Next Steps

Instructions updated 1 September 2026. 

Researchers can now apply for funding to take promising research findings further towards patient benefit, commercialisation or implementation in healthcare.

Guidelines – generative AI

When you apply for research grants at the Swedish Cancer Society you can use generative AI-tools or other tools when you write your application. You don’t have to state that you have done so.

Regardless of if you write the application yourself or with the help of an AI-tool the same rules apply:

• It is your responsibility that everything in the application is correct.
• It is your responsibility that everything has been filled in in accordance to our application process.
• You have to follow good research practices. It is forbidden to plagiarize, forge or fabricate the content of your application.

When you sign and send in your application you certify that you have followed the above.

Application

Purpose and background

The possibility to translate research results into clinical practice is essential for patient benefit, the quality of healthcare and its long-term capacity for development. When new findings, methods and treatments are not timely implemented into healthcare, this has direct consequences for people living with or at risk of developing cancer.

Through this initiative, Cancerfonden aims to shorten the time from research results to patient benefit and provide researchers who currently hold or have previously received funding from Cancerfonden with greater opportunities to translate groundbreaking research results into practical applications.

Funding, together with support from Innovation Offices, will enable the early-stage activities needed to advance research results towards commercialisation, partnerships or implementation in healthcare.

The purpose is to provide researchers with the time and resources to:

• Further develop their results
• Test concepts in relevant settings (proof-of-concept)
• Build robust evidence and strategies for further development

The funding is intended to support validation activities that are normally not covered by standard research grants but are essential for advancing promising research results towards application. The initiative aims to increase project maturity and reduce uncertainties and risks at an early stage.

Categories

In the application portal, please rank the categories that best correspond to your application (maximum three categories):

• Drug development
  E.g. small molecules, biologics, antibodies, cell and gene therapies, or drug development methods.
• Local treatment methodologies
  E.g. surgical techniques, radiotherapy, hyperthermia, or other local treatment approaches.
• Healthcare interventions
  E.g. rehabilitation, nursing care, palliative care, or new ways of working in cancer care.
• Digital health services
  E.g. mobile applications, digital patient support tools, remote monitoring, digital treatment programmes, or data analytics platforms.
• Medical devices
  E.g. medical instruments, implants, sensors, biomaterials, or other medical technology solutions.
• Diagnostics and clinical decision support
  E.g. biomarkers, analytical methods, diagnostic tests, image analysis, algorithms, or clinical decision support systems.
• Research tools
  E.g. laboratory methods, instruments, databases, software, or analytical platforms.

What can the grant can be used for

Funded projects will evaluate whether the previous research results have sufficient potential for further development. Where outcomes are positive, projects should also develop a strategy and supporting evidence that enable continued funding and engagement from relevant external stakeholders.

External stakeholders may include investors, potential industry or development partners, key stakeholders in healthcare, or other interested parties.

Concrete project outcomes should help demonstrate the potential of the concept, for example through prototypes, validation data or other evidence that makes it possible to demonstrate the proposed solution and its practical value.

The grant may be used to cover salary costs for employees at the higher education institution as well as other costs related to the activities to be carried out.

Please note that for permanently employed senior lecturers or professors, funding may only be requested for up to 30 % of a full-time salary during the project period.

Activities that may be included in the project and linked to the intended outcomes during the project period include, for example:

• Validation of the concept in a relevant setting (proof-of-concept), for example technical, biological or clinical validation.
• Early pilot testing and adaptation of methods, processes or technical solutions.
• Mapping of barriers and prerequisites, for example regulatory, ethical, market-related, financial, manufacturing, intellectual property or organisational aspects.
• Needs and user studies in dialogue with, for example, stakeholders representing the identified need, end users, patients, healthcare professionals, potential customers and payers.
• Development of business or implementation plans, including an IP strategy and plans for partnerships, future funding and long-term management.
• Communication and conceptual packaging of the solution to support understanding among investors, key stakeholders in healthcare or other target groups.
• Preparation of applications and initial application costs for IP protection (e.g. priority or PCT patent applications). Use of the grant for this type of cost requires specific approval from Cancerfonden provided a recommendation statement from the relevant Innovation Office. A maximum of SEK 150,000 of the awarded grant may be used for such costs. Please note that these costs cannot be administered by the higher education institution and therefore need to be handled through the relevant holding company.

The funding is not intended for new research, and there is no expectation that the projects will result in scientific publications.

Eligibility

The call is open to researchers employed at Swedish higher education institutions or Swedish healthcare institutions, affiliated with a Swedish higher education institution, who currently hold or have previously held funding from Cancerfonden.

Projects must have clear relevance to cancer and be based on previously conducted research funded by Cancerfonden. The application must specify the previous Cancerfonden research grant on which the application is based.

To be eligible for funding, the project team must demonstrate strong commitment and clear ownership and leadership in taking the research results forward. The project team must demonstrate that it is prepared to actively drive the project beyond the academic research context and take responsibility for the steps required for further development, including after the Cancerfonden Next Steps funding period has ended.

The application must therefore present a realistic and well-considered direction for continued development beyond the Next Steps funding period. There must be a clear ambition and an overall plan for how the project can progress to the next phase, for example through company formation, partnerships or clinical implementation.

Funding is not available for projects that have already resulted in company formation and where the company has raised capital from external investors. A company related to the research project may have been established, for example, to manage IP rights and ownership, but the company must not have raised external capital.

Additional eligibility requirements

To be eligible to apply, the project must already have an established collaboration with an Innovation Office at a Swedish university, and this collaboration must remain active throughout the project period.

The purpose is to ensure an appropriate starting point for the project and that the project team has access to relevant expertise and support for the strategic, organisational and business-related questions that will be central to the project.

This must be confirmed in the application.

Application

Applications should describe the concept/proposed solution at a level that enables assessment without disclosing commercially sensitive information.

The application consists of six parts:

1. A Concept Description and Project Plan that clearly describes the current status and strategy of the project, as well as the key questions to be addressed during the project. Applicants should describe what is currently known and what needs to be further investigated and developed.
   Maximum ten A4 pages, including figures and a limited selection of references.
2. A description of the project team's competencies, roles and responsibilities in relation to the project's design and deliverables, as well as the team's ambition and vision for how the project will be advanced beyond the Cancerfonden funding period.
   Maximum one A4 page.
3. A description of how the collaboration with the relevant Innovation Office will be organised during the project period. Previous collaboration should also be described, including any support the project has already received through the Innovation Office, for example VFT funding.
   Maximum one A4 page.
4. A statement from the relevant Innovation Office describing the project's relevance and maturity as well as confirming previous contact. For projects closely linked to healthcare, applicants must also include confirmation of relevance from, for example, the Head of a Clinical Department or a Research Director within the healthcare organisation. It is important that the project contacts the Innovation Office early in the application process to ensure that this part of the application can be completed.
   Maximum one A4 page.
5. Description of project team members, using the template available in the application system.
6. A project budget divided into costs at the higher education institution and, where applicable, the holding company affiliated with the relevant university, using the budget template available in the application system. Where the university holding company needs to be used to administer part of the grant (see Funding and payment), the higher education institution and the holding company may agree between themselves how compensation for administrative costs is to be handled within the approved level of overhead costs.

The application must be signed by the Head of Department, confirming that the higher education institution accepts responsibility for the grant funds paid out. If a holding company is included as a project party, an authorised signatory of the holding company must also sign to confirm the administration of funds.

The applicant must also sign the application. The applicant is considered the principal project lead, responsible for project implementation and communication with Cancerfonden.

All signatures are completed using BankID before the application can be submitted.

The Concept Description and Project Plan must address the sections below under the specified headings and in the order presented. The applicant should describe the project's current status, overall strategy and the key questions to be addressed during project implementation.

It should be clear what is currently known and which areas need to be further investigated and developed within the project in order to achieve its objectives.

• Problem and need
  Describe the problem being addressed, why it is important within the cancer field and who is affected. Describe which stakeholders are seeking new solutions in this area. What is currently known, and what do you need to investigate further?
• Solution and benefit
  Describe how your research results could contribute to a solution that addresses the identified problem and what value it could create compared with the current situation. Explain how the proposed solution could be used in practice and what type of benefit it could enable. What is currently known, and what do you need to investigate further?
• Competitive landscape and alternatives
  Describe what you know about existing solutions, competing approaches or other development strategies in the field, and what distinguishes your proposed concept/solution. Where possible, provide an overview of the potential area of use or market for the solution. What is currently known, and what do you need to investigate further?
• Current status and scientific basis
  Describe the scientific background, the previous Cancerfonden grant on which the project is based, the results and data already available, as well as the evidence supporting the concept. State what remains to be verified for the proposed solution to be sufficiently well supported to generate genuine interest from key external stakeholders.
• Barriers, requirements and freedom to operate
  Briefly describe any barriers and requirements, for example regulatory, ethical, organisational or technical requirements. Also describe the intellectual property situation and any strategy to protect and use of the proposed solution. What is currently known, and what do you need to investigate further?
• External interest and relevance
  Describe discussions, feedback or other indications of interest from external stakeholders, focusing on the specific evidence or developments they need to see for the concept/solution to be interesting and/or relevant to them. What is currently known, and what do you need to investigate further?
• Risks and uncertainties
  Describe the most critical uncertainties and how the project is designed to reduce or clarify them.
• Approach / Project plan
  Provide an overall description of what the project will concretely demonstrate, build, investigate or test in order to reduce the most important uncertainties. Describe the planned activities at a high level and explain how they will increase project maturity in a way that can support decisions on, for example, continued development. Adjustments to the project plan are permitted during the project period in order to adapt activities and priorities as the project develops. For successful projects, the results and strategies developed during the project period should aim to secure continued funding and interest from external stakeholders.

Assessment criteria

Potential / Innovation and benefit:

• The project addresses an important need within the cancer field
• The proposed solution is clearly defined and understandable
• The solution is novel or represents a clear improvement compared with existing alternatives
• The expected benefit for patients, healthcare, industry or other intended users is well supported

Feasibility / Plan and approach:

• The project objective is clearly defined
• The activities are relevant in relation to the project's current status and remaining challenges
• The timeline and budget are reasonable in relation to the objective
• The project is designed to enable a clear next step following the project period

Project team's capacity, expertise and commitment

• The project team has relevant experience and expertise
• There is clear ownership and commitment to advancing the project
• Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined

Intellectual property / IP protection

• Relevant intellectual assets have been identified
• There is a strategy for their protection or use
• The project does not rely on assets for which continued use cannot be secured

External interest and collaboration:

• There are indications of interest from users, healthcare, industry or other stakeholders
• The project is in dialogue with relevant stakeholders
• It is clear what external stakeholders require in order to engage further

Quality of existing data and scientific basis:

• Existing data support the plausibility of the concept
• The results are considered robust and reproducible

Assessment panel

The panel may include the following:

• Industry experts
• Clinical experts
• Regulatory experts
• Early-stage investors
• Patient representatives

Assessment process

Applications that meet the eligibility requirements will be assessed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. The highest-ranked applications will proceed to the next stage of the process, which includes an interview during which the project team will present the project in a pitch format.

The purpose of the interview is to:

• Clarify the project's potential
• Discuss any uncertainties or challenges
• Assess the project team's ability to advance the project

Project duration and budget

Applicants may request funding for budgeted costs of up to SEK 1,000,000 per year. Projects may run for one to two years, with the possibility of an extended period for the use of awarded funds.

The grant may be used for personnel costs and other costs considered necessary for project implementation. Please note that for permanently employed senior lecturers or professors, funding may only be requested for up to 30 % of a full-time salary during the project period.

Cancerfonden allows a maximum of 15.25% of the portion of the grant used within the higher education institution's own activities t for overhead costs. No overhead costs will be reimbursed for consultants, external suppliers or other external services, regardless of whether payment is made through the higher education institution or the holding company.

Where a university holding company is used to administer part of the grant, the higher education institution and the holding company may agree between themselves how compensation for administrative costs is to be handled within the approved level of overhead costs.

Applicants must provide a budget that clearly sets out the project's total costs. The budget must also state whether the project has other sources of funding, for example from other funders or internal resources.

Funding and payment

Cancerfonden only pays grant funds to Swedish universities and higher education institutions. In accordance with the approved budget, the higher education institution may transfer all or part of the grant to a university-affiliated holding company.

The application must clearly state what proportion of the grant will be allocated to the higher education institution and, where applicable, to the holding company. This will be regulated in the contract.

When purchasing external services, the project team must ensure that IP rights, rights of use and ownership of any solutions developed are retained by the project team. This is intended to avoid potential lock-in that could restrict further development. Please note that higher education institutions cannot administer certain project costs, such as costs related to the preparation of patent applications.

The same may apply to the purchase of development services, for example software development. Please consult the relevant institution's IP policy or corresponding guidance on the Swedish professor's privilege (lärarundantaget) for further details.

By signing the application confirmation, the Head of Department certifies that the higher education institution will co-finance the project to the extent that actual overhead costs exceed the level of reimbursement permitted by Cancerfonden. The same applies to the holding company if it is included as a project party.

Follow-up

Cancerfonden will follow up funded projects every six months. Cancerfonden reserves the right to pause, postpone or discontinue future payments if significant progress is not achieved or if other circumstances justify reconsideration of the funding. If Cancerfonden determines that the grant is not being used as intended, the grant may be withdrawn.

Project teams receiving funding will be invited to half-day follow-up meetings where project progress will be presented orally. These meetings will also provide opportunities to exchange experiences and network with other funded projects and relevant stakeholders.

Participation in the follow-up activities is mandatory and is a prerequisite for continued payment of awarded funds. Further information on how these activities will be conducted will be provided together with the funding decisions.

Confidentiality and intellectual property rights

All applications submitted to Cancerfonden's funding calls are treated as strictly confidential. Submitted materials are used exclusively for the preparation and assessment of applications within Cancerfonden's grant processes.

Applications are reviewed by specifically appointed assessors and relevant decision-making bodies. All assessors and other individuals involved in the assessment process are bound by confidentiality agreements and undertake not to disclose or use information from the applications for any purpose other than assessing the relevant funding call.

Any conflicts of interest are handled in accordance with Cancerfonden's conflict-of-interest rules. Application documents and accompanying attachments are not shared with external parties or made public. Only information about successful applicants may be published, for example on Cancerfonden's website or in other external communications. The application form will clearly indicate if any information may be used in Cancerfonden's communications.

By submitting an application, the applicant agrees that personal data and project information will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and Cancerfonden's guidelines for handling personal data.

Further information on the processing of personal data is available in our privacy policy. Budget The total budget for the call is SEK 10 million. Cancerfonden expects to fund approximately 5-7 projects.

Do you have questions?

You are very welcome to contact us if you have any questions. You can reach us via email at forskning@cancerfonden.se