Neuroblastoma UK

What Neuroblastoma UK does

Neuroblastoma UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 326385) and Scotland (No. SC053101), founded in 1982 and headquartered at Canopi, 82 Tanner Street, London. It is the only UK charity exclusively dedicated to funding research into neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer diagnosed in approximately 100 UK children each year. Since inception, the charity has deployed over £10 million of voluntary donations into 90 research grants across 26 institutions in the UK and Europe, and provides supporting services including a clinical trials directory, information guides for families, and a personal stories platform.

The charity operates a community-led fundraising model entirely dependent on voluntary donations, with no government funding. Revenue streams include individual donations, fundraising events (sporting challenges, comedy nights, galas), a weekly lottery, in-memory giving, legacy bequests, merchandise sales (including the Warrior Bracelet), and donations via JustGiving and text-to-donate. Celebrity patrons — Alan Carr (since 2016), Charlotte Moore (since 2022), Scott Mills, and Angellica Bell — provide high-profile visibility, and the charity leverages BBC Lifeline Appeal coverage and social media to reach donors. The underlying technology footprint is a Squarespace-based website and donor management system rather than a proprietary platform.

Operationally, the charity is led by Chairman Tony Heddon and Head of Fundraising and Communications Emily Hood, with governance from a Board of Trustees (including a Trustee of Grants). Research funding is awarded through a Scientific Advisory Board review process, with the 2024 grant round committing £1.1 million to translational research including mRNA vaccine development. Strategic partnerships span SIOPEN (pan-European clinical trials), Solving Kids Cancer, Children with Cancer UK, Friends of Rosie, and a network of UK and European academic and clinical institutions (Cambridge, UCL, King's College London, ICR, UCLH, Southampton, Sheffield, RCSI, Institut Curie, Princess Máxima Center).

Name

Neuroblastoma UK

Legal name

Neuroblastoma UK

Website

https://neuroblastoma.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Neuroblastoma UK is a registered UK charity, founded in 1982 and the only one exclusively dedicated to funding neuroblastoma research. It deploys voluntary donations into research grants at UK and European academic institutions, while supporting affected families through information, clinical trial listings, and community programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Research Charity

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Childhood cancer research
• Neuroblastoma research funding
• Pediatric oncology grants
• Cancer research charity
• Family support resources

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from supporters, one-time and recurring contributions through the website and donation platforms
2. Fundraising Events: Revenue from sporting events, challenges, comedy nights, gala events, and community fundraisers
3. Lottery: Weekly lottery program generating regular donations from participants
4. In-Memory Giving: Donations made in memory of loved ones affected by neuroblastoma
5. Legacy Gifts: Bequests and legacies left in supporters' wills
6. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling bracelets, cards, and merchandise with proceeds supporting research

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Neuroblastoma UK is a registered charity that funds scientific and clinical research into neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer, through grants awarded to UK researchers and clinicians. In parallel, it provides information guides, a clinical trials directory, and an online community for families affected by the disease. It generates income through voluntary donations, community fundraising, merchandise (including the Warrior Bracelet), and a Weekly Lottery.

Product overview

Neuroblastoma UK operates as a charitable research funding organisation offering a unified portfolio of services centred on finding a cure for neuroblastoma. The core offering comprises a Research Grants Programme that funds scientific investigation into new treatments, supplemented by Information Guides providing educational resources for affected families, a Clinical Trials Directory connecting patients with experimental treatments, and a Personal Stories Platform offering peer support through shared experiences. The organisation also provides direct fundraising mechanisms including an Online Donation System and merchandise (Warrior Bracelet), as well as a Newsletter Subscription for supporters to receive updates on research progress and campaigns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Neuroblastoma Research Grants Programme A grant-awarding programme that funds scientific and clinical research projects focused on neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. Awards are made to UK academic researchers, clinicians, and institutions, overseen by the Trustee of Grants.
• Information Guides (Parents Booklet) Educational publications providing information about neuroblastoma for families and parents of affected children. Distributed to support understanding of the disease and treatment pathways.
• Clinical Trials Directory An online directory listing relevant clinical trials for neuroblastoma patients, accessible to families, clinicians, and researchers seeking treatment options.
• Warrior Bracelet A charity-branded bracelet sold as merchandise to raise voluntary funds and increase awareness of Neuroblastoma UK's mission.
• Weekly Lottery A weekly lottery in which supporters can purchase entries, with proceeds supporting Neuroblastoma UK's research and support activities.
• Online Family Community An online community platform hosted by Neuroblastoma UK for parents and families affected by neuroblastoma to share experiences and access peer support.

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SIOPEN (International Society of Paediatric Oncology - European Neuroblastoma Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational society focused on neuroblastoma research and treatment. Neuroblastoma UK collaborates on clinical trials including the SIOPEN High-Risk Neuroblastoma Clinical Trial 2 (HR-NBL2), giving UK children access to pan-European studies.
• Solving Kids CancercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint funding of clinical trials for children with neuroblastoma. Collaborated on £609,762 grant for SIOPEN HR-NBL2 trial (£434,762 from SKC, £175,000 from NBUK).
• Friends of Rosie (Children's Cancer Research Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded Professor Louis Chesler's blood-based biomarker research with £15,000 donation included in the £469,093 total grant.
• Bradley Lowery FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on funding Dr Heike Laman's N-Myc research (£153,369 combined).
• Children with Cancer UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Professor Steve Archibald's research with £125,000 of the £268,301 grant for scanning drug development.
• Niamh's Next StepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Neuroblastoma UK to fund Dr Juliet Gray's research into neuroblastoma treatment.
• Smile with SiddyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildhood cancer charity partnership for collaborative research funding.
• Georgia's FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildhood cancer charity partnership for collaborative research funding.
• Action Medical Research for ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical research charity partnership for childhood disease research.
• Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr Anestis Tsakiridis's research on neural crest cell development (£72,656 grant with CCLG).
• AMRC (Association of Medical Research Charities)minorOthersMember of the Association of Medical Research Charities, indicating credibility and best practices in medical research funding.
• Cancer52minorOthersCoalition of charities focused on rare and less common cancers, working together to raise awareness.
• ICCCPO (Childhood Cancer International)minorOthersGlobal network of parent organizations advocating for children with cancer worldwide.
• JustGivingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party fundraising platform enabling individual supporters to create and manage fundraising campaigns.
• Eusa PharmaminorOthersSupported medical trustees' attendance at SIOPEN annual meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• RCSI University of Medicine and Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution for mRNA vaccine research led by Dr. Olga Piskareva. International team includes Queen's University Belfast, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (Spain), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and University of Southampton.
• Institute of Curie, PariscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration partner for Professor Chesler's blood-based biomarker research, working with Dr. Gudrun Schleiermacher.
• Prinses Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, UtrechtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration partner for blood-based biomarker research with Professor Godelieve Tytgat.
• Great Ormond Street Hospital, LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaborator with Professor John Anderson participating in international biomarker validation project.
• Erasmus Medical Center, RotterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration partner with Dr Mark Gaze's radiotherapy research alongside Princess Maxima Center and University Medical Center Utrecht.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bradley Lowery Foundation: UK childhood cancer charity co-funding neuroblastoma research with Neuroblastoma UK (£153,369 joint grant for N-Myc targeting). Small, family-led charity with comparable community fundraising approach.
• Children with Cancer UK: Major UK childhood cancer research charity that co-funded Professor Archibald's radiopharmaceutical neuroblastoma research (£125,000). Comparable funding model, similar celebrity engagement, broader disease scope but overlapping research portfolio.
• Friends of Rosie Children's Cancer Research Fund: Small UK children's cancer research charity that co-funded Professor Chesler's biomarker research (£15,000). Comparable scale and mission focus on early-stage pediatric oncology research.
• Solving Kids Cancer: UK childhood cancer charity that co-funds the SIOPEN HR-NBL2 trial with Neuroblastoma UK (£434,762 partnership). Directly comparable mission around neuroblastoma and other pediatric cancers, with similar co-funding model and donor base.
• Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG): UK professional body for children's cancer treatment and research that co-funded Dr Tsakiridis's neural crest cell research (£72,656). Directly comparable as a children's cancer research funding and clinical trials organisation.

Broad incumbents

• Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent): UK charity supporting children and young people with cancer. Comparable beneficiary population (families affected by childhood cancer) and overlapping donor base, though broader service remit.
• Cancer Research UK: Largest UK cancer charity, funding across all tumour types including neuroblastoma. Competes for the same donor wallet but at far greater scale and brand recognition; provides context for Neuroblastoma UK's niche positioning.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity providing support and funding research across cancer types. Broad incumbent with much larger fundraising infrastructure; competes for general cancer-cause donors.

Emerging players

• Bone Cancer Research Trust: UK charity focused on a specific rare cancer (bone cancer). Comparable niche disease-specialist positioning, scale and community-led fundraising approach; illustrates the rare-cancer charity model.

Regional players

• Children's Tumor Foundation: US-based charity funding neurofibromatosis research. Comparable niche disease funding model and community fundraising, but US-focused and operating in a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NeuroblastomaUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/NeuroblastomaUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/neuroblastoma-uk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Neuroblastoma UK