DKMS Group
DKMS Group is a German non-profit operating the world's largest stem cell donor network (10.5M+ donors), providing HLA typing, donor matching, cryopreservation, and transplantation support services to transplant centers, registries, and researchers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersTübingen, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DKMS Group does
DKMS Group gGmbH is a German non-profit organization (gGmbH) headquartered in Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, operating the world's largest network of stem cell donor centers with more than 10.5 million registered donors. Its mission centers on fighting blood cancer and life-threatening blood disorders by enabling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation through donor recruitment, HLA typing, cryopreservation, and international registry services. The group is organized into five wholly-owned operating subsidiaries — DKMS Donor Center (donor recruitment and management), DKMS Collection Center (stem cell collection), DKMS Stem Cell Bank (cryopreservation of cord blood and peripheral blood stem cells), DKMS Life Science Lab (HLA typing laboratory founded in 1997 and acquired into the group in 2001), and DKMS Registry (international donor matching) — supported by a charitable foundation component (DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden).
The organization serves transplant centers, registries, search units, and research institutions worldwide, providing free access to the Donor Navigator web application, the Family Typing Program, and scientific resources such as the Collaborative Biobank (CoBi). Its scientific platform spans 4 ongoing and 8 completed CoBi studies, including clonal hematopoiesis, candidate gene analysis, and donor graft composition research. DKMS distributes findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at major hematology congresses (EHA, EBMT, EFI) and operates research funding programs such as the John Hansen Research Grant (up to EUR 240,000 per project) and the Mechtild Harf Science Award. The Access to Transplantation (ATT) program, running since 2014, supports stem cell transplantation capabilities in low- and middle-income countries including Vietnam and Chile.
Revenue mechanics are predominantly donation- and grant-driven, consistent with non-profit status; many core services are free to medical partners, while grant programs, international registry coordination, and support programs (ATT, Start-up Program for Pediatric BMT Centers in LMICs) are funded through charitable contributions and foundation grants. The group employs approximately 168 people across its Tübingen and Dresden (Enderstraße and St. Petersburger Straße) locations, led by CEO Dr. Elke Neujahr and a newly appointed Global Chief Scientific Officer, Prof. Dr. Johannes Schetelig (effective July 1, 2026).
DKMS Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DKMS Group
- Legal name
- DKMS Group gGmbH
- Website
- https://professional.dkms.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- DKMS Group is a German non-profit operating the world's largest stem cell donor network (10.5M+ donors), providing HLA typing, donor matching, cryopreservation, and transplantation support services to transplant centers, registries, and researchers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DKMS Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Stem Cell Donor Registry Services
- NAICS
- Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant (BMT/HSCT) (HLAKAFAI), Stem Cell Therapies (MSC/iPSC/HSC-derived) (HLAAABAE), Clinical Trial Sample Collection & Site Phlebotomy Services (HLAGACAJ)
Keywords
Where DKMS Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tübingen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
DKMS Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donor Registry Services: DKMS provides services to transplant centers and registries worldwide including donor typing, matching services, and access to the Donor Navigator platform. Many core services like Donor Navigator are provided free of charge to partners.
- Research Grants and Awards: DKMS Stiftung Leben Spenden provides funding to researchers through programs like the DKMS John Hansen Research Grant (up to EUR 240,000 per project over three years) and DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award.
- Support Programs: DKMS operates support programs including Access to Transplantation (ATT) program and Start-up Program for Pediatric BMT Centers in LMICs, likely funded through charitable donations and grants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free services for transplant centers and registries |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
DKMS Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DKMS Group operates the world's largest stem cell donor registry, providing hematopoietic stem cell donor recruitment, HLA typing, donor matching, and stem cell banking services to transplant centers, registries, and search units worldwide. The organization offers the free Donor Navigator web application for matching searches, runs the leading HLA typing laboratory (DKMS Life Science Lab), and operates the first facility making cryopreserved peripheral blood stem cells available for unrelated transplantation. Additional offerings include scientific research programs (Collaborative Biobank), research grants, and support programs improving transplantation access in low- and middle-income countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Donor Navigator Web Application
Quantifiable outcome
- World's largest network with more than 10.5 million registered donors
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use DKMS Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DKMS Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
DKMS Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus DresdencoreProf. Dr. Johannes Schetelig, newly appointed Global Chief Scientific Officer of DKMS, serves as Head of the Stem Cell Transplantation Unit at University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden and Director Clinical Research at DKMS.
- European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT)coreDKMS co-hosts the Annual DKMS Awards Night at the EBMT Annual Meeting in Madrid, celebrating scientific excellence with the DKMS Mechtild Harf Science Award and John Hansen Research Grant presentations.
- European Hematology Association (EHA)coreDKMS presented the GRAPPA study as a late-breaking abstract at the EHA Congress in Stockholm, sharing new evidence on GvHD prevention with ATLG in stem cell transplants from unrelated donors.
- International Thalassemia Conference (Vietnam)coreDKMS funded the first International Thalassemia Conference in Hue, Vietnam, supporting improved understanding and treatment of thalassemia in Southeast Asia. The conference addresses the genetic disorder affecting approximately one in nine people in Vietnam with 100,000 children born with the gene annually.
- American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)coreASHI is a professional resource link provided on the DKMS resources page for healthcare professionals working in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
- Anthony Nolan RegistrycoreAnthony Nolan Registry is listed as a resource link on the DKMS platform, representing a key international registry partner for stem cell donor coordination.
- ZKRD (Zentrales Knochenmarkspender-Register Deutschland)coreZKRD is mentioned in the compliance section as a standards body that violations can be reported against, indicating operational integration with German national registry systems.
- WMDA (World Marrow Donor Association)coreWMDA standards are referenced in the compliance section as benchmarks for medical law compliance, indicating DKMS operates according to international marrow donor association standards.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DKMS Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anthony Nolan: UK-based charity operating a stem cell donor registry and coordinating unrelated-donor transplants. Directly competes with DKMS in European donor recruitment and is explicitly listed as a partner/resource on DKMS's professional platform.
- Ezer Mizion Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Israeli non-profit operating one of the largest international stem cell donor registries, with a globally diverse donor pool. Comparable to DKMS in donor recruitment, HLA typing, and international search coordination.
- NMDP / Be The Match: US-based non-profit operating the largest US stem cell donor registry and coordinating unrelated-donor transplants globally. Directly comparable to DKMS as a fellow major donor registry with international matching capability and HLA typing infrastructure.
- Gift of Life Marrow Registry: US-based donor registry recruiting volunteer stem cell donors and coordinating transplants. Comparable in mission and operating model to DKMS, particularly in international donor recruitment and HLA typing services.
- Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide (BMDW): International database aggregating stem cell donor data from registries worldwide to support rapid donor searches. Directly comparable to DKMS Registry in international donor matching functionality, and operates as a critical interoperability layer DKMS depends on.
- Zentrales Knochenmarkspender-Register Deutschland (ZKRD): German national bone marrow donor registry coordinating donor searches within Germany and internationally. Directly comparable to DKMS Registry; both are referenced together in DKMS's own compliance documentation as operational partners in the German transplant ecosystem.
- Stefan Morsch Stiftung: German non-profit donor registry recruiting stem cell donors and coordinating transplants within Germany and internationally. Comparable to DKMS in mission, geography, and operating model, though smaller in scale.
Others
- European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT): European professional society for BMT clinicians and researchers. Comparable to DKMS as a central node in the European transplant ecosystem; DKMS co-hosts the Annual DKMS Awards Night at EBMT's annual meeting, making it a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.
Emerging players
- Histogenetics / Histocompatibility Laboratories: Commercial HLA typing laboratory offering high-resolution typing services for donor registries and transplant centers. Comparable to DKMS Life Science Lab in core HLA typing functionality, but operates as a for-profit commercial vendor rather than integrated registry.
Broad incumbents
- World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA): International standards body and membership organization for the global stem cell donor registry community. Comparable to DKMS as the umbrella organization under whose standards DKMS Registry operates; not a direct competitor but defines the regulatory environment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DKMS Group social profiles
Digital presenceDKMS Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DKMS Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
DKMS Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
DKMS Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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DKMS Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DKMS Group
What does DKMS Group do?
DKMS Group operates the world's largest stem cell donor registry, providing hematopoietic stem cell donor recruitment, HLA typing, donor matching, and stem cell banking services to transplant centers, registries, and search units worldwide. The organization offers the free Donor Navigator web application for matching searches, runs the leading HLA typing laboratory (DKMS Life Science Lab), and operates the first facility making cryopreserved peripheral blood stem cells available for unrelated transplantation. Additional offerings include scientific research programs (Collaborative Biobank), research grants, and support programs improving transplantation access in low- and middle-income countries.
Is DKMS Group a public or private company?
DKMS Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DKMS Group founded?
DKMS Group was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is DKMS Group based?
DKMS Group is headquartered in Tübingen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does DKMS Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donor Registry Services are the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Awards and support Programs.
Who are DKMS Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anthony Nolan, Ezer Mizion Bone Marrow Donor Registry, NMDP / Be The Match, Gift of Life Marrow Registry, Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide (BMDW), Zentrales Knochenmarkspender-Register Deutschland (ZKRD) and Stefan Morsch Stiftung. European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) is listed as an others. Histogenetics / Histocompatibility Laboratories is listed as an emerging player. World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does DKMS Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for DKMS Group.
What industry is DKMS Group in?
DKMS Group's product category is Stem Cell Donor Registry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAJ, Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations, with a secondary code of HLAKAFAI, Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant (BMT/HSCT). Its NAICS code is 621991 and its SIC code is 8300.