Programmes
Our programmes will serve as a hub for original thinkers who might otherwise lack access to the funding, space and mentorship needed to rigorously develop their groundbreaking ideas.
Ambitious experimentation programmes:
Proof of Concept (PoC)
Blue Sky Proof-of-Concept Fund (PoC) - Call for 6-month hypothesis-testing projects in neurotechnology. This fund is designed to enable robust experimentation on adventurous, early-stage neurotechnology hypotheses.
Applications are now open - apply by 20th Jan 2026
FInd out moreSupport and learning programmes:
Alongside the Fellowship and experimentation programme, these packages aim to provide intensive learning and support. They offer the opportunity to learn alongside other innovators to acquire world-class insights from experts from all the elements needed for successful idea development and commercialisation.
What If
Designed to support and encourage individuals with early ideas and run from the Milner Therapeutics Institute. This is open to innovators who need support to understand how to develop their idea and is offered to the Blue Sky Fellows, along with part-time participants.
Find out more
We must work together if we wish to unlock the power of emerging discoveries and accelerate science toward patient benefit. We are excited to be working with ARIA and our Cambridge partners on this unique opportunity to make a difference.
Cathy Tralau-Stewart
Cambridge NeuroWorks ‘What if’ Programme Lead and Executive Director of the Milner Therapeutics Institute
Fellowship programmes:
We are providing two 12-month Fellowship programmes to provide opportunities for testing and realising great ideas. These take the form of two pathways depending on the maturity of your idea.
The Blue Sky Fellowship
Designed to support early ideas' maturation. It empowers outstanding individuals with high-impact, highly speculative concepts that require the freedom to 'fail fast’ and retry. Backing the individual rather than specific ideas, this fellowship provides the infrastructure and support to explore bold, high-risk ideas with transformative potential.
The Fellowship begins with a 3-month phase called “What If”. The “What If” programme is run by the Milner Therapeutics Institute, and is designed to support fellows to scope, ideate, and plan experimental pathways, ensuring projects are both ambitious and feasible. The aim is then to develop and refine one idea in greater detail by the end of the Fellowship (as part of the PoC programme), through ideation and planning cycles when initial hypotheses are disproved.
If you have bold, speculative hypotheses or ideas, and need the freedom to explore multiple possibilities until you find your winning transformative solution, this opportunity could be for you.
Find out moreThe Frontier Fellowship
Designed for individuals who have an already established proof-of-concept ready for development and scaling.
The Fellowship provides targeted support to advance early-stage concepts, incorporating commercial insights and resources (as part of the “Accelerate@Babraham” programme), to prepare projects for real-world impact. It provides commercial and early clinical input to prepare projects for success, with the aim to position Fellows to drive impact in their localities post-Fellowship.
If you have a transformative proof-of-concept idea and are ready to focus on turning it into a scalable, real-world solution with commercial potential, this opportunity could be for you.
Find out moreThe Cambridge Neuroworks Fellowship Programme, in partnership with ARIA, presents an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of discovery in neurotechnology.It offers a valuable springboard for accelerating discovery and developing innovative approaches to the many challenges faced by those living with neurological conditions.
Dr Louise Jopling
Cambridge NeuroWorks Fellows Lead and Chief Scientific & Innovation Officer, Babraham Research Campus
What if
Designed to support and encourage individuals with early ideas and run from the Milner Therapeutics Institute.
Find out moreProof of Concept (PoC)
Designed to enable robust experimentation on adventurous, early-stage neurotechnology hypotheses and run from the Maxwell Centre, University of Cambridge.
Find out moreThe Blue Sky Fellowship
Designed to support early ideas' maturation and empower outstanding individuals with high-impact, highly speculative concepts.
Find out moreThe Frontier Fellowship
Designed for individuals who have an already established proof-of-concept ready for development and scaling.
Find out more