Real-World Evidence Innovation Challenge is a national prize competition led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The Challenge moves beyond model development alone to test whether analytic approaches remain reliable when applied across different health systems.
Using the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative, or N3C, as a secure, national-scale evaluation environment, the Challenge will assess predictive models, causal inference approaches, phenotyping algorithms, and other analytic workflows for reproducibility, transportability, and stability across multiple independent health systems. The broader goal is to help define Good Algorithmic Practice for real-world data by establishing measurable expectations for consistent, reliable analytic performance.
The Challenge will award up to twelve $50,000 Phase 1 prizes (May 2027). Selected teams may advance to Phase 2. Selected Phase 2 teams must complete applicable N3C onboarding and data-access requirements before evaluation begins in late 2027, with NCATS coordinating institutional agreements, project-specific data-access approval, required training, and secure workspace access. Phase 2 anticipates awarding up to three $1 million Grand Prizes, three $600,000 Runner-Up Prizes, and six $100,000 Meritorious Performance Prizes.
The competition is open to clinically meaningful real-world evidence questions, with priority areas including cancer, kidney disease, and pediatrics. Individuals, teams, and entities from academic, industry, nonprofit, and other eligible sectors may enter. 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. A technical assistance webinar will be held on February 16, 2027, and complete Phase 1 submissions are due by March 26, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Questions may be directed to NIHRWEInnovationChallenge@mail.nih.gov.