so can take risks where others can’t. We can invest alone or alongside other like-minded investors. We don’t have to lead the round, and we'll work with local technology transfer organisations or existing investors to put the funding package together.
Any financial returns we generate are reinvested back into the fund and into cancer research. Investment decisions are made based on the potential to leverage and attract high quality follow-on capital that will increase the chances of life-saving cancer treatments and diagnostics reaching the market.
Looking to fund your idea or startup?
We provide rapid-access early stage validation, Pre-Seed and Seed capital to Cancer Research UK and non-Cancer Research UK funded researchers and early-stage startup companies.
Our track record
We are experienced company builders, seed investors and co-investors, with over 60 companies formed to date.
Our Seed Fund team
Our fund is managed by a team with a long-standing track record of sourcing, evaluating and completing spinout and partnering deals, working alongside an independent investment committee to review applications.
The story of GammaDelta Therapeutics
GammaDelta Therapeutics was founded on pioneering research funded in part by Cancer Research UK, led by Professor Adrian Hayday and Dr Oliver Nussbaumer at King’s College London and the Francis Crick Institute, into gamma delta (γδ) T cells.
Join us by donating to the fund
We're seeking philanthropic investors to join us in our mission to take more cancer innovations through the translation process towards the point where they will start bringing about patient benefit.
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