Outdoor Against Cancer

What Outdoor Against Cancer does

Outdoor Against Cancer (OAC) is a Munich-based non-profit NGO (gGmbH) founded in 2015 by Petra Thaller following her personal cancer diagnosis. The organization develops and delivers free outdoor exercise programs for cancer patients, survivors, and their families, with its flagship offering being the 4×4 Training method — a 60-minute outdoor interval training protocol developed by Ph.D. exercise physiologist Rūdolfs Cešeiko. OAC operates training sites in Munich, Erlangen, and Riga, and is clinically embedded via oncology partnerships with CCC München (LMU) and CCC Erlangen-EMN. The peer-reviewed PAEC Journal underpins the evidence base for the protocol.

OAC's business model is a hybrid non-profit structure combining EU research grants, corporate sponsorships, and earned income from professional training. The organization participated in a €7.48M Horizon Europe SUN XR consortium award (December 2022) and a €60K Erasmus+ Active Aging grant (November 2024). Sponsorship comes from MSD, Bayer, Daiichi Sankyo, the German Postcode Lottery, and ANTENNE BAYERN hilft. Paid monetization is generated through OAC Trainer Certification courses, while the WellBeingHER digital platform and SUN XR immersive tools extend the service surface beyond in-person outdoor sessions. OAC employs approximately 9 staff and partners across at least five EU countries.

Name

Outdoor Against Cancer

Legal name

Outdoor Against Cancer gGmbH

Website

https://outdooragainstcancer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Outdoor Against Cancer is a Munich-based non-profit NGO that delivers free outdoor exercise programs, principally the 4×4 Training method, to cancer patients and survivors across European cities, funded by EU grants and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Rehabilitation and Wellness Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Fitness & Park Bootcamps (HSADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rehabilitation Return-to-Exercise Training (Non-Clinical) (HSADAAAK), Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH), Fitness & Exercise Training Education (Strength, Cardio, Mobility) (EDAAAHAB)

Keywords

• Cancer rehabilitation programs
• Outdoor exercise therapy
• Oncology wellness programs
• Community fitness training
• Nonprofit health programs

Headquarters

HQ city

München, Bavaria

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a non-profit organization (gGmbH), OAC relies on donations from individuals and organizations. The website includes a dedicated donate page.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors like MSD (2025 Women's Health Package), Bayer, and Daiichi Sankyo provide funding for specific programs. ANTENNE BAYERN hilft and German Postcode Lottery contribute to program development.
3. EU Research Grants: EU funding through Horizon Europe (SUN project: EUR 7,482,542.50), Erasmus+ (Active Aging project: EUR 60,000), and other EU programs supports research and program delivery.
4. Trainer Certification Courses: OAC offers certification programs for individuals who want to become OAC Trainers, providing a revenue stream while expanding program delivery capacity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Outdoor Against Cancer delivers free, evidence-based outdoor exercise and lifestyle programs—principally the 4×4 Training interval method developed by a Ph.D. exercise physiologist specializing in oncology—for cancer patients, survivors, and their families across Munich, Erlangen, and Riga. The portfolio is extended through EU-funded research projects (SUN XR, Active Aging, UcanACT, DynamiCity), educational programs (Rock Your HEALTH for schools, OAC: my goal), the WellBeingHER digital platform, the PAEC open-access journal, and paid OAC Trainer Certification courses that scale program delivery.

Product overview

Outdoor Against Cancer operates as a portfolio organization offering multiple interconnected health programs rather than a single unified product. The core flagship offering is the 4×4 Training outdoor interval exercise program for cancer patients. Supporting this are educational programs like Rock Your HEALTH for schools and OAC: my goal for general cancer patient support. The organization also conducts research initiatives including SUN XR (extended reality for breast cancer rehabilitation), UcanACT, DynamiCity, and Active Aging. A scholarly component is the PAEC Journal publication. All programs are delivered through a network of OAC-certified trainers and supported by partnerships with healthcare institutions including CCC München LMU and CCC Erlangen-EMN.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OAC: my goal: Outdoor Against Cancer initiative promoting physical activity for cancer patients through outdoor sports to improve health, mood, and quality of life.
• OACCUs (Outdoor Against Cancer Connects Us)
• Rock Your HEALTH (RYHEALTH)
• SUN (Social and hUman ceNtered XR)
• Active Aging
• PAEC Journal (Physical Activity, Exercise and Cancer)

Products and services

• 4×4 Training A 60-minute outdoor interval training program designed to strengthen physical and mental resilience in people affected by cancer, consisting of warm-up, interval training through brisk walking or running, and cool-down phases. Developed by exercise physiologist Rūdolfs Cešeiko, Ph.D. and recommended by oncologists. Delivered free of charge in public parks in Munich, Erlangen, and Riga.
• SUN (Social and hUman ceNtered XR) Extended reality (XR) research project supporting breast cancer patients in rehabilitation through immersive virtual environments, combining physical and digital worlds with AI-enhanced visualization, hyper-realistic avatars, and gaze/gesture-based interaction with haptic feedback. EU Horizon Europe funded with EUR 7,482,542.50 budget.
• PAEC Journal (Physical Activity, Exercise and Cancer) Open-access academic journal publishing research on physical activity in cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship, co-published by Petra Thaller.
• OACCUs (Outdoor Against Cancer Connects Us) Program empowering young cancer survivors through outdoor sports, healthy living, and a strong support network.
• Rock Your HEALTH (RYHEALTH) European health education programme for schools promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyle among students.
• OAC: my goal Program promoting physical activity for cancer patients through outdoor sports to improve health, mood, and quality of life.
• Active Aging Erasmus+ funded project guiding retired individuals (65+) towards active lifestyles through techniques including Ikigai, mindfulness journaling, rhythm therapy, urban gardening, and meditation.
• WellBeingHER Holistic digital platform for early breast cancer patients integrating wellness through nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being.
• UcanACT Erasmus+ project promoting physical activity in urban green spaces to prevent cancer in adults and seniors, connecting physiotherapists, local authorities, and non-profits.
• DynamiCity EU-funded project exploring how active mobility and micro-mobility can improve well-being, reduce cancer risk, and support climate-neutral cities.
• OAC Trainer Certification Certification program for individuals to become OAC-certified trainers for 4×4 Training and other OAC programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Evidence shows regular exercise improves quality of life, reduces fatigue, improves cardiovascular and muscle function, and may reduce risk of cancer recurrence
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Active Aging Project Partners (Germany, Turkey)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2024Erasmus+ funded project (EUR 60,000) addressing post-retirement depression. OAC provides overall project coordination and learning teaching training activities.
• SUN Project Consortium (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022EU Horizon Europe funded project (EUR 7.48M) developing XR technologies for breast cancer rehabilitation. OAC responsible for pilot planning, dissemination, and community engagement.
• CCC München LMUcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive Cancer Center Munich at LMU university hospital cooperates with OAC for 4×4 Training delivery. Provides medical oversight and patient referrals.
• CCC Erlangen-EMNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN cooperates with OAC for 4×4 Training delivery. Provides medical oversight and patient referrals.
• Rūdolfs Cešeiko, Ph.D.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading exercise physiologist specializing in oncology who developed and refined the 4×4 Training method scientifically proven and recommended by oncologists.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: One of the largest US cancer charities, funding research, education, and patient support including physical-activity recommendations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in cancer support whose portfolio increasingly overlaps with OAC's activity-and-wellness remit.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: One of the largest UK cancer support charities, operating the Move More program that delivers physical-activity services to cancer patients and survivors. Directly comparable to OAC in mission (evidence-based exercise for people affected by cancer) but at vastly greater scale and resources.
• Livestrong Foundation: US cancer survivorship non-profit historically built around the role of physical activity in cancer recovery. Comparable to OAC in its positioning of exercise as central to survivorship and in its survivor-led origin story, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Susan G. Komen: Major breast cancer non-profit funding research, community health, and patient support. Directly relevant to OAC's breast-cancer-focused SUN XR project and a potential partnership/sponsorship counterparty in women's oncology.
• World Cancer Research Fund: International non-profit funding research and policy on diet, nutrition, physical activity, and cancer prevention. Comparable to OAC's PAEC Journal and research-dissemination arm, and an adjacent funder/partner for OAC's prevention-focused projects.

Emerging players

• Parkrun: Global free, weekly, community-led outdoor 5k events in public parks. Comparable to OAC in the outdoor, free, community-driven fitness-in-parks format, though its population is general public rather than cancer-focused.

Direct peers

• Trekstock: UK charity supporting young adults with cancer through physical activity programmes and community. Highly comparable to OACCUs, OAC's young-cancer-survivor sub-program, in target demographic and activity-led engagement model.
• Move Against Cancer: UK charity dedicated specifically to promoting exercise and physical activity for people living with and beyond cancer. Closest direct peer to OAC: similar mission, similar target population (cancer patients/survivors), and similar evidence-based, community-led delivery model.
• Yes to Life: UK charity promoting lifestyle and complementary approaches (including exercise and nutrition) for people with cancer. Comparable niche positioning to OAC around non-clinical lifestyle support for cancer patients, with overlapping wellness pillars.

Others

• European Cancer Leagues: Federation of Europe's national cancer societies, active in EU-level cancer prevention policy. Comparable to OAC as a Brussels-facing EU-policy and NCD-prevention ecosystem participant, and a potential partnership route into multi-country program delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/outdoor-against-cancer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Outdoor Against Cancer