Umberto Veronesi Foundation

What Umberto Veronesi Foundation does

Fondazione Umberto Veronesi ETS is an Italian non-profit foundation (Ente del Terzo Settore) founded in 2003 by the late oncologist Umberto Veronesi, with initial support from ten Nobel laureates. Headquartered in Milan and operating through 30 territorial delegations across Italy, it funds postdoctoral cancer research, disseminates scientific culture, and runs prevention and education programs. Core outputs include 126 research fellowships annually placed across 187 Italian research institutes, four interdisciplinary Research and Care Platforms (pediatric tumors, breast cancer, nutrition-cancer, lung cancer), and 19 clinical protocols and registries for pediatric oncology developed in partnership with AIEOP. Since inception it has cumulatively funded over 2,600 research fellowships and over 150 research projects.

The foundation generates no proprietary technology product and is not a commercial enterprise. Revenue is sourced from individual donations (one-time and monthly tiers of €12, €15, €25), memorial gifts, corporate partnerships (e.g., Lidl Italia for melanoma, Autogrill for nutrition research, Together for pediatric tumors), the Italian 5x1000 tax designation program, testamentary bequests, solidarity e-commerce (bomboniere solidali and e-cards), and event fundraising organized by the territorial delegations. Approximately 79% of donations are allocated to research and scientific dissemination, 13% to fundraising, and 8% to general and financial support. Governance is overseen by President Paolo Veronesi, a Technical-Scientific Committee chaired by Chiara Tonelli, and an Ethics Committee, with an Honorary Committee including 13 Nobel laureates.

The foundation serves four primary constituencies: individual donors and supporters, corporate partners executing CSR and cause-marketing campaigns, medical researchers and oncologists receiving fellowships and platforms, and cancer patients and survivors benefiting from funded research and education. Educational products include the Accademia di Senologia, the Umberto Veronesi Academy (UVAC) for international physicians, the SEMM doctoral program, a quadrimestral magazine, school-based prevention programs, and signature campaigns such as Pink Ambassador and Il Pomodoro per la ricerca. International humanitarian work has included cancer diagnostic training in Israel, Haiti, Guinea, DR Congo, and Afghanistan.

Name

Umberto Veronesi Foundation

Legal name

Fondazione Umberto Veronesi ETS

Website

https://fondazioneveronesi.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fondazione Umberto Veronesi ETS is an Italian non-profit foundation, founded in 2003, that funds postdoctoral cancer research through fellowships and interdisciplinary platforms, runs prevention and science education programs, and relies on individual donations, corporate partnerships, and the 5x1000 tax designation for revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Profit Cancer Research Foundation

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

Keywords

• Cancer research funding
• Oncology fellowships
• Health education programs
• Charitable donations
• Non-profit foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Recurring monthly donations (€12, €15, €25 per month tiers) and one-time donations from private individuals. Includes memorial donations (dona in memoria) in honor of deceased loved ones.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and donations from Italian companies supporting specific research campaigns (e.g., Lidl Italia for melanoma, Autogrill for nutrition research, Together for pediatric tumors).
3. 5x1000 Tax Designation: Italian taxpayer can designate 5x1000 of their tax return to the foundation, a significant source of charitable funding in Italy.
4. Testamentary Bequests: Legacy giving programs (lasciti testamentari) allowing donors to include the foundation in their wills.
5. Solidarity Products: E-commerce shop selling solidarity gifts (bomboniere solidali) and e-cards for special occasions, with proceeds supporting research.
6. Event Fundraising: Revenue from charity events organized by 30 territorial delegations including dinners, concerts, sporting events, and cultural initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fondazione Umberto Veronesi ETS is a non-profit foundation that funds cancer research, prevention, and health education in Italy. It supports post-doctoral oncology research fellowships across 187 Italian institutes, operates four interdisciplinary research and care platforms (pediatric tumors, breast cancer, nutrition-cancer link, lung cancer), co-funds 19 AIEOP pediatric oncology clinical protocols, and runs training academies plus a digital health magazine and educational content programs. Revenue comes from individual donations, 5x1000 tax designations, corporate partnerships, bequests, and solidarity gift sales.

Product overview

Umberto Veronesi Foundation (Fondazione Umberto Veronesi ETS) is a non-profit organization that functions as a research funding and health education institution rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings include: research grant programs funding postdoctoral fellowships across 187 Italian research institutes; research platforms focused on pediatric oncology, breast cancer, nutrition-cancer relationships, and lung cancer; clinical care protocols developed with AIEOP; and educational programs including the Accademia di Senologia, Umberto Veronesi Academy (UVAC) for international training, and the Scuola Europea di Medicina Molecolare (SEMM). The foundation also operates a digital magazine covering health topics, produces educational materials on cancer prevention, and runs fundraising campaigns including Pink Ambassador and Il Pomodoro per la ricerca. An online donation platform enables public support for cancer research. The organization was founded in 2003 by Umberto Veronesi and is supported by Nobel laureates and prominent scientists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Borse di ricerca (Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships) Annual Post-Doctoral Fellowship program funding 126 oncology and cancer-prevention research fellows in 2026 across 187 Italian research institutes. Over 2,600 fellowships funded since 2003.
• Piattaforme di ricerca e cura (Research and Care Platforms) Four interdisciplinary research and care platforms focusing on pediatric tumors, breast cancer, the nutrition-cancer link, and lung cancer, characterized by high interdisciplinarity, collaborations between excellence institutes in Italy and abroad, and use of big-data analysis, clinical information databases, and next-generation sequencing.
• Protocolli di cura e registri clinici (Care Protocols and Clinical Registries) 19 clinical protocols and registries for pediatric oncology developed in synergy with AIEOP to guarantee young patients access to effective therapies and enable 3,000 children annually to receive treatment through AIEOP protocols.
• Progetti di ricerca (Research Projects) Over 150 high-profile national and international research projects including studies on HER2+ breast cancer, emotional intelligence in oncology, immunotherapy, melanoma, and precision immuno-oncology.
• Accademia di Senologia (Breast Oncology Academy) Single-topic courses and advanced training in breast oncology for healthcare professionals using personalized multidisciplinary teaching methods.
• Umberto Veronesi Academy (UVAC) Training program for young South American doctors in cancer diagnosis and treatment to support the creation of oncology centers in their home countries.
• Scuola Europea di Medicina Molecolare (SEMM) International and interdisciplinary doctoral program in biomedicine training researchers ready to translate molecular science into clinical practice, in collaboration with SEMM.
• Magazine (Digital and Print Health Publication) Quadrimestral publication covering oncology, smoking, nutrition, pediatrics, gynecology, cardiology, and neuroscience with expert answers, news stories, and research updates; sent as a printed quarterly to regular donors and available digitally through the foundation website.
• Online Donation Platform Digital donation system enabling one-time or monthly recurring donations, tribute donations in memory of loved ones, and allocation to specific cancer types; accepts credit card, SEPA bank transfer, postal payment, Satispay, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
• Educational Materials and Publications Health education resources including cancer guides, prevention decalogues, health pills, biological will templates, and bequest guides, downloadable from the foundation website.
• Solidarity E-commerce Shop (Bomboniere Solidali and E-cards) Online shop selling solidarity gift items (bomboniere solidali) for weddings, communions, and other special occasions, along with digital e-cards, with proceeds supporting cancer research.
• School Health Education Programs School-based programs promoting cancer prevention, healthy lifestyles, smoking cessation (No Smoking Be Happy project), and scientific culture among Italian students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% net 5-year survival rate for breast cancer in Italy (2024 data)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

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 minor, core and major.

• Lidl ItaliaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Corporate partnership for melanoma research and awareness campaign. Lidl Italia supports foundation initiatives for skin cancer prevention and research funding.
• AutogrillminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Corporate partnership supporting nutrition and chemotherapy research project. Autogrill funds new research perspectives on nutrition for chemotherapy patients.
• TogetherminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Corporate partner choosing to support pediatric tumor research. Partnership announced July 2026 for funding childhood cancer research.
• Fondazione Francesca RavaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment training project at Saint Damien Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Project trained local medical personnel for cancer diagnosis.
• AIEOP (Associazione Italiana di Ematologia e Oncologia Pediatrica) and FIEOPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Long-term partnership with AIEOP and its foundation FIEOP for funding pediatric oncology clinical protocols. Fondazione Veronesi devolves funds to AIEOP for clinical protocols treating children with cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumors. Partnership has enabled first clinical studies (acute myeloid leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma) and three observational studies, with 3,000 children treated annually.
• CesviminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Collaboration on cervical cancer screening project in Democratic Republic of Congo. Seven free screening centers established in Kinshasa for women aged 30-50, with Pap tests and follow-up diagnostics. Partnership included Patologi Oltre Frontiera, Belgian Cooperation, University of Kinshasa, University of Milan, Congolese Ministry of Health, and WHO support.
• Comunità di Sant'EgidiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership for DREAM center in Conakry, Guinea (2013) providing breast cancer diagnosis for HIV-positive women. Training provided to Guinean physician Maurice Sandouno in senological radiology in Italy (2014, 2016).
• Rezai Foundation and Italian Embassy AfghanistanminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partnership for breast cancer diagnosis clinic in Herat, Afghanistan. Clinic opened 2013 with Afghan doctor trained in Italy. Mammograph donated 2015 with support from BNL Foundation and Italian Air Force. Pathology laboratory and telepathology system established 2018.
• Italian Cooperation (Cooperazione Italiana)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Humanitarian partnership for international projects including mammograph donation to Sacred Family Hospital in Nazareth, Israel (2006) and support for breast cancer diagnosis clinic in Afghanistan.
• Fondazione Giorgio Cini and Fondazione Tronchetti ProveramajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Co-organizers of 'The Future of Science' international conference series held in Venice 2005-2017. Each conference addressed crucial scientific topics for civil society, producing the 'Carta di Venezia' consensus document signed by scientists, jurists, philosophers, economists, theologians, and politicians.
• SEMM (Scuola Europea di Medicina Molecolare)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Partnership established in 2004 to support post-genomic research in Italy. Collaboration to promote advanced scientific training and research excellence in molecular medicine.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Fondazione Telethon: Italian nonprofit funding genetic disease and rare disease research. Comparable in Italian research-grant-making model, 5x1000 fundraising reliance, telethon-style public fundraising events, and post-doctoral fellowship funding.
• Cancer Research UK: Largest cancer research charity globally, funding fellowships, clinical trials and prevention campaigns. Comparable in research grant-making model, donor-funded structure, and public-facing prevention/health education programs.
• World Cancer Research Fund International: Global nonprofit funding research on diet, nutrition and cancer prevention. Comparable in nutrition-cancer research platform focus and grant-making mission.
• AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research (Italy): Italy's largest cancer research charity, funding fellowships, research projects and programs. Most direct comparator given overlapping mission (cancer research funding), Italian donor base, and 5x1000 competition.
• LILT - Lega Italiana per la Lotta contro i Tumori: Italian nonprofit network focused on cancer prevention, early detection and patient support. Comparable in mission and Italian geographic footprint, with overlapping donor pools and 5x1000 designation.

Others

• European Institute of Oncology (IEO): Founded by Umberto Veronesi himself, IEO is a clinical oncology center deeply intertwined with the foundation through Paolo Veronesi's role. Ecosystem partner rather than peer; collaboration channel for clinical translation of funded research.
• AIEOP (Associazione Italiana di Ematologia e Oncologia Pediatrica): Italian scientific society managing pediatric oncology clinical protocols and registries. Strategic implementation partner rather than competitor; co-funds the foundation's pediatric oncology programs and protocols.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Major US cancer charity funding research, patient support and prevention. Comparable mission and revenue model (individual giving, bequests, corporate partnerships), though at much larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• Deutsche Krebshilfe: German cancer charity funding research projects, information campaigns and patient support. Comparable in European scope, research grant-making model, and prevention/health education focus.

Emerging players

• Susan G. Komen: Disease-specific cancer nonprofit focused on breast cancer research and community outreach. Comparable in cancer-specific focus, large-scale community fundraising (races/walks similar to Pink Ambassador), and fellowship funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fondaz_veronesi
• Facebookfacebook.com/fondazioneveronesi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondazione-umberto-veronesi
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondazioneveronesi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Umberto Veronesi Foundation