- The Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has joined forces with Challenge Works to support the evaluation of finalist products for the Longitude Prize on Dementia.
- The Longitude Prize on Dementia is incentivising and rewarding the development of AI technologies to help people living with dementia to maintain independence.
- Five finalists were announced in October 2024, including high-tech specs to help people recognise objects and an at-home monitoring box that protects privacy.
Challenge Works, a global leader in the design and delivery of challenge prizes, has joined forces with expert researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to help evaluate the five finalist technologies in the Longitude Prize on Dementia that could revolutionise life for people living with dementia.
The Longitude Prize on Dementia is a £4.4 million prize funded by Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK and delivered by Challenge Works.
The prize announced 24 semi-finalists in June 2023, each receiving £80,000 and a package of expert support. Five finalists were selected in October 2024, ranging from high-tech specs to help people recognise objects to football pitch sensor technology applied to predict and prevent falls.
The finalists have each received a further £300k and a package of expert support. They will have until November 2025 to develop their products, before a winner is announced in early 2026 and awarded the £1 million grand prize.
The research, which has been funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will see academics from CPEC, LSE working alongside Challenge Works to evaluate the products. The specialists in health and social care will assess the success of the technologies and provide independent expert analysis to inform the discussions and decisions of the Lived-Experience Advisory Panel - a group of people who have lived experience of dementia including people living with dementia, carers and former carers - and the Judging Panel when selecting the £1 million prize winner.
The CPEC team will produce a series of reports detailing each of the five finalists’ products, including the development process and use of co-design. It will include examination of the effects of the finalist technologies on the quality of life for people living with dementia and determine which, if any, additional resources are needed to improve the products. The report will be published in late 2025.
Martin Knapp, Professor of Health and Social Care Policy at CPEC LSE, will oversee the evaluation and will be supported by colleagues including Juliette Malley, Associate Professorial Research Fellow at CPEC, Chiara De Poli, and Valentina Zigante, both researchers at CPEC.
Caroline Purslow, Head of Global Health, Challenge Works said: “These five groundbreaking technologies have been designed to help people living with dementia maintain independence in their home and continue their day-to-day activities. The researchers supporting the prize have significant experience in advanced, evidence-based methods for measuring the impact of health and social care-focused technologies. Their input to the prize and assessment of the solutions will be crucial.”
Martin Knapp, Professor of Health and Social Care Policy, CPEC LSE said: “Advanced assistive technology holds immense potential in revolutionising the lives of people with dementia. Using the best possible evaluation process for this prize, in collaboration with colleagues at Challenge Works and the finalists themselves, we can help ensure these products can make a real difference.”To find out more about the Longitude Prize on Dementia and the five finalists in the running for the prize, visit dementia.longitudeprize.org
About the Longitude Prize on Dementia
The Longitude Prize on Dementia is a £4.4 million prize that launched in 2022 to drive the creation of personalised, technology-based tools that are co-created with people living with the early stages of dementia, helping them live independent, more fulfilled lives and enabling them to do the things they enjoy.
Dementia is a progressive condition and there is no cure, but people can live well for years. As hospitalisations can increase the rate of decline, the hope is that assistive technology can help people stay safe and independent in their home for longer. The winning solution will use the latest advances in technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in combination with user data and testing to provide personalised support for people living with dementia.
24 semi-finalists were announced in 2023 with five finalists announced in October 2024. A winner will be announced in 2026. The Longitude Prize on Dementia is funded by Alzheimer’s Society and Innovate UK and delivered by Challenge Works (part of Nesta).
- Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity. It is a vital source of support and a powerful force for change for everyone affected by dementia. Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetime. For more information or to make a donation, visit alzheimers.org.uk
- Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the UK’s innovation agency. It works to create a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations. Its mission is to help companies to grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive and easy to navigate.
- One of the Discovery Awards awarded, the ‘Paul and Nick Harvey Discovery Award’ is sponsored by the Hunter Foundation, with further support coming from Heather Corrie and the Caretech Foundation.
- Challenge Works is a global leader in the design and delivery of challenge prizes mobilising innovation for social good.
About the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
LSE’s Care Policy and Evaluation Centre (CPEC) is a leading international research centre carrying out world-class research in the areas of long-term care (social care), mental health, developmental disabilities, and other health issues – across the life course – to inform and influence policy, practice, and theory globally.
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a world-leading university specializing in the social sciences. Established in 1895, LSE is dedicated to understanding the causes of things, driving innovation, and addressing global challenges through teaching, research, and public engagement.
About the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.