Digestive Cancers Europe

What Digestive Cancers Europe does

Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) is a Brussels-headquartered non-profit umbrella organization (asbl/vzw under Belgian law) that unites national patient organizations dedicated to digestive cancers across Europe. Its primary users are patients with colorectal, gastric, oesophageal, liver, pancreatic, rare, and hereditary digestive cancers, their carers, member patient organizations, healthcare professionals, and EU/national policymakers. DiCE operates community-led go-to-market: it mobilizes members through awareness campaigns (ECCAM, Oesophageal/Gastric/Pancreatic/Liver Cancer Awareness Months, Fun Run), educational publications available in multiple European languages, a multilingual website, the My DiCE Companion and StepApp mobile applications, and the Colorectal Cancer Navigator — alongside databases for clinical trials and pharmaceutical treatments.

Its underlying technology stack consists of a WordPress-based website (digestivecancers.eu), a clinical trials and drug information database, two mobile applications (My DiCE Companion, StepApp), an event platform for the Fun Run including a poster-creation tool, an EU Health Policy Platform hosted Stakeholder Network on CRC Screening, and a publications library. DiCE does not develop proprietary AI/ML, APIs, or custom enterprise software; its "platform" is fundamentally organizational rather than technical.

DiCE generates revenue through individual donations (preset tiers of €25/€50/€100/€250 plus bank transfers), corporate sponsorships (Fun Run tiers: Platinum BeOne; Gold Daiichi-Sankyo, Bayer, Servier; Silver Astellas), EU-funded projects, and grants. It does not charge patients for services. It disburses €5,000 annually via the Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award to member organizations and supports EUPATI Patient Expert Training grants, positioning itself as a net funder to the network. Governance is provided by a Board chaired by Dora Constantinides, with Stefan Gijssels as CEO, Prof. Dr. Eric Van Cutsem as Medical Director and co-founder, and Ruel Jacob as Communications Manager.

Name

Digestive Cancers Europe

Legal name

Digestive Cancers Europe vzw/asbl

Website

https://digestivecancers.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) is a Brussels-based non-profit umbrella organization uniting national patient organizations across Europe to advocate for patients with colorectal, gastric, oesophageal, liver, pancreatic, and rare digestive cancers through awareness campaigns, multilingual educational resources, clinical trial databases, and EU-level policy engagement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy and Nonprofit Healthcare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Digestive Oncology (GI Cancer Care) (HLAKAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) for Global Health (BPADAIAO), Oncology Remote Symptom Monitoring & Care Navigation (HLALAFAD)

Keywords

• Patient advocacy
• Cancer awareness
• Patient support resources
• Nonprofit health policy
• Member capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: DiCE generates revenue through individual and organizational donations. They accept donations via their website with preset amounts (€25, €50, €100, €250) and bank transfers.
2. Grants and Awards: DiCE provides grants to member organizations including the €5,000 Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award for colorectal cancer projects. Funding is also received from EU-funded projects and partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Digestive Cancers Europe is a non-profit umbrella organisation that delivers patient advocacy, educational resources, and awareness campaigns for people affected by digestive cancers across Europe. It provides free digital tools (My DiCE Companion app, Clinical Trials Database, Drug Database, Colorectal Cancer Navigator), multilingual publications, and grant/training programs (e.g., Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award, EUPATI training) to member patient organisations. Its core activities also include EU-level policy advocacy and stakeholder mobilisation.

Product overview

Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) operates as a European non-profit umbrella organization offering a portfolio of patient-focused digital resources, information tools, and educational programs. The core offerings include patient companion apps (My DiCE Companion, StepApp), clinical and drug information databases, patient navigation tools, awareness campaign platforms (Fun Run 2026 with poster creation tool), a publications library, and grant/training programs for member organizations. These products serve patients, carers, and patient organizations across Europe to improve outcomes in digestive cancers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• My DiCE Companion A companion mobile app providing resources and support for digestive cancer patients.
• StepApp A mobile application supporting awareness campaigns and tracking physical activity for digestive cancer awareness.
• Clinical Trials Database A searchable database of recruiting and ongoing clinical trials for digestive cancers, allowing patients to find and participate in research.
• Drug Database A pharmaceutical treatments database for digestive cancers providing information on available medications.
• Colorectal Cancer Navigator A guided resource helping colorectal cancer patients navigate their care journey.
• Fun Run 2026 Event Platform An event platform with registration, training plans, and poster creation tool for the Fun Run awareness campaign in Munich.
• Poster Tool An online tool allowing participants to create personalized posters for the Fun Run awareness campaign.
• Publications Library A library of publications including reports, guides, factsheets, and educational materials on digestive cancers.
• Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award An annual award of €5,000 granted to member organizations for innovative colorectal cancer patient/carer projects.
• EUPATI Patient Expert Training Grant A grant program supporting DiCE members to attend the EUPATI Patient Expert Training Programme covering medicines R&D processes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85+ network members in Thematic Network on CRC Screening
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• European Liver Patients' Association (ELPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2022Joint hosting of European policy event 'Liver Cancer: No Patient Left Behind, Optimising the European Response' at the European Parliament on October 12, 2022. Brings together experts, policymakers, patients, and stakeholders in liver cancer.
• Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership for the annual Fun Run event. OAC and DiCE co-host the Fun Run & Walk in Munich to raise awareness of digestive cancers and promote outdoor activity and healthy lifestyles. The 2026 event is scheduled for July 3 at Riemer Park, Munich.
• BeOnecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum Partner for the Fun Run 2026 event. Supports the joint awareness and fundraising initiative between DiCE and Outdoor Against Cancer.
• Daiichi-SankyomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner for the Fun Run 2026 event. Supports awareness and fundraising activities for digestive cancers.
• BayermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner for the Fun Run 2026 event. Supports awareness and fundraising activities for digestive cancers.
• ServiermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Partner for the Fun Run 2026 event. Supports awareness and fundraising activities for digestive cancers.
• AstellasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver Partner for the Fun Run 2026 event.
• NovartisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting EuropaColon Portugal's palliative care project (Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award funded project).
• Pierre FabreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting EuropaColon Portugal's palliative care project (Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award funded project).
• RocheminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting EuropaColon Portugal's palliative care project (Wolfram Nolte Memorial Award funded project).
• European Commission (EU Health Policy Platform)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiCE leads the Thematic Network on CRC Screening on the EU Health Policy Platform, officially presenting conclusions to the European Commission. The Network includes 85 members and has transformed into a permanent Stakeholder Network.
• YouTumor.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiCE shares information about the YouTumor.org resource, an Italian oncologist-led initiative providing cancer information in simple terms in multiple languages.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research UK: Cancer Research UK is one of the world's largest cancer research and awareness charities, with a digestive cancer research portfolio — broadly comparable as a major cancer non-profit but UK-focused and far larger than DiCE in scale and budget.
• American Cancer Society: American Cancer Society is the largest US cancer non-profit, addressing digestive cancers as part of a broad portfolio — broadly comparable as a major cancer advocacy organization, though US-focused rather than pan-European.
• European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO): ESMO is the leading European professional society for medical oncology, including digestive cancer tracks — broadly comparable as a European oncology stakeholder engaging in policy and education, but representing clinicians rather than patients.

Direct peers

• European Liver Patients' Association (ELPA): ELPA is the European umbrella for liver disease patient organizations and an active strategic partner of DiCE — directly comparable as a single-organ-disease European patient umbrella that co-hosts EU Parliament events and advocates on liver cancer policy.
• Pancreatic Cancer Europe: Pancreatic Cancer Europe is a multi-stakeholder platform specifically focused on pancreatic cancer across Europe — a directly comparable disease-specific European advocacy platform that competes for member attention and pharma funding within DiCE's portfolio.
• EuropaColon: EuropaColon is a European colorectal cancer patient advocacy organization that historically founded DiCE and continues to operate alongside it — a directly comparable disease-specific patient umbrella addressing the largest single cancer within DiCE's scope.
• European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC): ECPC is the largest European umbrella cancer patient organization, working across all cancer types in Brussels — directly comparable to DiCE as a pan-European patient advocacy umbrella operating from Brussels with EU policy engagement, though broader in disease scope.

Emerging players

• Lynch Syndrome International: Lynch Syndrome International is a niche hereditary cancer patient organization — comparable as an emerging disease-specific player within DiCE's hereditary/rare digestive cancer portfolio, competing for patient awareness and funding in a specific subtype.
• World Cancer Research Fund International: WCRF International is a cancer prevention-focused charity addressing diet and lifestyle links to cancers including digestive — comparable as an emerging player with adjacent (prevention-focused) activities that intersect DiCE's awareness mission.

Others

• EURORDIS - Rare Diseases Europe: EURORDIS is the European umbrella for rare disease patient organizations — adjacent comparable as a European-level patient umbrella operating in Brussels with EU policy focus, with overlap in DiCE's rare digestive cancers portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dice.europe
• Xx.com/dice_europe
• Facebookfacebook.com/DiCEforPatients

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Digestive Cancers Europe