KickCancer
KickCancer is a Belgian nonprofit foundation that funds pan-European childhood cancer research through the FIGHT KIDS CANCER consortium, supports 62+ active research projects, and runs fundraising events like RUN TO KICK while advocating for pediatric oncology policy reform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What KickCancer does
KickCancer is a Belgian nonprofit public utility foundation (Fondation d'Utilité Publique), founded in 2017 and headquartered in Brussels, that focuses on curing childhood cancer through four pillars: financing research, advocating for regulatory change, empowering patients, and raising awareness. The foundation operates a portfolio of 62+ active research projects — including precision oncology trials (SPARC, HEM-iSMART), translational drug development (PerFoRM for Kids, MAX-SyS), and digital twin modeling (DigiTwins) — funded primarily through the FIGHT KIDS CANCER consortium, a pan-European collaboration it co-founded with foundations in France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Spain/UK. From 2020 to 2025, FIGHT KIDS CANCER deployed €43M across 48 research projects and 2 Innovation Awards, with KickCancer contributing €8.2M.
The foundation generates revenue through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, event participation (RUN TO KICK charity run, Eclair Day bakery sales, The KickCancer Collection at Art Brussels), legacy bequests, and workplace giving platforms (Benevity, CAF, Groundswell, Better). RUN TO KICK is the marquee event — a Brussels family charity run where participants commit to raising at least €200 each — which raised a record €2,030,000 in 2024. Corporate sponsors include the Belgian National Lottery, Delhaize, NRJ Belgique, Adyen, and Ackermans & Van Haaren; celebrity ambassadors include Angèle and Niels Destadsbader. The organization positions itself as a 100%-pass-through model where event proceeds go directly to research.
KickCancer also operates as a policy actor, having secured the January 2024 reimbursement of 50+ off-label drugs for pediatric cancer in Belgium and contributed to EU pharmaceutical legislation adopted in 2024. The foundation is led by founder Delphine Heenen and operates with 1–10 employees, leveraging an extensive volunteer, ambassador, and partner network. Its core stakeholder is the pediatric oncology research community and, ultimately, Belgian and European children with cancer.
KickCancer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KickCancer
- Legal name
- Fondation d'Utilité Publique KickCancer
- Website
- https://kickcancer.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KickCancer is a Belgian nonprofit foundation that funds pan-European childhood cancer research through the FIGHT KIDS CANCER consortium, supports 62+ active research projects, and runs fundraising events like RUN TO KICK while advocating for pediatric oncology policy reform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KickCancer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Foundation - Pediatric Cancer Research
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
Keywords
Where KickCancer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
KickCancer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the organization's website and fundraising pages. Donations are tax-deductible in Belgium for amounts of €40 or more per year.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Companies sponsor events like RUN TO KICK and Eclair Day. Sponsors receive visibility and brand exposure in exchange for financial support that covers event organization costs.
- Event Participation Fees: RUN TO KICK participants pay a registration fee (€12) and commit to raising a minimum of €200 (€100 for minors/students) through donations.
- Legacy Bequests: Individuals can include KickCancer in their wills, providing planned giving opportunities for long-term supporters.
- Art Sales: The KickCancer Collection at Art Brussels sells postcard-sized artworks at €400 each, with artist names revealed only after purchase.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One-time | RUN TO KICK Registration |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | KickCancer Collection Artwork |
| Other | Annual | Corporate Donations |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
KickCancer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KickCancer is a Belgian nonprofit foundation dedicated to curing childhood cancer by funding pediatric oncology research, raising public awareness, and advocating for better treatments and cures for children affected by cancer.
Product overview
KickCancer is a Belgian public utility foundation focused on curing childhood cancer through four strategic pillars: financing pan-European research, advocating for regulatory change, empowering patients, and raising awareness. The organization operates entirely through donations and fundraising, directing 100% of funds to research. Its core product is the FIGHT KIDS CANCER program—a portfolio of 62+ European research projects including PerFoRM for Kids (osteosarcoma drug development), MAX-SyS (synovial sarcoma personalized treatment), and SPARC (soft tissue sarcoma precision oncology). Fundraising initiatives include RUN TO KICK (annual family charity run in Brussels), The KickCancer Collection (art sale at Art Brussels), and Eclair Day (bakery fundraiser), complemented by individual online fundraising pages. The Innovation Award provides researchers flexible funding for bold ideas. The organization collaborates with BSPHO for Belgian clinical trials and maintains partnerships with workplace giving platforms for corporate donations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research Funding Programs Grants and funding provided to pediatric oncology researchers and institutions working on childhood cancer treatments and cures.
- Public Awareness Campaigns Awareness and advocacy campaigns aimed at raising public visibility of childhood cancer and mobilizing support for research funding.
- Donation Programs Fundraising mechanisms enabling individuals and corporations to donate to support pediatric cancer research initiatives.
Quantifiable outcome
- Funded €43 million in research across 48 projects and 2 Innovation Awards (2020-2025)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KickCancer
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
KickCancer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability3 records
KickCancer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and minor.
- National Lottery (Belgium)primaryMain sponsor of RUN TO KICK event. National Lottery's support enables the charity run and covers event organization costs.
- DelhaizeprimaryMain sponsor of RUN TO KICK event and partner in SuperPlus campaign where customers donate loyalty points. Covers event costs and enables 100% of donations to go to research.
- NRJ BelgiqueprimaryMain sponsor of RUN TO KICK, providing promotional support and live concert entertainment at the event.
- Childhood Cancer International - EuropecoreKickCancer participates in this European network as the Belgian representative, advocating for childhood cancer priorities at the EU Parliament level.
- St. Baldrick's FoundationcorePartnership for the Innovation Award selection process, leveraging St. Baldrick's expertise in managing innovation awards for childhood cancer research.
- Art BrusselscoreAnnual host of The KickCancer Collection, an art fair initiative selling postcard-sized artworks to support research.
- FIGHT KIDS CANCER ConsortiumcoreEuropean collaboration of five childhood cancer foundations: KickCancer (Belgium), Imagine for Margo (France), Kriibskrank Kanner Foundation (Luxembourg), CRIS Cancer Foundation (Spain & UK), and KiKa (Netherlands). The consortium funds pan-European research projects and clinical trials for pediatric cancers.
- Belgian Society for Paediatric Haematology Oncology (BSPHO)coreCollaboration since 2020 to support Belgian pediatric oncology centres' participation in international academic clinical trials. KickCancer funds BSPHO clinical projects and operational costs.
- Pierre MarcolinicoreEclair Day godfather and supporter since 2019. The chocolatier and entrepreneur lends his name and brand to the annual éclair-eating charity event.
- AdyenminorCorporate sponsor of RUN TO KICK events.
- Ackermans & Van HaarenminorCorporate sponsor of RUN TO KICK events.
- Brussels AirlinesminorSponsor of Eclair Day event.
- BenevityminorCorporate giving platform through which employees can donate to KickCancer via RSE programs.
- Charity Aid Foundation (CAF)minorCorporate giving platform through which employees can donate to KickCancer via RSE programs.
- GroundswellminorCorporate giving platform through which employees can donate to KickCancer via RSE programs.
- BetterminorCorporate giving platform through which employees can donate to KickCancer via RSE programs.
- Testament.beminorPlatform for planned giving information, helping individuals include KickCancer in their wills.
- Guide des dons, legs et donationsminorBelgian platform providing information about charitable giving and legacy planning.
- TerominorEvent organization partner for RUN TO KICK.
- SporterominorSports organization partner for RUN TO KICK.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights10 records
KickCancer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: US childhood cancer research charity funding pediatric oncology research grants and clinical trials. Operates a directly comparable research-grantmaking model with event-driven fundraising (lemonade stands) and a similar mission-driven foundation structure.
- St. Baldrick's Foundation: Largest US-based charitable funder of childhood cancer research; formal Innovation Award partner with KickCancer. Operates a directly comparable model of pediatric oncology research grantmaking with significant event-driven fundraising (head-shaving events).
- CureSearch for Children's Cancer: US-based organization funding childhood cancer research and clinical trials with a focus on accelerating pediatric oncology drug development. Comparable in mission and grantmaking approach though with a primarily US geographic footprint.
- Children with Cancer UK: Major UK charity dedicated to funding childhood cancer research and supporting affected families. Highly comparable research-grantmaking model, fundraising approach, and mission focus, though operating at larger scale in a different geography.
- KiKa (Stichting Kinderen Kankervrij): Dutch foundation funding childhood cancer research and a co-founder of FIGHT KIDS CANCER. Operates the same research-grantmaking model with similar event-driven fundraising (e.g., KiKa cycling events) and serves as the Netherlands counterpart in the consortium.
- Imagine for Margo: French childhood cancer research foundation and co-founder of FIGHT KIDS CANCER alongside KickCancer. Operates a near-identical model of funding pan-European pediatric oncology research, event-driven fundraising, and family empowerment, making it the most directly comparable peer.
- Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner: Luxembourg foundation supporting children with cancer and their families, and a co-founder of FIGHT KIDS CANCER. Highly comparable in mission, scale, and operating model as the consortium's Luxembourg member alongside KickCancer.
- CRIS Cancer Foundation: Spain/UK-based cancer research foundation and FIGHT KIDS CANCER co-founder. Funds innovative oncology research with similar grantmaking approach and event-driven fundraising; comparable scope and cross-border European footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Stichting tegen Kanker (Belgian Foundation against Cancer): Belgian national cancer foundation operating in KickCancer's home market with a broader scope across all cancer types. Much larger scale and broader mandate make it a broader incumbent rather than a direct niche competitor in pediatric cancer specifically.
- Fondation ARC for cancer research: Major French cancer research foundation funding research across all cancer types rather than specializing in pediatric oncology. Operates a similar grantmaking model but with broader scope and significantly larger scale than KickCancer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KickCancer social profiles
Digital presenceKickCancer compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
KickCancer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KickCancer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KickCancer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KickCancer M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KickCancer
What does KickCancer do?
KickCancer is a Belgian nonprofit foundation dedicated to curing childhood cancer by funding pediatric oncology research, raising public awareness, and advocating for better treatments and cures for children affected by cancer.
Is KickCancer a public or private company?
KickCancer is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was KickCancer founded?
KickCancer was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is KickCancer based?
KickCancer is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does KickCancer make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, event Participation Fees, legacy Bequests and art Sales.
Who are KickCancer's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, St. Baldrick's Foundation, CureSearch for Children's Cancer, Children with Cancer UK, KiKa (Stichting Kinderen Kankervrij), Imagine for Margo, Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner and CRIS Cancer Foundation. Broad incumbents are Stichting tegen Kanker (Belgian Foundation against Cancer) and Fondation ARC for cancer research.
Does KickCancer have an API?
No public API is recorded for KickCancer.
What industry is KickCancer in?
KickCancer's product category is Charitable Foundation - Pediatric Cancer Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.