Wellcome Data Science Ideathon (Discontinued)

Wellcome Trust Discovery Research Awards is a funding program from Wellcome that supports established researchers generating new knowledge across a broad range of disciplines, including biomedical science, public health, humanities, and social science. The program funds long-term research into life, health, and wellbeing, with an emphasis on equitable global health solutions. Eligible applicants are experienced researchers at any career stage who can demonstrate a strong track record of generating significant insights. Award amounts are not publicly specified; applicants work with Wellcome program staff to determine appropriate funding levels.

Wellcome Discovery Awards provide long-term, flexible funding for established researchers and their teams pursuing bold, discovery-driven research to improve human life, health, and wellbeing. The scheme explicitly welcomes AI, machine learning, and computational approaches to biomedical challenges, including machine learning for drug discovery, AI-driven diagnostics, computational genomics, and data science for health. There is no fixed funding limit; the average award is around GBP 3.5 million (about USD 4.4 million) and applications above GBP 5 million (about USD 6.4 million) receive additional scrutiny, with awards typically lasting 3 to 8 years. The next round closes September 22, 2026.