The Wellcome Snakebite Innovation Prize

The Wellcome Snakebite Innovation Prize is a £6.25 million challenge prize aiming to improve outcomes for people affected by snakebite in high-burden settings.

Finalists will be announced in January 2027.

5 million
bites

Each year, there are up to 2.7 million cases of people bitten by venomous snakes.

100,000
deaths

It’s estimated that more than 100,000 people die from snakebites annually.

400,000
disabilities

Approximately 400,000 people who survive a venomous snakebite are left with life-changing disabilities every year.

About the prize:

We are calling for innovators to tackle critical challenges and improve outcomes for people affected by snakebite in high-burden settings by strengthening community responses, accelerating access to appropriate care, or improving the delivery of treatment.

Interested in learning more about snakebite and how you can get involved in the prize? Watch this video:

Workers sowing rice saplings, Rathnapuri village, Hunsur Taluk, Mysuru district, Karnataka. In the flooded paddy fields, workers plant rice barefoot to maintain balance on the slippery ground, leaving them vulnerable to snakebites hidden beneath the water.

Who is most affected by snakebite?

The burden of snakebite is felt most acutely by rural, poor, and agrarian communities predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, South-East Asia, and Latin America.

In many of these high-burden settings, people work outdoors and live far from health facilities, making them vulnerable to snakebites, while facing challenges in accessing lifesaving care.

About snakebite

Timeline of the Prize

▶ 17 September - January 2027

Assessment and judging

Expert assessors and judges review entries against the eligibility and judging criteria.

Read the full criteria in the Innovator Handbook

January 2027

Finalists announced

Up to 15 of the most promising teams are selected to receive a total of £1.25M in seed funding and bespoke support.

10 Launch teams will receive £75K each.

5 Growth teams will receive £100K each.

Find out what finalists can win

January - October 2027

Finalist development

10-month development period in which the finalist cohort uses funding to conduct research and accelerate solution development with bespoke support.

October 2027

Final entry deadline

The 15 finalists submit their refined solutions and long-term proposals for final judging.

October - December 2027

Assessment and judging

Our expert assessors and judges will review finalist submissions against the eligibility and judging criteria.

December 2027

Winners announced

Up to 4 winning teams are selected to receive a total of £5 million to further develop their solutions by 2030.

2 Launch teams will receive £750K each.

2 Growth teams will receive £1.75M each.

December 2027 - December 2030

Winner development period

The four winning teams progress their solutions, validate and prepare for implementation (Launch) or achieve full-scale implementation and sustainable operations (Growth).

◀ December 2030

Prize end

17 June 2026

Prize opened for entries

The prize officially opened for entries across both Launch and Growth tracks.

17 June - 16 September 2026

Entrant support

Three-month window with informational webinars, team matchmaking, partnership building, and ideation hackathon-style events.

16 September 2026

Entry deadline

The deadline for initial submissions is strictly at 12 noon UTC.

Late entries will not be accepted.

The Wellcome Snakebite Innovation Prize is awarding £6.25 million plus innovator support for the most impactful solutions

A specialised three-wheeled motorised ambulance vehicle parked outside on a driveway. The vehicle features a motorcycle front end attached to a silver, diamond-plate enclosed cabin with red trim, clear glass windows, and an emergency light bar on the roof.
Gerard (Gerry) Martin and colleague, The Liana Trust, Rathnapuri village, Hunsur Taluk, Mysuru district, Karnataka, India. Gerry and his colleague conduct radio telemetry tracking of snakes in the field, gathering data to better understand snake movement and behaviour and to inform strategies for reducing human-snake conflict in local communities.
Dr. Nagaraj and nurse, Srinivasa Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Dr. Nagaraj and a nurse attend to an emergency snakebite patient in the hospital, highlighting the critical importance of timely medical care in managing venomous bites.
Douglas Rama, a traditional snakebite healer, Gede, Watamu, Kenya, sets out his paraphernalia used in his healing practices. Trusted in the community, traditional healers are often the first point of contact for education on snakebite dangers and prevention. In Africa, 80% of snakebite victims will visit a traditional healer like Douglas, or receive no treatment at all, though delays in medical care can increase the risk of death and long-term disability.
Srinivasa Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Many snakebite incidents in India occur at night, often when people walk barefoot or sleep on the floor. Hospitals like Srinivasa remain on alert to provide urgent treatment for these preventable emergencies.

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