Medicines Discovery Catapult and the Francis Crick Institute Partner to Support KQ Labs
Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) and the Francis Crick Institute are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership to support the delivery of KQ Labs, a national accelerator for data-driven health science start-ups.
Founded and hosted by the Crick, the KQ Labs programme is an annual five-month launchpad for up to ten start-ups building science-backed, scalable solutions in drug discovery, digital health, precision medicine, and beyond. KQ Labs helps young companies de-risk their innovation and provides them with expert mentoring and access to high-value industry and investor networks.
Since 2018, KQ Labs has supported 70 start-ups across seven cohorts, helping them to transform breakthrough biomedical and data science ideas into scalable commercial ventures. Collectively, KQ Labs alumni have raised over £219 million in investment to date.
Through this new partnership, MDC will contribute expertise and funding to help scale KQ Labs’ national impact. Drawing on its national networks, MDC will help extend the programme’s reach to promising early-stage ventures across the UK. It will also offer expert drug discovery and translational support to help participating companies validate their ideas and strengthen their commercial readiness. There are also potential opportunities for further support through MDC’s wider programmes and initiatives.
Today’s announcement coincides with the KQ Labs Demo Day, where the 2025 cohort of ten start-ups will showcase their innovations to an audience of investors, corporates, and ecosystem leaders.
Applications for the next programme will open on 1 July 2025.
Professor Chris Molloy, Chief Executive Officer, Medicines Discovery Catapult, said:
Young biotechs are the high-risk heartbeat of our sector, and they deserve industry-class translational support to make them Fit to Fund and grow. As a national Life Sciences service, that is what MDC is here for. We are delighted to be supporting this vital accelerator programme: defragmenting the nation, driving collaboration and deploying targeted funding to make companies more investor-ready. Together, KQ Labs, the Crick and MDC will maximise impact for the sector, the nation, and most importantly, patients.
Dr Nicola Heron, Chief Strategy Officer, Medicines Discovery Catapult, said:
Data-driven approaches offer the key to unlock significant advancements in healthcare. The UK’s brightest biotechs are applying groundbreaking AI, machine learning and advanced computational techniques to find new ways to treat disease, opening an exciting avenue for drug discovery innovation. We look forward to working with some of these companies and helping to realise the potential of their game-changing ideas.
Dr Stephen Mayhew, Chief Business Officer, the Francis Crick Institute, said:
A key strategic objective for the Crick is to support biomedical research endeavours across the UK. KQ Labs is a key part of this mission, and this new partnership with MDC will allow us to scale its impact even further.
Dr Barbara Domayne-Hayman, KQ Labs Chair and Entrepreneur in Residence at the Francis Crick Institute, said:
KQ Labs has established itself over the last seven years as a flagship programme for data-driven health founders. With this support from MDC, we can build on a strong foundation and help even more early-stage ventures succeed.
KQ Labs plays a critical role in shaping a thriving UK life sciences ecosystem, particularly within London’s Knowledge Quarter. It connects the UK’s world-leading expertise in biomedical research and data science with the growing demand for digital innovation in healthcare.
