St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung

What St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung does

St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung (Children's Cancer Research Institute, CCRI) is a Vienna-based non-profit pediatric cancer research institute that operates as both a registered Austrian charitable association (Verein) and a limited liability company (GmbH), headquartered at Zimmermannplatz 10 in close association with St. Anna Kinderspital. It positions itself as Central Europe's only dedicated pediatric cancer research center and serves the ~300-350 children diagnosed with cancer in Austria each year, along with the international pediatric oncology research community. The institute is led by Director Caroline Hutter and Scientific Directors Eleni Tomazou and Sabine Taschner-Mandl, supported by 13 specialized research groups covering leukemia, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and broader sarcoma biology.

Its core research platform combines wet-lab methods — CRISPR-based gene editing (including the proprietary CRISPR-Millipede dense base-editing screen), single-cell genomics, liquid biopsy diagnostics, stem cell disease modeling, and immunotherapy development — with computational techniques such as AlphaFold-based protein structure prediction, machine-learning-driven stem cell differentiation protocols (chromatin state approximation / Greedy Optimization), deep-learning-optimized automated microscopy, and multimodal minimal residual disease detection (AIPF + iFISH). Documented outputs include approximately 91 peer-reviewed publications in 2025 and collaborative research spanning 50 partner countries, with leadership roles in European networks such as SIOPEN and INRG.

The institute's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams comprise public donations (online portal via RaiseNow, bank transfers, physical donation boxes), corporate partnerships (SPAR, Lidl Österreich, BMW Group Werk Steyr, Österreichische Apothekerkammer, Salesianer Miettex, Bäckerei Der Mann), and institutional research grants (FWF Emerging Fields, WWTF Life Sciences, ERC, and other Austrian/EU funders). It holds tax-deductible charitable status (FW 1703) and is governed by a Vorboard overseeing fund usage, with no shareholders or traditional equity structure. Public engagement is driven through social media, seasonal campaigns, and outreach events such as Lange Nacht der Forschung 2026 and the St. Anna Forscher-Kids program.

Name

St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung

Legal name

St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung

Website

https://kinderkrebsforschung.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung is a Vienna-based non-profit pediatric cancer research institute operating 13 specialized research groups, producing approximately 91 publications annually and collaborating across 50 countries. It is funded through public donations, corporate partnerships, and institutional grants, and serves as Central Europe's only dedicated childhood cancer research center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Oncology Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF)

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer research
• Molecular oncology research
• Liquid biopsy diagnostics
• Stem cell disease modeling
• Translational cancer research

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Donations: The institute is primarily funded by donations from the general public. Donation campaigns include online portals, donation boxes, seasonal initiatives, and individual giving. Corporate partners (e.g., SPAR, Lidl, pharmacies) also channel donations through customer-facing campaigns.
2. Institutional Research Grants: Major grants from Austrian and European science funders including FWF (Austrian Science Fund) Emerging Fields programme, WWTF (Vienna Science and Technology Fund), European Research Council (ERC), and other national/EU funding bodies.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners support the institute through direct donations, cause-related marketing campaigns, employee fundraising, and event sponsorships. Tax-deductible corporate donations are facilitated through the institute's giving programmes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung is a non-profit pediatric cancer research institute conducting translational molecular and clinical research across leukemia, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, osteosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma through 13 research groups. The institute develops proprietary genomic, CRISPR-based, stem cell, AI-powered imaging, and liquid biopsy diagnostic methods, and supplements scientific work with public outreach programs (St. Anna Forscher-Kids, Lange Nacht der Forschung). Research is funded primarily through public donations, corporate partnerships, and institutional grants.

Product overview

St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung (Children's Cancer Research Institute) is a Viennese research institute dedicated to understanding and treating childhood cancers. The organization operates as a unified research platform consisting of 13 specialized research groups conducting fundamental cancer research across multiple pediatric malignancies including leukemia, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, and osteosarcoma. Core research methodologies include CRISPR-based genomic tools (CRISPR-Millipede), AI-enhanced protein structure prediction (AlphaFold), machine learning for stem cell differentiation, deep learning-optimized automated microscopy, and liquid biopsy diagnostics. The institute supplements its scientific work with public engagement programs such as the St. Anna Forscher-Kids educational initiative for young patients and annual public science events. Research is primarily funded through public donations, corporate partnerships, and competitive grants, with approximately 91 publications annually and collaborations spanning 50 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• St. Anna Forscher-Kids: A hands-on science project bringing research into the daily lives of young patients at St. Anna Kinderspital, allowing children and adolescents to experience the world of science through experiments.
• St. Anna Forscherkids

Products and services

• Donation Fundraising Services Charitable donation programs including one-time and recurring online donations (preset €25/€50/€100 or custom amount), bank transfers, and physical donation boxes distributed to companies, pharmacies, and retail partners. Available to individual donors and corporate partners who receive tax-deductible donation receipts under the institute's Spendenbegünstigungsbescheid FW 1703 status.
• Corporate Giving and Cause-Marketing Partnership Program Structured corporate giving and cause-marketing program enabling companies to integrate charitable support for the institute into customer-facing operations through in-store collection boxes, product-linked campaigns, employee fundraising, and event sponsorships. Designed for CSR and marketing teams at retailers, pharmacies, and manufacturers.
• St. Anna Forscher-Kids Educational Outreach Program Educational science program for young oncology patients at St. Anna Kinderspital offering hands-on experiments (lava lamps, microscopy analysis) and direct engagement with institute researchers. Provides respite and science enrichment for children undergoing cancer treatment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 90% 5-year survival rate for children with leukemia in Austria, reflecting improvements driven in part by research advances.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability14 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lidl ÖsterreichcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Lidl Austria ran a special Easter campaign where customers purchased bio Easter eggs from the 'Ein gutes Stück Heimat' own-brand line, with proceeds benefiting the institute. Lidl matched and rounded up the total donation to €15,000 in 2026.
• Salesianer MiettexminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Salesianer Miettex, a hospital management company, held a charity cycling event at the Krankenhaus-Management-Kongress in Eisenstadt in May 2026, converting kilometers pedaled into a €1,000 donation for the institute.
• Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaborated with St. Anna researchers on the CRISPR-Millipede study published in Nature Communications. Luca Pinello, a bioinformatician at Harvard University, served as a senior author on the study.
• SPAR ÖsterreichcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025SPAR Austria operates in-store donation collection boxes for St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung at checkout counters across Vienna, Niederösterreich, and northern Burgenland. SPAR customers donate spare change, with the initiative yielding €49,962.82 in 2025. SPAR management actively supports the partnership.
• Österreichische ApothekerkammercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Austrian pharmacies and the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists conducted a joint fundraising campaign during International Childhood Cancer Month 2025, collecting over €30,000 through in-pharmacy donation boxes and Ball der Pharmazie lottery proceeds.
• CeMM Forschungszentrum für Molekulare Medizin der ÖAWcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborative research institution sharing laboratory space and conducting joint studies with St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung investigators (Seruggia Group, Halbritter Group), particularly in functional genomics and molecular medicine.
• Medizinische Universität WiencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Primary academic partner providing clinical integration and joint research programs. Institute Director Caroline Hutter holds a professorship in Pediatric Oncology at MedUni Wien, and multiple collaborative projects involve MedUni researchers.
• Veterinärmedizinische Universität WiencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Joint research collaborations with St. Anna researchers including the Grebien Group on NUP98-r AML, and participation in multi-institutional projects such as the FWF Emerging Fields consortium on ribosome biology in pediatric cancer.
• SIOPEN / European Neuroblastoma Research NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025European network for neuroblastoma research. Sabine Taschner-Mandl serves on the Executive Board and Biology Committee of SIOPEN, and on the International Neuroblastoma Risk Group (INRG) steering committee.
• BMW Group Werk SteyrcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024BMW Group's Steyr manufacturing plant has a long-standing partnership with the institute, providing various forms of financial and promotional support through corporate giving programs.
• Bäckerei Der MannminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024The Linz-based bakery integrates charitable giving to St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung into its customer-facing operations, offering products whose purchase partially benefits the institute.
• Institut für Molekulare Pathologie (IMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Coordinated the DART2OS project (€5.7M FWF Emerging Fields grant) developing T-cell-based therapies for osteosarcoma. The project brings together researchers from St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, MedUni Wien, MedUni Innsbruck, and Universität für Bodenkultur Wien.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: St. Jude is the leading US-based non-profit pediatric cancer research hospital and institute, making it the most directly comparable peer. Like St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung, it focuses exclusively on childhood cancer research, combines basic research with clinical care, and operates primarily on a donation-based funding model.
• Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology: The Princess Máxima Center in the Netherlands is Europe's largest dedicated pediatric oncology center, combining research and clinical care for children with cancer. It shares St. Anna's model of integrating basic molecular research with clinical application in pediatric cancers.
• Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI) at St. Anna: CCRI is the affiliated scientific entity sharing the same address and closely linked research operations with St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung. It represents the research-focused sister entity to the donation-focused parent organization.

Broad incumbents

• Institut Curie: Institut Curie is a leading French non-profit foundation combining cancer research and treatment, with notable pediatric oncology activities. Comparable as a European non-profit cancer research institution with multi-disciplinary research and donation-based funding.
• Institut Gustave Roussy: Gustave Roussy is a leading European cancer research and treatment center based in France, with significant pediatric oncology programs. It is comparable as a major European cancer research institution competing for similar EU funding and scientific talent.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Research Institute: CHOP's Research Institute is a major US pediatric research organization with significant oncology research programs and a similar model of co-locating research with pediatric clinical care. Comparable in scientific output and translational focus.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Memorial Sloan Kettering is a leading US cancer research and treatment institution with substantial pediatric oncology programs. While much larger than St. Anna, it represents a comparable model of integrated research and clinical care for cancer patients.
• German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ): DKFZ is Germany's national cancer research center and the largest biomedical research institute in Germany. While not exclusively pediatric, it conducts substantial pediatric oncology research and competes for the same European grant funding pools as St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung.

Emerging players

• CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine: CeMM is an Austrian Academy of Sciences research center that shares laboratory space and conducts joint research with St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung investigators in functional genomics and molecular medicine. It is a closely-related regional collaborator.

Others

• Children's Cancer Research Fund: Children's Cancer Research Fund is a US-based non-profit that funds pediatric cancer research and supports research institutions. It is comparable as a funding-focused non-profit in the pediatric cancer space, though it operates more as a grant-making body rather than conducting research directly.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StAnna_CCRI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn6ExbLnsFLaOvqILCSoyTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/st.anna.kinderkrebsforschung
• LinkedInat.linkedin.com/company/children%27s-cancer-research-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/st.anna.kinderkrebsforschung

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about St. Anna Kinderkrebsforschung