“There’s a critical funding gap killing promising cancer innovations,” Dr. Jhaveri explains. “When these projects fall into what is called ‘the valley of death,’ it’s not just ideas that die but the potential to save actual lives. Without bridge funding, groundbreaking treatments never reach the patients who desperately need them. This isn’t just a research problem; it’s a global health crisis affecting real people waiting for better solutions.”
The problem of the recent cuts to scientific and medical research
The premier scientific journal Nature reports that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has already rejected over 2,500 applications for research funding this year, which is more than double its previous rate. According to The New York Times, the agency is no longer even considering applications for research on cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and many other severe medical conditions.
“There’s always been a funding gap,” Dr. Jhaveri explains. “But with today’s cuts, the urgency and scale of that need have grown dramatically.”
The future health of Americans and people around the globe is at stake.
“When research funding dries up, we lose the critical proof-of-concept that scientists need to launch startups. This is just the first bottleneck in a broken system,” Dr. Jhaveri explains. “The valley of death doesn’t just claim individual projects — it threatens the entire innovation pipeline. Without early stage funding, promising discoveries never reach patients. This isn’t just about academic research or business opportunities; it’s about real people who will never access potentially life-saving treatments because great ideas died before they could prove themselves. The public invests billions in basic research, but then we let these innovations perish before they can deliver on their promise.”
For Dr. Jhaveri, philanthropy has a new role to play during these times.
The need for philanthropy to step up
“The current administration has made the funding landscape for biotech dangerously unstable,” says Dr. Jhaveri. “Research labs are under immense strain, but science can’t afford to pause just because federal support is fading. We’re at a tipping point. The public has little awareness of the ‘valley of death’—where lifesaving treatments stall due to lack of funding. That’s why we must radically rethink how innovation gets financed. Whether it’s crowdfunding, engaging emerging artists, or rallying communities, we need alternative pathways to keep progress alive. Otherwise, too many promising breakthroughs will never make it to the patients who need them most.”
According to Dr. Jhaveri, however, it might not be easy for philanthropists and foundations to meet this moment. Part of the problem is that traditional nonprofit organizations usually have blind spots.
“Traditional foundations are stuck in outdated models that overlook the real choke point in cancer innovation,” Dr. Jhaveri explains. “Their missions often focus on funding basic research, but they ignore the ‘valley of death’—the gap where promising discoveries routinely fail. Supporting research is important, but it’s not enough. We need to invest in the biotech entrepreneurs who turn those discoveries into real treatments. Most people don’t realize there’s a major disconnect. They donate thinking scientists are actively finding cures, but the system collapses when innovations can’t move beyond the lab due to lack of funding. Without bridging that gap, lifesaving therapies will never reach the patients who need them. It’s a fundamental flaw in how we fight cancer.”
That’s why many biomedical start-ups are turning to alternative funding models. Dr. Jhaveri’s nonprofit, Music Beats Cancer, offers a new avenue for innovators to raise critical funds. Amid today’s shifting political landscape, the platform has seen a notable surge in interest and momentum.
Finding new ways to fund critical medical research and development
“What sets us apart is that we’ve built a direct, public-driven pathway to fund biotech innovations that would otherwise disappear in the valley of death,” says Dr. Jhaveri. “We’re not just another cancer charity—we’re democratizing the war on cancer by giving people real agency and transparency to choose the cancer-fighting technologies they want to support. That clarity is striking a chord in today’s tough funding environment. More and more biotech innovators are coming to us because traditional funding routes are drying up. They see that our platform offers something unique: a vital bridge that connects groundbreaking science with the public, not just institutions or government grants, to keep cancer solutions moving forward.”
Music Beats Cancer raises money to finance biotech startups in their early stages, empowering them to overcome the numerous hurdles involved in developing an actual treatment and making it available to patients.
“Biotech startups face a complex funding journey beyond just the science. These companies need capital for everything — filing patents, securing FDA clearances, developing marketing strategies, and even designing product packaging. Having a promising discovery in the lab is just the beginning,” Dr. Jhaveri explains. “The valley of death is treacherous because innovators need to navigate countless expensive milestones to de-risk their technologies. Just like tech startups, biotech companies require multiple funding rounds to advance — but unlike tech, their pathway is longer, more regulated, and significantly more capital-intensive. Without capital for these critical early stages, potentially life-saving cancer innovations simply disappear, regardless of how promising the science might be.”
De-Risking Discovery: Strategic Giving Through Donor-Advised Funds
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are specialized accounts that allow individuals—often high-net-worth donors—to reduce their tax liability by setting aside money for future contributions to 501(c)(3) nonprofits. But the pressing question remains: where should that capital go?
Music Beats Cancer offers a compelling answer. “We rigorously vet scientifically promising cancer innovations that are stranded in the valley of death,” says Dr. Jhaveri. “Our platform ensures donors are supporting technologies with real potential to transform cancer care. We then harness the universal appeal of music to build collaborative innovation funds that connect these breakthroughs directly with the public. It’s not just about raising money—it’s about forging a new, community-driven pathway for advancing treatments that traditional systems overlook.”
Dr. Jhaveri urges those with donor-advised funds to take action now.
“Right now, billions of dollars in DAFs are sitting idle—funds that have already yielded tax benefits for donors but are making no impact in the real world,” she explains. “That dormant capital could be fueling life-saving cancer innovations. Instead, we have brilliant scientists and startups watching their breakthroughs die on the vine due to lack of funding. It’s more than inefficient—it’s tragic. Even redirecting a small portion of these funds toward cancer innovation could accelerate therapies patients are waiting for. The cost of doing nothing is measured in lives.”
Donating to biotech startups through Music Beats Cancer also benefits donors themselves, giving them access to progress updates typically reserved for investors.
“There’s a powerful dual-return strategy here that most people overlook,” Dr. Jhaveri adds. “By using donor-advised funds to help de-risk early-stage cancer technologies, philanthropists gain unique visibility into these companies’ science and trajectory. It’s more than charitable giving—it’s strategic foresight. You’re effectively conducting early due diligence using philanthropic dollars, positioning yourself as a well-informed investor by the time these companies reach the venture capital stage. It’s a rare opportunity to create meaningful impact while identifying promising investment potential.”
Meeting the moment requires philanthropy to change
Given the Trump administration’s stance on medical research, it’s time to rethink traditional funding models.
“The traditional model of cancer philanthropy is fundamentally broken. Pouring billions into academic research without funding the critical commercialization pathway is like building half a bridge and expecting people to cross,” Dr. Jhaveri says. “If we truly want to defeat cancer, we need to revolutionize how philanthropic dollars flow through the entire innovation ecosystem. The valley of death isn’t just claiming individual technologies; it’s undermining our entire national investment in cancer research. This isn’t about charity; it’s about strategic philanthropy that recognizes biotech startups as the essential translators of scientific discoveries into actual patient treatments. Without directing philanthropic support to these early-stage companies, we’re essentially abandoning promising cancer innovations at the most vulnerable stage of development. The public deserves better.”