Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF)

What Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF) does

Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF) is a publicly funded research consortium founded in 2019 and headquartered in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany, that links the six Bavarian university hospitals (Augsburg, Erlangen, LMU Munich, TUM Munich, Regensburg, and Würzburg) and their associated universities. Its functional purpose is to provide Bavaria-wide residential access to cutting-edge oncological medicine, cross-site clinical studies, and standardized diagnostics, with services delivered to cancer patients, medical professionals, and the general public free of charge. Governance sits under a Steering Committee, Board of Directors, and External Advisory Board, with the Supervisory Board chaired by the Bavarian State Minister for Science and Art; funding flows from the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art and the Ministry of Health, supplemented by donations.

BZKF's core offerings include the BZKF BORN (Bayernweites Onkologisches Radiologie Netzwerk) project for standardized oncological imaging and AI-supported biomarker development across 12 tumor types; the BürgerTelefonKrebs free telephone counseling service; the BZKF Cancer Survivorship program; the BZKF Study Register for cross-site clinical trials; the Shared Decision Making (Bayern goes SDM) initiative; six lighthouse project areas (Cellular Immunotherapies, Theranostics, Omics/Genomics/Liquid Biopsy, Medical Data Science, Local Therapies, Preclinical Models); cross-site study groups covering 17+ tumor types; translational groups; and the Wilko Weichert Young Scientist Academy. Underlying platform components include AI-supported CT/MRI/mammography/PET imaging pipelines, AI-based flow cytometry for AML residual disease, liquid biopsy diagnostics with classification AI for CNS tumors, and a CAR-T/TCR cell therapy development platform with GMP production and immunomonitoring.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded public sector research, not commercial revenue. Disclosed funding includes 855,000 EUR for the BORN project's first period (August 2022), 850,000 EUR for its second period (January 2024), and 600,000 EUR for the Young Scientist Fellowships (2026). Services to patients and citizens are free; the coordination office lists 13 staff and the organization does not disclose consolidated financials. Customer segments are institutional (Bavarian state government, six university hospitals) and end-user (cancer patients, relatives, and the general public in Bavaria).

Name

Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF)

Legal name

Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF)

Website

https://bzkf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF) is a publicly funded Bavarian consortium of six university hospitals that delivers cross-site oncological research, standardized AI-supported diagnostics, clinical trials, and free patient counseling services to cancer patients across Bavaria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Oncology Research and Care Network

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (62231)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060)

akta.pro primary industry

Molecular Tumor Boards & Clinical Interpretation Services (HLAAANAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant (BMT/HSCT) (HLAKAFAI)

Keywords

• Oncology research network
• Clinical trial coordination
• Cancer imaging diagnostics
• Oncological care services
• Translational cancer research

Headquarters

HQ city

Erlangen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Research Funding: BZKF receives government funding from the Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art and Ministry of Health, including specific project funding for initiatives like BORN (850,000 EUR second funding period, 855,000 EUR first funding period).
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations to support oncological research, expand interdisciplinary care, and advise cancer patients. Bank details provided for City and District Savings Bank Erlangen Höchstadt Herzogenaurach.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BZKF is a state-funded network of six Bavarian university hospitals that delivers coordinated oncological care, multi-site clinical trials, and standardized diagnostics to cancer patients and citizens across Bavaria. Its core offerings are the free BürgerTelefonKrebs telephone counseling service, the BZKF BORN standardized oncology imaging network, the BZKF-Studienregister clinical trial registry, the BZKF Cancer Survivorship program, and the Bayern goes SDM shared decision-making program, supported by translational study groups, lighthouse research areas, and the Wilko Weichert Young Scientist Academy.

Product overview

The Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF) is a networked consortium of the six Bavarian university hospitals (Augsburg, Erlangen, Munich LMU, Munich TUM, Regensburg, Würzburg) and their associated universities, founded in 2019 to provide widescale access to cutting-edge oncological care across Bavaria. Its core offerings are organized around a unified network model comprising: the free BürgerTelefonKrebs telephone counseling service; the BZKF BORN (Bavaria-wide Oncological Radiology Network) project for standardized AI-driven oncological imaging and image-based biomarker development; the BZKF-Studienregister (study registry) providing access to cross-site clinical trials; the BZKF Cancer Survivorship and Shared Decision Making (Bayern goes SDM) programs for patient empowerment; and BZKF-Leuchttürme (lighthouse projects) and BZKF-Translationsgruppen (translational groups) for advanced research in areas including cellular immunotherapies, theranostics, and medical data science. Supporting programs include the BZKF-Studiengruppen (study groups) across 17+ tumor types, the Wilko Weichert Young Scientist Academy fellowships, the HPV vaccination campaign, and the BZKF-Patientenkongress patient congress.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BZKF BORN: Bavaria-wide Oncological Radiology Network - a project for standardized imaging data collection and AI-based biomarker development in cancer treatment
• BZKF Cancer Survivorship
• Shared Decision Making (SDM)
• Wilko Weichert Young Scientist Academy

Products and services

• BürgerTelefonKrebs (Citizen Telephone Cancer) Free, Bavaria-wide telephone counseling service for patients, relatives, and the general public seeking information and advice about cancer. Available at 0800 85 100 80 and via online appointment booking.
• BZKF BORN — Bayernweites Onkologisches Radiologie Netzwerk Bavaria-wide oncological radiology network standardizing imaging data collection and structured diagnostic reporting across six university hospitals using AI and machine learning for image-based biomarker development. Covers 12 tumor entity templates (cholangiocellular carcinoma, ENT tumors, liver carcinoma, lung carcinoma, lymphoma, breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, rectal carcinoma, sarcomas, uterus/adnexa).
• BZKF Cancer Survivorship Survivorship network providing support and information for patients after cancer therapy, including rehabilitation guidance, networking with self-help groups, and current survivorship news across Bavaria.
• BZKF-Studienregister (Study Register) Online registry providing access to all current clinical studies conducted across the six BZKF partner sites, enabling patients and physicians to identify and participate in oncological trials.
• BZKF Shared Decision Making (Bayern goes SDM) Systematic implementation of evidence-based shared decision making for cancer patients across all six Bavarian university hospitals, involving patients actively in treatment decisions. The first federal-state-level program of its kind in Germany.
• BZKF-Studiengruppen (Study Groups) Cross-site clinical study groups conducting trials on cancer patients with specific disease characteristics, covering 17+ tumor types including AML, CUP, endocrine tumors, liver carcinoma, lung tumors, lymphomas, melanoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, brain tumors, prostate cancer, urothelial carcinoma, sarcomas, and CNS tumors in children and adolescents.
• BZKF-Leuchttürme (Lighthouse Projects) Six lighthouse project areas that pool expertise across all six BZKF locations: Medical Data Science, Local Therapies, Omics/Genomics/Liquid Biopsy, Preclinical Models, Theranostics, and Cellular Immunotherapies.
• Wilko Weichert Young Scientist Academy Fellowship program supporting outstanding young doctors at the six Bavarian university hospitals with clinical research projects in oncological research, including annual scholarships and retreats. 600,000 EUR total awarded in 2026 for six fellows.
• BZKF-Translationsgruppen (Translational Groups) Working groups developing preclinical models to prepare clinical studies or validate hypotheses using patient samples and data. Six active groups focused on pancreatic cancer, radiopharmaceutical research, AML diagnostics, CAR T-cell therapy, and other areas.
• HPV-Impfkampagne (HPV Vaccination Campaign) Bavaria-wide prevention initiative promoting HPV vaccination to prevent HPV-related cancers, with public outreach across the BZKF network.
• BZKF-Patientenkongress (Patient Congress) Annual patient congress bringing together cancer patients, relatives, and medical professionals for education, exchange, and updates on cancer research and care.
• BZKF BORN Diagnostic Templates (Befundungstemplates) Standardized diagnostic reporting templates (Befundungstemplates) for 12 tumor types developed across the six BZKF radiology sites as part of the BORN project, including examination protocols and structured reporting formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 855,000 EUR first funding period, 850,000 EUR second funding period secured for BORN project
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FC Bayern MunichminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2024FC Bayern Munich supported cancer research with a special campaign in the run-up to Christmas. Proceeds from sale of life-size aluminum figures of the professional squad at FC Bayern Museum benefited research at BZKF and cancer patients.
• Brainlab AGcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2022Brainlab AG and its subsidiary Mint-Medical GmbH are technology partners in the BZKF BORN project, developing and establishing uniform, structured and standardized diagnostic reports in oncological imaging across six Bavarian university hospitals for multiple tumor types. Stefan Vilsmeier, CEO of Brainlab, stated the project creates quality assurance for medical examinations and communication of patient-individual findings.
• Mint-Medical GmbHcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2022Subsidiary of Brainlab AG developing software for structured diagnostic templates for oncological imaging. Collaborates with radiologic expert groups to transfer clinical staging categorizations into templates and supports clinical implementation at BORN sites.
• Six Bavarian University Hospitals and UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019BZKF is an association of six Bavarian university hospitals and universities: University Hospital Augsburg, University Hospital Erlangen (FAU), LMU Hospital Munich, TUM Hospital Munich, University Hospital Regensburg, and University Hospital Würzburg. These institutions conduct interdisciplinary cancer research and share clinical studies across sites.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Cancéropôle CLARA (Lyon / Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes): French regional cancer research network pooling academic, clinical, and industry stakeholders across a defined region. Comparable mission and structure to BZKF's state-level network, with similar focus on harmonizing oncology research and clinical trial access across multiple sites.
• Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO): Catalonia-based oncology research institute embedded within a university hospital, focused on translational and precision oncology. Comparable in its hospital-linked research model and AI/biomarker emphasis, though Spain-focused rather than Bavaria-focused.
• Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center: Swedish university-hospital-based cancer center combining clinical care and translational research. Comparable in model (university hospital network, oncology research, clinical trial access), though operating in Sweden rather than Germany.
• OnkoZentrum Zürich / University Hospital Zurich: Swiss university hospital oncology center with research and clinical trial infrastructure. Comparable as a hospital-based oncology research and care platform, though operating within a single Swiss institution rather than a regional German network.

Broad incumbents

• Gustave Roussy: Leading European cancer center combining clinical care, translational research, and AI-driven oncology programs. Comparable as a hybrid research-care institution with a strong emphasis on personalized oncology and clinical trial throughput.
• Institut Curie: Premier French cancer research and treatment center integrating hospital, research center, and translational programs. Comparable to BZKF in combining oncology research infrastructure with structured clinical translation and patient-facing programs.
• Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin: One of Europe's largest university hospitals with an integrated Comprehensive Cancer Center (Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center). Comparable as a multi-site oncology delivery and research platform, though operating at a single Berlin institution rather than a state network.
• Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ): Germany's national cancer research center, operating complementary research programs, imaging AI, and translational pipelines across multiple sites. Comparable as a publicly funded cancer research leader, but at a national scale and with a broader portfolio than BZKF's state-focused network.

Direct peers

• Nationales Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen (NCT): National Center for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg, a multi-site clinical-translational oncology consortium aligned with university hospitals. Highly comparable in mission, structure, and focus on accelerating trial-to-clinic translation and AI-driven oncology tools.
• Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Network: German network of oncological excellence centers linking university oncology hubs; directly comparable to BZKF's six-hospital construct, with overlapping site composition and shared focus on harmonized oncology care and clinical trial access.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BZKF
• Facebookfacebook.com/bzkfde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bzkf
• Instagraminstagram.com/bzkf_de

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bayerisches Zentrum für Krebsforschung (BZKF)