Kidney Research UK

Name

Kidney Research UK

Legal name

Kidney Research UK

Website

https://kidneyresearchuk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Research Charity

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Kidney disease research
• Biomedical research funding
• Patient support services
• Health charity fundraising
• Translational medicine grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream from public donations, one-off gifts, and regular monthly giving. The organization runs events including the London Marathon, London Bridges Walk, and March March. Corporate partnerships and philanthropy also contribute to funding.
2. Gifts in Wills: Legacy giving program where supporters leave bequests to the charity in their wills, providing long-term sustainable funding.
3. Lottery: Weekly lottery program as an alternative way for supporters to contribute financially.
4. Corporate Support: Partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and life science industry for research collaborations and quality improvement projects.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Kidney Research UK is a UK-registered charity that funds scientific research into kidney disease, maintains the NURTuRE biobank as a national research infrastructure covering England, Scotland and Wales, and delivers patient-facing information and screening tools. It runs grant and award programmes such as the Translation Accelerator Kidney Awards (TAKA), organises public fundraising events, sells merchandise through its online shop, and engages corporate partners to support research and patient services.

Product overview

Kidney Research UK operates as a charitable research organization rather than a technology product company. Its portfolio consists of research funding programs (including NURTuRE biobank, PKD Partnership, and TAKA grants), patient support services (Kidney Community forum, health information resources), community engagement activities (events, fundraising), and research infrastructure initiatives. The charity also participates in the Yorkshire Digital Twin pilot for kidney disease research. The organization does not offer a unified software product or platform with modules; instead, it provides a combination of research grants, patient resources, and community programs aimed at transforming kidney health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NURTuRE Biobank A national biological sample and data repository for kidney disease research, accessible to academic researchers and partners across the UK.
• Translation Accelerator Kidney Awards (TAKA) A research funding programme for kidney disease investigators, providing grants to support translational research projects.
• Kidney Health Check A public screening tool that helps individuals assess their kidney health risk and learn about prevention and early detection.
• Kidney Research UK Online Shop An online retail store selling branded merchandise and charity goods, with proceeds supporting kidney research.
• Kidney Research UK Fundraising Events Public participation fundraising activities such as sponsored walks and marathon entries that enable supporters to raise money for kidney research.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% fewer serious adverse events with beetroot juice supplementation in pregnant women with CKD
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Health Innovation Network Yorkshire and HumberflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Collaboration on the Yorkshire Digital Twin project - a world-first digital twin pilot for kidney disease in West Yorkshire, involving the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and University of Leeds.
• University of LeedsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Academic partner in the Yorkshire Digital Twin project for kidney disease innovation, working with Healthcare AI and regulatory bodies.
• West Yorkshire Integrated Care BoardflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Healthcare system partner in the Yorkshire Digital Twin project for kidney disease, supporting real-world AI innovation in regional healthcare.
• LifeArccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2025Joint establishment of the LifeArc-Kidney Research UK Centre for Rare Kidney Diseases, which launched the 'See Me' children's book and conducts pediatric and rare disease research.
• Evotec SEcoreTechnology or Integration · 25 June 2025Joined the NURTuRE-AKI consortium to build a comprehensive patient database for acute kidney injury research. Evotec will integrate data into its E.MPD platform to enhance precision medicine capabilities for kidney disease.
• British Transplant SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Established the UK Organ Donation and Research Network (UKODTRN) in collaboration with NHS Blood and Transplant. The network provides a platform for researchers to work collaboratively to increase organ availability and improve transplant outcomes.
• Give A Kidney charitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint delivery of the Robert Dangoor Partnership for Living Kidney Donation, aimed at increasing the number of people willing to become living kidney donors and supporting them through their donation journey.
• PKD CharitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint leadership of the PKD Partnership, a collaboration focused on advancing research and treatment for polycystic kidney disease. Includes multiple research projects funded jointly by both organizations.
• Kidney WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funder of calciphylaxis patient care research published in Journal of Nephrology, providing insights into diagnosis and care experiences.
• Cystinosis Foundation UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in three-year campaign resulting in NHS England funding decision for Procysbi (mercaptamine) access for cystinosis patients in England.
• Metabolic Support UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Cystinosis Foundation UK and Kidney Research UK in campaign for increased access to cystinosis treatment Procysbi.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Kidney Foundation (US): The largest US kidney disease nonprofit, funding research, patient services, and advocacy across chronic kidney disease, transplantation, and dialysis. Direct functional peer as a kidney-focused health charity with similar research funding, awareness, and donor development model, though operating at substantially larger scale in the US market.
• Cancer Research UK: The UK's largest cancer research charity and a benchmark for the UK health charity fundraising model. Comparable as a UK disease-specific research charity using similar event fundraising (London Marathon), donor cultivation, and research grantmaking infrastructure, though at materially larger scale.
• British Heart Foundation: The UK's largest heart disease charity, funding research and providing patient support. Comparable UK health research charity with similar multi-channel fundraising (charity shops, events, legacies), government advocacy, and research grantmaking programs.
• Diabetes UK: UK chronic disease research charity serving a large patient population with significant underdiagnosis. Comparable UK health research charity model with similar fundraising, awareness, and policy advocacy functions in a parallel chronic disease category.
• Alzheimer's Society: UK dementia charity and the source of Kidney Research UK's incoming CEO, Fiona Carragher. Comparable UK health charity operating at larger scale with research funding, patient support, and policy advocacy — useful peer benchmark for organizational size and structure.

Direct peers

• Kidney Care UK: The UK's leading kidney patient charity, providing practical support, financial grants, and advocacy for kidney patients and families. Closest direct peer within the UK operating in the same patient community with overlapping awareness and fundraising audiences.
• American Kidney Fund: US-based kidney disease charity providing financial assistance to dialysis patients and funding research. Direct peer in mission (kidney-specific charity with patient support and research funding) with comparable program mix though operating across the Atlantic.
• PKD Charity: UK polycystic kidney disease charity that is itself a strategic partner of Kidney Research UK via the PKD Partnership. Direct peer as a UK kidney sub-disease charity with overlapping research funding scope and donor community.
• Give A Kidney: UK charity focused on living kidney donation and a strategic partner via the Robert Dangoor Partnership. Direct peer working on living donor advocacy within the same UK kidney community, with overlapping donor and patient audiences.

Regional players

• Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (US): US-based PKD charity funding research into polycystic kidney disease. Comparable peer in disease sub-niche with overlapping research agenda and patient community, though operating primarily in North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/kidneyresearchuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/kidneyresearchuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidney-research-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/kidney_research_uk
• TikToktiktok.com/@kidney_research_uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments4 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Kidney Research UK