Shark Tank for Cancer Research Returns: Binaytara's Impact Pitch Will Award $250K for Hematology Research

Shark Tank for Cancer Research Returns: Binaytara's Impact Pitch Will Award $250K for Hematology Research

Binaytara’s Impact Pitch—a Shark Tank–style research competition—returns with $250,000 in hematology funding. Early-career investigators can pitch innovative ideas, gain mentorship, and compete for major research awards at the National Summit on Hematologic Cancers.

Key Takeaways

• Binaytara's Impact Pitch — a Shark Tank-style research competition — returns at the National Summit on Hematologic Cancers (Nashville, October 16–17), with $250,000 in funding available.

• Early-career oncologists and hematologists compete live before expert "Catalysts" who provide real-time mentorship and feedback.

• Winners receive Shaji Kumar Hematology Research Awards of $50,000 or $25,000.

• Abstract submissions are open now; the deadline is August 15.

Impact Pitch Returns with $250K to Fund Hematology Research Innovation

After making its debut at the March 2026 Summit on Cancer Health Disparities (SCHD26), the Impact Pitch will return at the National Summit on Hematologic Cancers on October 16-17. This time, $250,000 in funding will back the initiative.

For conference attendees, the Impact Pitch offers a welcome change of pace from the speaker-with-Powerpoint format of typical sessions. Crucially, though, it doesn’t compromise on scientific rigor: the Shark Tank-style research award competition is, pithily, “Where science meets showtime.” For participants—the early-career oncologists, hematologists, and investigators who brave the spotlight—the Impact Pitch presents an opportunity to receive substantial research funding and advance their careers, as the mentorship-focused competition is tied to Binaytara’s research awards.

At the National Summit on Hematologic Cancers, the competition will determine the recipients of Binaytara’s Shaji Kumar Hematology Research Awards: $50,000 and $25,000 per awardee, with a total of $250,000 available in funding.

Beyond Funding: How the Impact Pitch Drives Mentorship and Career Growth

Traditionally, as Binaytara co-founder and president Dr. Binay Shah explained, researchers submit a proposal before sitting back to endure the waiting game—after which they find out if the proposal was accepted or rejected, sometimes without further comment.

“We wanted to be much more transparent,” Dr. Shah said, “and facilitate the growth of early-career investigators. And it’s also fun. [Researchers] get to pass their idea in front of the most accomplished physicians in the field, and see how these physicians rank their research ideas.”

The awards themselves, which are named in honor of the Mayo Clinic hematologist Dr. Shaji Kumar, support innovative research that advances the science and care of hematologic malignancies. But the format of the Impact Pitch, as Dr. Shah hoped, is also a boon: tying the research awards to the Impact Pitch refreshes the traditional research funding and award process, adding an emphasis on mentorship, collaboration, and innovation.

That’s because the session’s Sharks—or Catalysts, in the Impact Pitch’s case—offer their feedback to presenters live on stage. Although it might take the form of probing questions or a biting bit of to-the-point feedback, the input the Catalysts offer is invariably geared toward sharpening both the research up for funding and the investigator presenting it—with a little flair for the audience’s sake.

“It was nerve-wracking, for sure, to be on stage with such excellent panelists,” SCHD26 Impact Pitch presenter Dr. Akshit Chitkara said; “to be able to pitch our project to experts who understand this very well, and to be able to convince them why my project is going to make a difference in the community. I actually loved it.”

“[The Catalysts] mentored me while I was presenting my project, and improved it,” Dr. Akshee Batra, fellow presenter and one of the night’s two awardees, added.

From Abstract to Award: From Abstract Submission to Impact Pitch Finalist

Abstract submission process for the National Summit on Hematologic Cancers

The National Summit on Hematologic Cancers’ Call for Abstracts is now open. Those who are interested in pursuing the Shaji Kumar Hematology Research Award should submit their abstract before August 15th. The abstracts will be reviewed on a rolling basis by the conference’s Abstract Committee, co-chaired by Dr. Vinod Pullarkat (City of Hope) and Dr. Martha Mims (Baylor College of Medicine). Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to a poster presentation session at the Nashville-based conference on October 16, and selected finalists will be invited to compete in the Impact Pitch the next day. Visit the abstract site for full eligibility and submission criteria.

The National Summit on Hematologic Cancers will be co-chaired by Dr. Navneet Majhail (Sarah Cannon Cancer Network), Dr. Nitin Jain (MD Anderson Cancer Center), Dr. Hetty Carraway (Cleveland Clinic), and Dr. Shaji Kumar (Mayo Clinic)—the awards’ eponymous honoree.

As Dr. Ana Maria Lopez, co-chair of the conference that hosted the inaugural Impact Pitch, urged the next generation of researchers considering going for the award: “Do it. Nothing to lose. A lot to gain.”

Frequently Asked Questions About the Impact Pitch and Research Awards

What is the Impact Pitch?

A Shark Tank-style competition where early-career researchers pitch hematology research proposals to expert judges live on stage, competing for up to $50,000 in funding.

Who can apply?

Early-career oncologists, hematologists, and investigators. Full eligibility criteria are available on the abstract submission site.

How much funding is available?

$250,000 total, awarded as $50,000 and $25,000 grants under the Shaji Kumar Hematology Research Awards.

When is the deadline?

August 15. Abstracts are reviewed on a rolling basis, so earlier is better.

What happens after I submit?

Selected applicants present a poster on October 16; finalists then compete in the Impact Pitch on October 17.

Where is the conference?

Nashville, Tennessee, October 16–17.