What Association Ruban Rose does

Association Ruban Rose is a French non-profit (association d'intérêt général régie par la loi 1901) founded in 1994 by Estée Lauder Companies France and Marie Claire magazine to raise awareness of breast cancer and fund research. The organization runs two parallel programs: a public awareness arm executing the annual Octobre Rose campaign (Tour Eiffel illumination, media partnerships with Téva, France Inter, RTL Originals, Marie Claire, and celebrity ambassadors including Carla Bruni and Sadeck Berrabah) plus free educational kits distributed through 70+ corporate mécènes; and a research funding arm that distributes annual Prix Ruban Rose grants (totaling over 2 million euros in 2025, rising to 2.15 million euros in 2026), Bourses de Recherche scholarships, the Grand Projet Ruban Rose 1.5 million euro territorial-inequalities study in Hauts-de-France, and the Mammo+ 1 million euro mammography equipment deployment across three regional cancer centers. Governed by a Board led by President Franck Besnard (also President of Estée Lauder Companies France) and a Scientific Committee chaired by Dr. Anne Vincent-Salomon, the organization has channeled more than 13.5 million euros into 120+ research projects since 2003. Its core 'product' is essentially a curated grant-making and public-information platform; its underlying technology is limited to a content website (cancerdusein.org) and standard donation-processing via the Assoconnect platform, with no proprietary AI or data assets deployed by the association itself. Revenue is generated entirely through donations and corporate sponsorship (77% mécénat in 2023), and the customer base spans the general French public, healthcare institutions, medical professionals, and a network of over 70 corporate mécènes.

Name

Association Ruban Rose

Legal name

Association Ruban Rose

Website

https://cancerdusein.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Association Ruban Rose is a French non-profit co-founded in 1994 by Estée Lauder France and Marie Claire to raise breast cancer awareness and fund research via annual Prix Ruban Rose grants, the Mammo+ mammography equipment program, and the annual Octobre Rose campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Breast Cancer Awareness Non-Profit

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Chronic Disease & Health Promotion Program Funding (HLAJALAJ), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Breast cancer awareness
• Cancer research funding
• Nonprofit health association
• Awareness campaign organization
• Medical research grants

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship (Mécénat): The majority of funding comes from corporate sponsors (mécènes) who support the association financially. In 2023, 77% of revenue came from corporate sponsorship.
2. Public Donations: Direct donations from the general public supporting breast cancer research and awareness. In 2023, 6% of revenue came from public donations.
3. Local Initiative Donations: Donations from local fundraising initiatives organized by supporters. In 2023, 14% of revenue came from local initiatives.
4. Merchandise and Events: Revenue from sale of pink ribbon products during October Rose month and throughout the year, as well as dedicated events.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Association Ruban Rose funds breast cancer research through annual Prix Ruban Rose grants, research scholarships, the multi-year Grand Projet Ruban Rose study, and the Mammo+ mammography equipment project. It also runs national breast cancer awareness activities, including the annual Octobre Rose campaign, free educational materials and awareness kits distributed to institutions, and media partnerships delivering information to the French public.

Product overview

Association Ruban Rose is a French non-profit organization (association d'intérêt général, law 1901) founded in 1994 by Estée Lauder Companies France and Marie Claire magazine. The organization operates a dual mission: (1) supporting breast cancer research through annual Prix Ruban Rose grants, research scholarships, the Mammo+ equipment project, and the Grand Projet Ruban Rose; and (2) informing and raising awareness about breast cancer through educational materials, the annual Octobre Rose campaign, podcasts, and media partnerships. The organization is governed by President Franck Besnard and Vice-President Gwenaelle Thebault, with a Scientific Committee of five renowned researchers. Total research funding exceeds 13.5 million euros across 120+ projects since 2003.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prix Ruban Rose Annual research grant program funding innovative breast cancer research, awarded to researchers at French universities, cancer centers, and university hospitals. Since 2003, more than 13.5 million euros have been allocated across 120+ projects. The 2025 endowment exceeded 2 million euros for 10 projects and the 2026 endowment reaches 2,150,000 euros.
• Bourses de Recherche Ruban Rose Follow-on research scholarships for former Prix Ruban Rose winners to continue and develop their breast cancer research. The 2026 total envelope is 800,000 euros, with applications open from June 15 to August 12, 2026.
• Grand Projet Ruban Rose Large-scale three-year public health research study aimed at understanding and reducing territorial inequalities in breast cancer mortality and access to care in Hauts-de-France, where outcomes run 25% above the national average. Coordinated by CHU de Lille with Pr Nicolas Penel as principal investigator and a 1,500,000 euro endowment.
• Projet Mammo+ Equipment funding project investing 1 million euros to equip three French cancer centers (Centre Antoine-Lacassagne in Nice, Centre Jean-Perrin in Clermont-Ferrand, and Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine in Nancy) with state-of-the-art mammography equipment in regions facing high healthcare access challenges.
• Octobre Rose (October Rose Annual Campaign) Annual national breast cancer awareness month campaign held every October, featuring public events, media campaigns, iconic illuminations (notably the Tour Eiffel), celebrity collaborations, and fundraising activities. The 2025 campaign message is '1 woman in 8 is affected by breast cancer,' featuring choreography by Sadeck Berrabah and the voice of Carla Bruni, launched September 30, 2025 at Champ-de-Mars in Paris.
• Kit de Sensibilisation (Awareness Kit) Free physical awareness kit containing 50 brochures, 50 flyers, 3 posters (on self-palpation, symptoms, and good practices), and 100 pink ribbons, designed for distribution by public institutions, associations, and medical/social organizations to patients and the public.
• Les Combattantes Podcast Educational podcast produced by RTL Originals featuring testimonials from breast cancer survivors about their experience, journey, and recovery. Distributed via the association's media channels and RTL.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2 million euros awarded to 10 research projects in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UnicancercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025Strategic partner for the Mammo+ project. Unicancer is the network of 20 private non-profit cancer centers in France, providing expertise for identifying priority centers and selecting appropriate mammography equipment. Leader in European clinical oncology research.
• Centre Antoine-Lacassagne (Nice)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025One of three cancer centers receiving mammography equipment through the Mammo+ project. Located in PACA region with high healthcare needs.
• Centre Jean-Perrin (Clermont-Ferrand)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025One of three cancer centers receiving mammography equipment through the Mammo+ project. Located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region with rural healthcare access challenges.
• Institut de Cancérologie de Lorraine (Nancy)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025One of three cancer centers receiving mammography equipment through the Mammo+ project. Located in Grand Est region with high precarity and premature mortality indicators.
• CHU de Lille (Grand Projet Consortium)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2024Lead coordinator of the Grand Projet Ruban Rose, a 1.5 million euro study on territorial inequalities in breast cancer outcomes in Hauts-de-France. Led by Pr Nicolas Penel with Pr Christine Le Clainche.
• Estée Lauder Companies FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Co-founder of Association Ruban Rose alongside Marie Claire. Estée Lauder Companies France has been a founding partner since 1994, driving the October Rose campaign and breast cancer awareness initiatives in France.
• Marie Claire MagazinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Co-founder of Association Ruban Rose alongside Estée Lauder Companies France. Marie Claire provides annual October breast cancer special dossier and campaign visuals. Read by 3 million women in France.
• Centre Oscar LambretcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Grand Projet Ruban Rose consortium investigating territorial inequalities in breast cancer care in Hauts-de-France.
• Université de LillecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in the Grand Projet Ruban Rose consortium, contributing to the interdisciplinary study on breast cancer territorial inequalities.
• Estée Lauder CompaniescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEvelyn H. Lauder co-created the pink ribbon in 1992 with Self Magazine. Estée Lauder Companies distributes over 100 million pink ribbons worldwide and organizes the Pink Ribbon Photo Award.
• TévamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistorical partner and broadcaster of October Rose campaigns. Airs annual TV spots and special programming during breast cancer awareness month.
• RTL OriginalsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner producing Les Combattantes podcast series featuring testimonials from breast cancer survivors, distributed via association channels.
• France IntermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partner broadcasting breast cancer awareness content including Grand Bien vous Fasse special episode featuring Dr Anne Vincent-Salomon.
• Carla BrunimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCelebrity ambassador and breast cancer survivor who serves as voice-off for 2025 campaign. Actively promoting early detection awareness.
• Sadeck BerrabahmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational choreographer who created the 2025 October Rose campaign spot, bringing artistic visibility to breast cancer awareness.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institut Curie: French foundation combining a hospital, research center, and cancer research funding. Highly relevant as both a breast cancer research organization and a French nonprofit foundation with corporate donors operating in the same funding pool as Ruban Rose.
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF): US-based nonprofit focused exclusively on funding breast cancer research worldwide. Directly comparable as a research-grantmaking foundation with a corporate-sponsor-driven funding model, though it does not run awareness campaigns at the same scale.
• Avon Foundation for Women: Corporate-affiliated global foundation historically focused on breast cancer awareness and screening. Highly comparable to Ruban Rose's cosmetics-corporate-parent structure (Estée Lauder France) and parallel breast cancer awareness + research funding model.
• Europa Donna: European breast cancer advocacy coalition active across multiple EU countries. Comparable as a pan-European breast cancer awareness and policy-advocacy organization, with a more advocacy-focused model versus Ruban Rose's grantmaking approach.
• Ligue nationale contre le cancer: France's largest cancer-focused nonprofit, funding research and supporting patients across all cancer types. Directly comparable mission (research funding + awareness) and operates in the same French philanthropic landscape as Ruban Rose.
• Susan G. Komen: The leading US breast cancer awareness and research funding organization, founded on the same pink-ribbon symbol Ruban Rose leverages. Closest global direct peer in mission, scale, and corporate-sponsored race/walk fundraising model.
• Fondation ARC pour la recherche sur le cancer: French nonprofit entirely dedicated to cancer research funding, awarding competitive grants to researchers. Closest direct peer to Ruban Rose's Prix Ruban Rose model and operates in the same French research-grantmaking category.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research UK: The UK's largest cancer research charity, with broader cancer scope but similar research-funding and public-awareness mechanisms. Relevant comparable for scale, donor engagement, and corporate partnership dynamics.

Regional players

• Fondation contre le cancer (Belgium): Belgian national cancer foundation operating in a Francophone neighboring market. Comparable as a general cancer research and awareness nonprofit with similar regulatory environment (French-speaking European nonprofit) but with broader cancer scope.
• Pink Ribbon Foundation (UK): UK breast cancer charity funding research, awareness, and patient support through corporate partnerships. Most directly comparable to Ruban Rose in name, mission, and pink-ribbon symbolism, but smaller scale and operating in a different national market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RubanRose
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ruban-rose

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Association Ruban Rose