What Stelvio for Life does

Stichting Stelvio for Life is a Dutch charitable foundation (Stichting), founded in 2011 and headquartered in Driebergen-Rijsenburg, Netherlands, with ANBI status under Dutch tax law. Its core operation is the annual Stelvio for Life event held on the Stelvio Pass in Bormio, Italy, where participants climb 1,533 meters over a 21.1 km route containing 37 hairpin bends, via cycling, running, walking, the Stelvio XXL 104 km route, or a Bike & Run format. Participants register individually or as corporate or friend teams, pay a €75 registration fee, and are required to raise a minimum of €1 per vertical meter (€1,533 total) in sponsorship money.

The foundation runs a digital platform comprising a website for self-service registration and donation collection, personal and team fundraising pages, and native iOS and Android mobile apps that enable QR-code-based donation collection and push notifications for weather and route updates. All participant-raised sponsorship money is directed to the Center for Personalized Cancer Treatment (CPCT), a collaboration of Dutch academic medical centers conducting DNA-based personalized cancer treatment research through the DRUP (Drug Rediscovery Protocol) and DAP studies; over 1,700 cancer patients have received treatment through these programs, with results published in Nature in 2026 and a new Novartis collaboration treating 100 BRAF V600E-mutant patients.

Revenue is generated through five streams: €75 participant registration fees; four tiers of corporate sponsorship packages (Bronzo €3,000, Argento €6,000, Oro €9,000, Platina €15,000); the Vrienden van Stelvio for Life annual membership at €2,500 per year for entrepreneurs and professionals; direct individual donations (preset €20, €50, €100 or custom amounts); and affiliate-merchandise proceeds from partnerships with LifeSocks and Castelli Custom. Cumulative fundraising reached approximately €8 million across all editions by 2026, with a consistent €1 million annual target achieved three consecutive years (2023–2025). The event is capped at 653 participants per edition and the foundation operates from a board-and-supervisory-board governance structure compliant with WBTR requirements.

Name

Stelvio for Life

Legal name

Stichting Stelvio for Life

Website

https://stelvioforlife.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Stichting Stelvio for Life is a Dutch non-profit foundation that organizes an annual cycling and hiking event on Italy's Stelvio Pass to raise funds for DNA-based personalized cancer research conducted by the CPCT and Dutch academic medical centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Cancer Research Fundraising

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

akta.pro primary industry

Endurance Stage & Destination Challenges (Multi-day Tours, Charity Challenges) (MPAKAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC), Triathlon & Multisport Events (Triathlon, Duathlon, Aquathlon) (MPAKAIAB)

Keywords

• Cancer research fundraising
• Charity cycling events
• Corporate sponsorship packages
• Personalized cancer treatment
• Nonprofit foundation events

Headquarters

HQ city

Driebergen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Participant Registration Fees: Participants pay a €75 registration fee which covers event organization costs alongside contributions from headline sponsors.
2. Corporate Sponsorship Packages: Four tiers of corporate team sponsorship: Bronzo (€3,000 for 10 team members), Argento (€6,000 for 15 members), Oro (€9,000 for 20 members), Platina (€15,000 for 25 members). Additional team members cost €75 each. Packages include logo placement on website, flags, and company profiles.
3. Vrienden van Stelvio for Life Membership: Annual membership program for entrepreneurs and professionals at €2,500 per year, providing exclusive events, network access, and unique experiences.
4. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting participants or the organization broadly. Donation options include preset amounts (€20, €50, €100) or custom amounts.
5. Merchandise Partnership with LifeSocks: Partnership with LifeSocks for specialized socks featuring Stelvio for Life branding. Portion of proceeds goes to the foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stelvio for Life organizes an annual cycling and hiking event on the Stelvio Pass in Bormio, Italy, where up to 653 participants climb 1,533 meters over a 21.1 km route to raise funds for DNA-based personalized cancer research conducted by CPCT. Participants register for a €75 fee and commit to raising a minimum of €1 per altitude meter, supported by digital fundraising pages, a mobile app, and tiered corporate sponsorship packages.

Product overview

Stelvio for Life is a charitable sports event organization that operates primarily as an annual fundraising event platform. The core offering is the Stelvio for Life event on the Passo dello Stelvio in Italy, combined with a digital participant fundraising platform. Participants can register individually or as teams (corporate or friend teams) and create personal donation pages. The organization offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, corporate sponsorship packages at four tiers (Bronzo through Platina), and a premium 'Vrienden' membership program. Additional offerings include the XXL cycling route and Bike & Run combination challenge. All funds raised support the Center for Personalized Cancer Treatment (CPCT) for DNA-based personalized cancer treatment research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vrienden van Stelvio for Life: A membership program for entrepreneurs and professionals who contribute €2,500 per year to support the foundation's long-term sustainability.

Products and services

• Stelvio for Life Annual Event Annual cycling and hiking event on the Stelvio Pass in Bormio, Italy, where participants climb 1,533 meters over a 21.1 km route to raise funds for DNA-based personalized cancer research conducted by CPCT. Participants must raise a minimum of €1 per vertical meter (€1,533 total) and pay a €75 registration fee.
• Stelvio for Life Mobile App Native mobile application for iOS and Android that helps participants prepare for the event. Features include donation collection via QR codes, personal and team donation overviews, and push notifications for weather and route updates during the event.
• Participant Fundraising Pages Online fundraising platform allowing individual participants and teams to create personal donation pages, track donations, share via QR codes, and display progress toward their €1,533 minimum sponsorship goal.
• Vrienden van Stelvio for Life Membership Premium annual membership program for entrepreneurs and professionals contributing €2,500 per year. Includes two exclusive events per year, access to a network of like-minded individuals, unique experiences around sport and content, and direct contribution to the foundation's continuity and growth.
• Corporate Sponsor Packages Four-tiered corporate sponsorship packages for Stelvio for Life team participation: Bronzo (€3,000 for 10 team members), Argento (€6,000 for 15 members), Oro (€9,000 for 20 members), and Platina (€15,000 for 25 members). Each tier includes logo placement on website, flags, and company profile visibility at the event.
• Stelvio XXL Route Extra challenging cycling route of approximately 104 km where participants climb the Stelvio Pass from both sides and finish at the village square in Bormio, designed for cyclists seeking an additional endurance challenge beyond the standard route.
• Bike & Run Activity Combined cycling and running challenge where participants first climb the Stelvio Pass by bike, then descend to Bormio and run the mountain again, completing the route twice during the event.
• Donation Platform Online donation system enabling supporters to donate to specific participants, teams, or directly to the event and its volunteers. Offers preset suggested amounts (€20, €50, €100) or custom amount donations via the website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,700 cancer patients treated through DRUP study funded by Stelvio for Life
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• LifeSocksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 July 2025Partnership with LifeSocks and Team Elevate Digital to launch a special line of socks for Stelvio for Life. Portion of proceeds goes to the foundation. Socks are available at lifesocks.nl.
• Castelli CustomminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 May 2023Italian cycling apparel brand represented by Wolvenberg in Benelux. Castelli Custom will donate per item sold on their Stelvio-themed webshop. Working on custom team clothing options.
• Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis (Netherlands Cancer Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Leading Dutch cancer research hospital where Prof. Dr. Emile Voest (medical director and initiative originator) and other researchers are based. Key site for CPCT research activities.
• CPCT (Center for Personalized Cancer Treatment)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011The primary research beneficiary of Stelvio for Life fundraising. CPCT is a unique collaboration of all Dutch Academic Medical Centers and growing number of regional hospitals working towards personalized cancer treatment based on DNA analysis. Stelvio for Life has funded DRUP and DAP studies, DNA research published in Nature (2026), and provided medication access for over 1,700 patients.
• Barcode for LifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Research foundation receiving the collected sponsorship money from participants. Sponsors are asked to raise €1 per altitude meter (€1,533) for Barcode for Life.
• SBS FotomarketingminorOthersPhotography sponsor capturing event atmosphere and finish photos for participants.
• Run2DayminorOthersSports retailer providing in-kind sponsorship support.
• Vallei (Vallei Finance Group)minorOthersFinancial services company providing in-kind sponsorship support.
• NavaramajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMain sponsor and corporate team participant. Team Navarra has participated for 8 years with 23 team members. Sponsor with logo placement and corporate team participation.
• DJ RoseminorOthersDJ providing entertainment at the post-event celebration in Bormio's Piazza Cavour square.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alpe d'HuZes: Dutch charity cycling event on Alpe d'Huez raising funds for cancer research. Nearly identical operating model to Stelvio for Life — single iconic alpine climb, participant-raised sponsorships, all funds pass through to cancer research — making it the closest comparable peer in the Dutch market.
• Tour de Force: Dutch cycling charity event combining multi-day tours with fundraising for cancer-related causes. Closely comparable format, audience (Dutch corporate teams and individuals), and cause area to Stelvio for Life.
• Roparun: Dutch non-profit endurance relay event (running) raising funds for cancer patients. Comparable event-driven fundraising model in the Netherlands targeting cancer-related causes, although via a multi-day running relay rather than a single alpine climb.
• Pan-Mass Challenge: Large-scale annual charity cycling event in the United States raising funds for cancer research through Dana-Farber. Conceptually near-identical operating model to Stelvio for Life at materially larger scale (tens of millions USD), making it the international benchmark peer.

Emerging players

• Movember Foundation: Major men's-health charity using sports/participation-driven fundraising. Adjacent cause area (cancer among men's health issues) and similar event-or-cause-driven donor engagement model, though globally scaled and centred on a different sport.

Broad incumbents

• Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Foundation: Foundation supporting the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), where several Stelvio for Life–funded researchers are based. Comparable as a Dutch cancer-research funding vehicle, though NKI-affiliated rather than event-driven.
• World Bicycle Relief: Global charity linking cycling with social impact. While not cancer-focused, it is comparable as an international non-profit leveraging cycling as the vehicle for fundraising and donor engagement.
• KWF Kankerbestrijding (Dutch Cancer Society): The Netherlands' largest cancer research fundraising organization. Same beneficiary mission (Dutch cancer research funding) but operates a far broader portfolio of campaigns, donations, and research grants rather than a single event-driven model.

Others

• Barcode for Life: Direct downstream research partner receiving Stelvio for Life's participant-raised funds. Thematically the foundation's closest institutional counterparty for mission delivery and is itself funded largely through Stelvio for Life, making it a related party rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Alpine fundraising events (generic): Category placeholder for other European mountain-pass charity climbs (e.g., Mont Ventoux, Passo Stelvio, Col du Galibier charity challenges). Comparable single-event alpine fundraising model with similar participant economics and corporate-team angle, distributed across multiple European geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stelvio-for-life

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Stelvio for Life