Charlie Teo Foundation

What Charlie Teo Foundation does

Charlie Teo Foundation is an Australian registered charity (ACNC-registered, DGR1-endorsed) founded in late 2017 by world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Charlie Teo AM, with official launch on 1 March 2018. The foundation's mission is to fund game-changing brain cancer research globally, addressing a disease that kills more Australian children than any other disease and more people under 40 than any other cancer, with GBM average survival at only 15 months from diagnosis. It operates a lean organizational model with 4.0 FTE staff and admin costs at 10% of total income. The foundation has committed over $15 million to support 35+ brain cancer research projects across Australia, the United States, Europe, and Israel under three thematic grant programs: More Data (comprehensive genomic and molecular characterization), Better Tools (diagnostic and research tool development), and Research Rebels (out-of-the-box, innovative research), plus a dedicated Alegra's Army Grant for childhood brain cancer (DIPG) in partnership with Little Legs Foundation.

The foundation's principal physical asset is the Charlie Teo Foundation Brain Tumour Bank (Biobank) — the largest brain tumour biobank in the southern hemisphere, containing human specimens collected over more than 10 years under human research ethics approval and made available as an open-access resource to researchers. Revenue is generated through tax-deductible donations (individual, corporate, and workplace giving), signature fundraising events (Rebel Ball, Beach2Beach fun run, community fundraisers), bequests and legacy giving, and corporate partnerships with Hearts & Minds Investments (HM1), Audi Foundation, and Industrie Clothing. The foundation distributes funds to research institutions through competitive grant programs and a five-year research collaboration with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to generate the world's largest single-cell genomic atlas of brain tumours.

Name

Charlie Teo Foundation

Legal name

Charlie Teo Foundation

Website

https://charlieteofoundation.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Charlie Teo Foundation is an Australian registered charity founded in 2017 by neurosurgeon Dr. Charlie Teo that funds brain cancer research globally. It has committed over $15M to 35+ projects under themed grant programs and operates the southern hemisphere's largest brain tumour biobank.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Brain Cancer Research Funding

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Brain cancer research funding
• Cancer research grants
• Charitable foundation
• Tumour biobank services
• Medical philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaconsfield

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream from tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporate partners, and event fundraising. The foundation runs signature events like the Rebel Ball, Beach2Beach, and community fundraisers. Regular giving programs allow monthly contributions.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Revenue from corporate sponsors and partners including the Audi Foundation, Hearts & Minds Investments (HM1), and various corporate donors who invest in brain cancer research.
3. Bequests and Legacy Giving: Gifts in wills where supporters leave bequests to the foundation. The foundation has received significant bequests including a $1 million gift within 6 months of opening.
4. Workplace Giving: Employee workplace giving programs where donations are made through employer payroll systems with pre-tax benefits.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Charlie Teo Foundation is a registered Australian charity that raises donations and distributes them as competitive research grants to scientists conducting brain cancer research worldwide. Its core offerings are themed grant programs (Better Tools, Research Rebels, More Data, and Alegra's Army) and a Brain Tumour Biobank that provides consented tumour specimens and health data to researchers.

Product overview

Charlie Teo Foundation is a charitable organization that funds brain cancer research rather than offering commercial technology products. Its primary offerings are research grant programs including Better Tools Grants (funding development of diagnostic and research tools), Research Rebel Awards (supporting innovative/out-of-the-box research approaches), and More Data Grants (supporting comprehensive genomic and molecular characterization of brain tumours). The foundation also operates a Brain Tumour Biobank that stores biological samples and associated health data for research purposes. These programs represent the foundation's charitable mission to fund game-changing brain cancer research rather than commercial product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Research Rebels: A grant program funding out-of-the-box scientists and researchers thinking differently about brain cancer.
• Better Tools
• More Data
• Alegra's Army Grant

Products and services

• Research Grants Program (Better Tools, Research Rebels, More Data) Competitive themed research grants awarded to scientists and institutions worldwide to fund innovative brain cancer research. Awards typically range from ~$199K to ~$1.65M AUD.
• Alegra's Army Grant Childhood brain cancer research grant funded in partnership with the Little Legs Foundation, dedicated to DIPG/DMG research in memory of Alegra. Over $1.4 million has empowered four scientists in DIPG research through this program.
• Charlie Teo Foundation Brain Tumour Bank (Biobank) Open-access resource providing researchers with consented human brain tumour specimens and associated health data. Specimens are collected under human research ethics approval and made available to researchers globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% survival rate in immunocompetent mice treated with FLASH radiotherapy + hydrogel combination therapy vs 0% in control groups
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of NewcastlecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Major $1.65M More Data Grant funding Prof Matt Dun's I-DIMENSIONS project for DMG/DIPG subtyping system. Close to $2 million total invested in Prof Dun's research.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Research funding for A/Prof David Cormode and A/Prof Jay Dorsey's FLASH radiotherapy and hydrogel drug delivery research for GBM treatment.
• University of LausannecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Research collaboration with Prof Johanna Joyce's laboratory studying brain tumour microenvironment through advanced imaging techniques.
• Little Legs FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to fund childhood brain cancer research through the Alegra's Army Grant. Established in memory of Alegra who passed away from DIPG at age 6. Over $1.4 million in grant funding has empowered four scientists in DIPG research.
• Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year research collaboration to generate an atlas of single-cell genomic data for brain tumours - the largest resource of its type in the world. Partnership used by researchers locally and globally.
• The Kids Research Institute AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for childhood brain cancer research including Dr Jessica Buck's work on paediatric mouse models for immunotherapy testing.
• Australian Hairdressing CouncilminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity engagement campaign 'Charlie's Angels' to raise awareness and funds.
• Northwestern University / Northwestern MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research partnership supporting multiple investigators including Prof Craig Horbinski, Prof Amy Heimberger, and the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute. Over $1 million invested in Northwestern scientists.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Foundation for Cancer Research: US-based cancer research grantmaker; broader mandate than CTF but operates a comparable model of funding high-risk, innovative research at academic institutions.
• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national cancer control charity; a dominant incumbent that competes with CTF for general donor mindshare and corporate partnerships across all cancer types.
• Australian Cancer Research Foundation: Australia's largest cancer-research grantmaking foundation; competes for the same philanthropic dollars as CTF but funds across all cancer types rather than specialising in brain cancer.

Direct peers

• Cure Brain Cancer Foundation: Australian charity solely focused on brain cancer research, directly competing with CTF for the same Australian donor pool, events calendar, and research grant allocations.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: US charity funding paediatric cancer research including brain tumours, competing in the same disease-research funding category as CTF's childhood programmes.
• Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: US charity funding paediatric brain tumor research, overlapping with CTF's Alegra's Army and childhood brain cancer grant portfolio.
• Mark Hughes Foundation: Australian brain cancer research charity established by a high-profile sports identity (Mark Hughes), competing for the same disease-specific donor dollars and research talent in Australia.
• National Brain Tumor Society: Largest US-based brain tumor advocacy and research funding charity, directly comparable mission and grantmaking approach to CTF but operating at greater scale.

Others

• Garvan Institute of Medical Research: CTF's five-year research partner in building the largest single-cell genomic brain tumour atlas globally. Not a direct competitor, but adjacent as a recipient of CTF grant funding.

Emerging players

• The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research: US private foundation funding high-impact cancer research including brain tumours; comparable grantmaking approach with an emphasis on early-career and innovative investigators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/charlieteofoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/charlieteofoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charlieteofoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Charlie Teo Foundation