19 Oct NIH Launches $6 Million Real-World Innovation Challenge
The National Institutes of Health through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences has announced the Real-World Innovation Challenge, a national prize competition to find analytic approaches that can stay reliable when used in different health systems. The goal is to define and operationalize Good Algorithmic Practice for real-world data. The challenge offers up to $6 million in prizes.
In Phase 1 of the two-phase challenge, participants will submit fully specified analytic approaches (predictive models, causal inference approaches, phenotyping algorithms, and other analytic workflows) addressing clinically meaningful real-world evidence questions, with priority areas including cancer, kidney disease, and pediatrics. Up to twelve entries will be awarded $50,000 prizes and move on to Phase 2.
In Phase 2, the models will be tested for stable, interpretable, and reproducible performance across heterogeneous real-world environments using the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative, a secure, national-scale evaluation environment. Phase 2 anticipates awarding up to three $1 million Grand Prizes, three $600,000 Runner-Up Prizes, and six $100,000 Meritorious Performance Prizes.
Individuals, teams, and entities from academic, industry, nonprofit, and other eligible sectors may apply. An NIH Early-Stage Investigator Recognition component will provide special recognition for meritorious submissions led by eligible early-career investigators.
Participants must register by February 2, 2027. Complete Phase 1 submissions are due by March 26, 2027. For more details on how to participate, please visit the Challenge webpage.
