Hyundai Hope On Wheels

What Hyundai Hope On Wheels does

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 by Hyundai Motor America and a group of New England-area dealers to fund pediatric cancer research and raise public awareness. The organization is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and has awarded more than $303 million in lifetime giving to support childhood cancer research across 175+ hospitals and research institutions.

The organization's core offerings are a tiered grant program — Hyundai Scholar Hope Grants ($400,000, two-year), Young Investigator Grants ($300,000, two-year), Bridge2K Grants ($150,000, one-year), Impact Grants ($100,000), and Quantum Grants ($1 million) — awarded exclusively to researchers at Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions. Its most significant research asset is the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Biorepository at The Research Institute of Nationwide Children's Hospital, which maintains the largest pediatric cancer biospecimen bank in the nation, containing tissue from more than 32,000 children with childhood cancer. Adjacent programs include the National Youth Ambassador Program, the Wall of Hope community platform, survivorship programs, Handprint Ceremony events, an annual 5K and Color Fun Run, and a virtual auction.

The business model is donation-funded with a unique funding mechanism: Hyundai Motor America and its more than 850 U.S. dealers donate a portion of every new vehicle sale to the organization, producing a recurring, vehicle-sales-linked revenue stream independent of traditional fundraising cycles. The organization supplements this with individual donations and event-based fundraising, and reports that over 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to research. Its customer base is bifurcated: the funder side is concentrated in Hyundai Motor America, while the recipient side is a distributed network of 175+ COG member institutions and named centers including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Georgetown Lombardi, and the Children's Hospital of Orange County. The organization expanded to Canada in February 2025 and Mexico in April 2025, and announced expansion to Europe and India in 2026.

Name

Hyundai Hope On Wheels

Legal name

Hyundai Hope on Wheels

Website

https://hyundaihopeonwheels.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1998 that funds pediatric cancer research through a tiered grant program for Children's Oncology Group member institutions, supported by Hyundai Motor America and its 850+ dealers via per-vehicle-sale donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Research Nonprofit / Charitable Grant Funding

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer research
• Charitable grant funding
• Nonprofit philanthropy
• Childhood cancer awareness
• Biorepository biospecimens

Headquarters

HQ city

Fountain Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Vehicle Sales Donation Program: Hyundai Motor America and its nationwide dealers donate a portion of every new vehicle sale to pediatric cancer research through Hyundai Hope on Wheels. This is the primary funding mechanism for the nonprofit.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals are accepted via the organization's website or by check. The organization states that over 90 cents of every dollar goes directly to research projects.
3. Event Fundraising: The organization hosts 5K and Color Fun Run events with registration fees, as well as virtual auctions featuring items for bid, as additional fundraising mechanisms.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds pediatric cancer research and raises public awareness for childhood cancer. Its primary offering is a tiered portfolio of research grants (ranging from $100,000 Impact Grants to $1,000,000 Quantum Grants) awarded competitively to researchers at Children's Oncology Group (COG) member institutions, along with the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Biorepository — the nation's largest pediatric cancer biospecimen bank — housed at Nationwide Children's Hospital.

Product overview

Hyundai Hope on Wheels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, not a software product or platform. The organization's primary offerings are pediatric cancer research grant programs, including the Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant ($400,000 two-year award), Hyundai Young Investigator Grant ($300,000 two-year award), Hyundai Bridge2K Grant ($150,000 one-year award), Hyundai Impact Grant ($100,000 annual award), and the Hyundai Quantum Grant ($1 million for high-risk childhood cancer). Additional offerings include the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Biorepository for the Children's Oncology Group, the National Youth Ambassador Program, the Wall of Hope community platform, the annual 5K and Color Fun Run event, virtual auction fundraising, survivorship programs, and Handprint Ceremony events. Primary funding comes from Hyundai Motor America and its U.S. dealers through vehicle sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant A $400,000 two-year research award presented to researchers involved with translational research working directly with patients, competitively selected based on the promise of their proposed research.
• Hyundai Young Investigator Grant A $300,000 two-year research award providing funding for principal investigators researching the biology of childhood cancer, available to those in their 3rd or 4th year of fellowship training or within 8 years of completing training.
• Hyundai Bridge2K Grant A $150,000 one-year award providing seed funding to support resubmission efforts for promising pediatric cancer-focused NIH K award applications that narrowly missed the pay line at national funding agencies.
• Hyundai Impact Grant A $100,000 annual award providing funding for innovative research in childhood cancer or programmatic support for the selected institution's pediatric oncology department, including patient assistance programs and family support.
• Hyundai Quantum Grant

Quantifiable outcome

• Increased childhood cancer survival rate from approximately 75% to 85% over 28 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered tactical, strategic, major and core.

• Dell Children's Medical Center of Central TexastacticalOthers · 5 November 2025The only children's cancer center in Central Texas. Received $20,000 donation from Hyundai Hope on Wheels and South Point Hyundai in November 2025 to strengthen pediatric cancer support.
• Michelle's PlacetacticalOthers · 4 November 2025Full-service cancer resource center in Temecula, CA providing no-cost resources to families dealing with cancer. Received $15,000 donation from Hyundai Hope on Wheels and Temecula Hyundai in November 2025.
• Hyundai Auto Canada / National Hockey League (NHL)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Since launching in Canada in February 2025, Hyundai Auto Canada and its 226 dealers have donated $2.9 million to advance pediatric cancer care through a partnership with the NHL.
• Bryan Herta Autosport / IMSAtacticalGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Racing team featuring Hyundai Hope on Wheels livery on Hyundai Elantra N TCR cars. The #33 car number honors Reese Imhoff, a friend of the team who passed away from bone cancer. Hyundai donates $100 per lap led to children's hospitals.
• Georgetown University / Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer CentermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Received the inaugural $3 million Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology grant in October 2024 to fund generations of researchers. Dr. Jeffrey Toretsky holds the inaugural endowed chair position, focusing on Ewing sarcoma research.
• Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) / Hyundai Cancer InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011In May 2011, Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Hope on Wheels announced a $10 million grant to CHOC Children's Hospital, the largest corporate grant in the hospital's history. The hospital named its cancer center of excellence the Hyundai Cancer Institute. Cumulative contributions total $12.9 million. CHOC is the only COG with Phase 1 clinical trial designation in the Southwestern United States.
• Children's Oncology Group (COG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHyundai Hope on Wheels awards grants exclusively to eligible COG member institutions. COG is the world's largest organization devoted to childhood and adolescent cancer research, enabling the organization to fund research at premier institutions nationwide.
• Nationwide Children's Hospital / Research InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Biorepository for the Children's Oncology Group. The biorepository maintains tissue from more than 32,000 children with childhood cancer, the largest pediatric cancer biospecimen bank in the nation.
• Peyton Manning Children's HospitaltacticalOthersRecipient of $100,000 donation from Hyundai Hope on Wheels during the September 2025 Indianapolis Motor Speedway event.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Baldrick's Foundation: One of the largest U.S. nonprofit funders of pediatric cancer research grants, with a comparable focus on childhood cancer research across U.S. institutions and a similar annual grantmaking scale.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: A leading volunteer-driven and family-founded pediatric cancer research nonprofit that funds research grants to hospitals and researchers across the U.S., directly comparable to HHOW's mission and grant portfolio.
• Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: A nonprofit dedicated to funding childhood cancer research through community-driven fundraising, with overlapping beneficiary institutions and research grant activities.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: A nonprofit focused specifically on pediatric cancer research funding and innovation, with a similar national footprint and hospital partnerships.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: A children's cancer research nonprofit supporting the Children's Oncology Group and other pediatric cancer research, overlapping with HHOW's COG-aligned grantmaking network.
• Children's Cancer Research Fund: Funds pediatric cancer research, treatment, and survivorship programs at U.S. children's hospitals, with comparable grant programs and beneficiary institutional overlap.

Broad incumbents

• V Foundation for Cancer Research: A larger cancer research nonprofit with celebrity and sports-driven fundraising, funding grant-based cancer research with broader oncology scope but overlapping research-grant delivery model.
• Stand Up To Cancer: A high-profile entertainment-industry-backed cancer research nonprofit funding collaborative research grants, with broader cancer scope but comparable research-grantmaking infrastructure.
• American Cancer Society: The largest U.S. cancer nonprofit with significant pediatric cancer research funding as part of its broader mission, representing a much larger incumbent funder in the same disease space.
• Livestrong Foundation: A well-known cancer nonprofit supporting cancer survivors and funding research, with broader cancer scope but comparable survivorship programs and donor-supported research funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hopeonwheels
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3MhF6CXZBRSHNeNwQKPJGw
• Facebookfacebook.com/HyundaiHopeOnWheels
• Instagraminstagram.com/hyundaihopeonwheels
• Pinterestpinterest.com/hopeonwheels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hyundai-hope-on-wheels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments56 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Hyundai Hope On Wheels