Stand Up To Cancer

What Stand Up To Cancer does

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 2008 as a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation and now operating independently with headquarters in Los Angeles. The organization functions as a research-funder and awareness vehicle rather than a product vendor: it channels philanthropic donations into collaborative cancer research programs - specifically Dream Teams (multi-institution flagship grants), SU2C Catalyst (early-stage combination and immunotherapy clinical trials), SU2C Convergence (interdisciplinary integration of medical, physical, and computational sciences including AI/ML), and Innovative Research Grants for early-career scientists. To date, SU2C has raised over $800 million, supported 3,100+ researchers across 210+ institutions in 16+ countries, funded 280+ clinical trials enrolling 37,000+ patients, and attributes 11+ scientific breakthroughs to its grants, including FDA approvals in breast, prostate, colorectal, melanoma, and sarcoma indications.

SU2C's operational engine is a peer-reviewed grant process administered in partnership with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), supplemented by a public-facing awareness and fundraising apparatus built around biennial 'roadblock' televised fundraising specials that air simultaneously on major US broadcast networks and 55+ platforms, plus the ninth such special aired August 2025. Complementary programs include the 'I Stand Up' placard campaign, peer-to-peer fundraising pages, the SU2C Stream Team for online creators, MLB-integrated placements (All-Star/World Series, AbbVie/MLB 'Striking Out Cancer' with $20 per strikeout up to $1M/season), corporate matching gifts, merchandise sales via Droppd.com, planned giving, DAF giving (Chariot/DAFpay), stock donations (DonateStock), and airline-miles incentivized donations via the American Airlines AAdvantage program.

Revenue is 100% philanthropic, drawn from individual one-time and recurring donations ($25-$500+ tiers plus custom amounts), corporate sponsorships (AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Merck, American Airlines, Mastercard, Lustgarten, Exact Sciences, Van Andel Institute, Boehringer Ingelheim, Day One, Gilead/Kite), corporate matching gifts at 1:1 to 4:1 ratios, peer-to-peer fundraising, planned giving/bequests, DAF grants, stock/vehicle/real estate gifts, e-commerce merchandise, and foundation grants (including Cancer Research UK and Mirati Therapeutics). SU2C serves four principal stakeholder groups: individual donors and celebrity ambassadors (1,100+), corporate partners and sponsors, the scientific research community across 210+ institutions, and cancer patients/survivors/caregivers who benefit from funded clinical trials and share stories to drive donations. The organization is governed by a Board chaired by Sherry Lansing and led operationally by President and CEO Julian Adams, PhD.

Name

Stand Up To Cancer

Legal name

Stand Up To Cancer

Website

https://standuptocancer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research Funding

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Cancer research funding
• Collaborative cancer research
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Cancer clinical trials
• Philanthropic research grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters via the website, mail, and phone. Donation amounts include preset tiers ($25, $50, $80, $100, $300, $500 and custom). Donors can set up monthly giving. Donations are tax-deductible for US donors.
2. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns: Supporters create personal fundraising pages for events such as birthdays, sporting events, anniversaries, or in honor of loved ones. SU2C provides tools and platforms for campaign management and donor tracking.
3. Stock Donations: Donors can transfer appreciated stock directly to SU2C via a DonateStock-powered portal, avoiding capital gains taxes while allowing SU2C to receive the full market value.
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Planned giving options include charitable bequests (wills and bequests), IRA rollovers (for donors 70½+), beneficiary designation on retirement assets, gifts of insurance, and gifts of real estate. These create long-term funding streams.
5. Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Grants: Donors direct grants to SU2C from their Donor-Advised Funds. SU2C partners with Chariot for DAFpay, enabling instant 3-click grants from Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, and other DAF providers.
6. Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate employers match employee donations to SU2C, with some companies matching at 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, or 4:1 ratios, amplifying individual donation impact.
7. Corporate Sponsorships and Philanthropic Partnerships: Pharmaceutical companies (e.g., AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Merck), entertainment companies, and other corporations provide funding, product donations (e.g., PXG golf clubs for events), and cause marketing integration. MLB partnership with AbbVie includes $20 per strikeout donation up to $1M per season.
8. E-commerce Merchandise Sales: Exclusive Stand Up To Cancer merchandise sold through Droppd.com storefront. Proceeds support cancer research.
9. AA AAdvantage Miles Program: Donors receive 10 American Airlines AAdvantage bonus miles per dollar donated on gifts of $25 or more, incentivizing airline loyalty program members to give.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Stand Up To Cancer is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that raises and grants funds to support collaborative cancer research. The organization solicits donations through televised fundraising specials, peer-to-peer digital fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and planned giving, then channels proceeds into collaborative research programs including Dream Teams, SU2C Convergence, SU2C Catalyst, and Innovative Research Grants administered in partnership with the American Association for Cancer Research. Since 2008, SU2C has raised over $800 million supporting 3,100+ researchers across 210+ institutions and funding 280+ clinical trials.

Product overview

Stand Up To Cancer is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that functions as a collaborative cancer research movement rather than a traditional product company. The organization operates a digital fundraising platform featuring the Create Your Placard tool as its primary interactive consumer product, enabling supporters to generate personalized digital placards honoring loved ones. Supporting products include stock donation integration (via DonateStock), DAF giving (via Chariot), and American Airlines AAdvantage® miles earning program. The organization conducts televised fundraising specials (SU2C Show), manages the SU2C Stream Team creator community for peer-to-peer fundraising, operates the SU2C Exchange collaboration platform for researchers and pharmaceutical partners, and offers an official merchandise store. The core value proposition centers on channeling donations into collaborative cancer research programs including Dream Teams, SU2C Convergence, and SU2C Catalyst initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SU2C Convergence: Program integrating medical, physical, and computational sciences to explore big questions about cancer biology using AI approaches.
• SU2C Catalyst
• SU2C Dream Teams
• SU2C Stream Team

Products and services

• Create Your Placard Standalone interactive digital tool that allows supporters to create personalized placards honoring loved ones in the fight against cancer. Users enter their information and the honoree's name to generate a shareable digital placard for social media. It serves individual donors and advocates seeking to publicly honor cancer patients and survivors.
• SU2C Show Biennial televised roadblock fundraising special featuring entertainment industry stars, cancer researchers, and survivors. The broadcast airs simultaneously across major broadcast networks and more than 55 streaming and media platforms to raise awareness and donations for cancer research. It serves individual donors, corporate sponsors, and entertainment-industry partners.
• SU2C Stream Team A community of streamers and creators who fundraise for SU2C through gaming and content creation on Twitch, YouTube, and other platforms. Includes structured programs such as #Up2Us (August fundraising streams) and #UniteAcrossPlatforms (year-end campaign starting on Giving Tuesday). It serves streamers and younger donor demographics seeking peer-to-peer engagement.
• SU2C Exchange A collaboration platform connecting SU2C grantees, applicants, and researchers with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies (Exchange Members including Boehringer Ingelheim, Day One Biopharma, and Gilead-Kite) to facilitate partnerships and bring new technologies to cancer research projects. It serves investigators, pharmaceutical R&D teams, and biotech partners seeking translational research collaboration.
• SU2C Merchandise Store Official e-commerce merchandise storefront operated through Droppd.com offering exclusive Stand Up To Cancer branded apparel and accessories. Proceeds from each sale support cancer research, and the storefront serves individual supporters seeking branded merchandise to demonstrate advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 11 scientific breakthroughs attributed to SU2C-funded research, including new FDA-approved therapies for breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, and sarcoma.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• AbbVie / Major League BaseballflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 March 2026AbbVie entered a multi-year partnership with Major League Baseball becoming the Official Pharmaceutical Partner of MLB beginning with the 2026 season, expanding its 'Striking Out Cancer' campaign league-wide. AbbVie will donate $20 for every strikeout during the season, up to $1 million maximum, benefiting Stand Up To Cancer. Approximately 40,000 strikeouts are recorded across MLB each season. The campaign is integrated across all MLB games, platforms, and key events including the All-Star Game and Postseason Wild Card Series.
• Cancer Research UKflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026Stand Up To Cancer and Cancer Research UK jointly announced extended funding of $3 million for the SU2C Gastric Cancer Interception Dream Team to launch a clinical trial testing a novel fluorescence-guided endoscopy approach for early detection of gastric cancer. The international team spans institutions in the US, UK, and South Korea, and will also validate the ORF1p blood biomarker and expand stool-based biomarker research.
• Johnson & JohnsoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025SU2C announced funding for a Los Angeles-based research team to explore new treatments for AL amyloidosis, a rare blood cancer. The research involves a clinical trial testing a combination of targeted therapies (teclistamab and daratumumab) in newly diagnosed patients, supported by a collaboration with Johnson & Johnson.
• American AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAmerican Airlines is a Visionary-level partner of SU2C. The partnership includes the AA AAdvantage miles-for-donations program, where donors earn 10 bonus miles per dollar on donations of $25 or more, and co-branded awareness campaigns.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBMS is listed as a Luminaries-level supporter of Stand Up To Cancer, contributing through pharmaceutical research partnerships and cause marketing initiatives.
• MastercardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMastercard is a Luminaries-level partner supporting SU2C through consumer-facing campaigns and branded merchandise integrations at major events.
• GenentechcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGenentech is listed as a Luminaries-level supporter of SU2C, contributing through pharmaceutical research partnerships and cancer awareness campaigns.
• Lustgarten FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lustgarten Foundation is a Luminaries-level partner collaborating with SU2C on pancreatic cancer research and awareness initiatives.
• MerckmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMerck is listed as a Heroes-level partner supporting SU2C's mission through pharmaceutical research partnerships and cancer awareness campaigns.
• Van Andel InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVan Andel Institute is a Heroes-level partner contributing to SU2C's research programs and scientific collaboration initiatives.
• Exact SciencesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExact Sciences is a Heroes-level partner supporting SU2C, likely through early detection and diagnostic research collaborations.
• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AACR is SU2C's scientific partner, conducting the rigorous peer review of grants administered on behalf of SU2C. The AACR also manages the Scientific Advisory Committee review process in collaboration with SU2C leadership.
• Boehringer IngelheimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoehringer Ingelheim is an Exchange-level member of SU2C, participating in the SU2C Exchange program that connects product developers and research service providers with leading investigators in SU2C-funded research.
• Day One BiopharmaceuticalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay One Biopharmaceuticals is an Exchange-level member of SU2C, connecting with investigators in the SU2C research community through the Exchange program.
• Gilead / Kite PharmaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGilead-Kite is an Exchange-level member of SU2C, participating in the SU2C Exchange program focused on cell therapy and cancer research collaborations.
• Arizona Diamondbacks / Upper Deck GolfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Arizona Diamondbacks partnered with Upper Deck Golf to transform Chase Field into a golfing event on July 24-25, 2026, raising money for Stand Up To Cancer. PXG supplied golf clubs for participants.
• Moffitt Cancer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner'This is where the end of cancer begins' tagline is used with Moffitt Cancer Center's permission; 'The End of Cancer Begins Here' is a registered trademark of Moffitt Cancer Center.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Susan G. Komen: Disease-specific (breast cancer) research and patient support nonprofit. Comparable fundraising scale and event-driven model (Race for the Cure), competing for the same corporate sponsors and individual donor base.
• Lustgarten Foundation: Pancreatic cancer-specific research funder and current SU2C Luminaries-level partner. Disease-narrower than SU2C but directly comparable in collaborative-grantmaking model and corporate fundraising.
• American Cancer Society: The largest US cancer charity, funding research, patient support, and advocacy. Directly competes with SU2C for cancer-research donor dollars, but operates a broader, year-round fundraising engine rather than event-driven specials.
• Cancer Research UK: The UK's largest cancer charity and a direct co-funder with SU2C on the $3M Gastric Cancer Dream Team. Operates a similar research-grantmaking model and is an active collaboration partner, not just a peer.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: Cancer research grantmaking nonprofit founded by Jim Valvano. Closely comparable to SU2C in model — funding translational research through collaborative teams and leveraging sports/celebrity networks for fundraising.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Disease-focused (blood cancers) research and patient services nonprofit. Similar grantmaking-funded research model with comparable individual and corporate donor engagement programs.

Broad incumbents

• National Cancer Institute: The US federal government's principal agency for cancer research and training. A much larger, publicly funded incumbent that competes for top research talent and sets the agenda SU2C-funded work must complement.

Emerging players

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: A major SU2C-funded research institution that runs its own large-scale philanthropic operation. Functions as both a grantee of SU2C and a competitor for cancer-research donor dollars.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): Disease-specific (pancreatic) research and advocacy nonprofit. Smaller than SU2C in scope but directly comparable in collaborative research grantmaking and patient-services-plus-fundraising dual mission.

Others

• Entertainment Industry Foundation: SU2C's parent organization. Operates as a Hollywood-coordinated charitable platform that houses multiple cause campaigns; SU2C is its largest division and uses EIF's entertainment industry relationships as a structural asset.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stand-up-to-cancer-us

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stand Up To Cancer