What UZ Brussel Foundation does

UZ Brussel Foundation is a Brussels-based nonprofit charitable foundation (Enterprise number BE 0449.012.406) that operates as the dedicated fundraising arm of UZ Brussel (Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel), which shares legal entity status with Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The foundation solicits donations through individual giving (one-time and recurring, with Belgian tax deductibility for gifts of €40 or more), legacies and testaments, corporate partnerships, and community fundraising organized by schools and individuals. It does not sell products and has no proprietary technology; its core function is intermediating donor capital to specific clinical research programs and patient-experience projects within the hospital.

The foundation's portfolio comprises approximately twelve distinct projects and named funds, spanning cancer immunotherapy and radiotherapy research (Kankerbestrijding), pediatric play therapy (De Appeltuin, opened 2015, 16,970+ children served), animal-assisted therapy (Villa Samson, opened November 2017, 10,000+ patients served), pediatric palliative care (ComfortKIDZ), Alzheimer's and dementia research (Bru-BRAIN, EADC member since 2022), cardiovascular care, HIV research (mRNA vaccine and NK cell therapy via VUB's NAVI-lab and Infectiology Research Group), rare disease research (Aurélienfonds), immune disorder support (A!DAfonds), toy donations (STISA), and a planned family space adjacent to the pediatric ICU. Villa Samson operates as a separate legal entity (Villa Samson vzw, BE 0648.584.362) under the foundation's umbrella.

Operationally, the foundation is a 5-person team led by a Communication & Project Manager, Villa Samson Coordinator, Business Development Manager (Legacies), and a Fundraising Officer. It operates across Belgium (Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia), distributes fundraising via its website, bank transfer, the Koalect online platform, Flexmail email, and Direct Social Communications direct mail, and relies on partnership with UZ Brussel/VUB for clinical credibility and program execution. The foundation does not have external investors or venture backing; its economics are entirely donation-driven.

Name

UZ Brussel Foundation

Legal name

UZ Brussel Foundation

Website

https://uzbrusselfoundation.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UZ Brussel Foundation is a Brussels-based nonprofit that raises and allocates donations to roughly twelve clinical research and patient-care projects within UZ Brussel university hospital and VUB, serving individual donors, corporate partners, schools, and legacy givers across Belgium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospital Fundraising and Philanthropy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)

Keywords

• Hospital fundraising
• Medical research funding
• Charitable donations
• Patient care programs
• Legacy giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring monetary donations from individuals, with tax deductibility for gifts of €40 or more annually. Donors can give via bank transfer, online platforms, or in-memory donations for special occasions.
2. Legacies and Testaments: Bequests and legacy gifts left to UZ Brussel in donors' wills. The foundation provides guidance on testamentary giving and offers estate planning consultation through Joriena Brewée, their legacies advisor.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Structured collaborations with businesses for CSR initiatives, including project sponsorship, one-off campaigns, and ongoing partnerships targeting corporate clients and employees.
4. Community Fundraising: Funds raised through self-organized actions by individuals, schools, and community groups who create fundraising campaigns for specific projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UZ Brussel Foundation is a charitable fundraising organization that collects donations, bequests, and corporate contributions to fund patient care programs and clinical research at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (University Hospital Brussels). It channels gifts to a portfolio of named funds and projects covering pediatric play therapy, animal-assisted therapy, palliative care, cancer and HIV research, dementia and cardiovascular programs, rare diseases, and immune disorders. Donations of €40 or more per year qualify for Belgian tax deductibility via official fiscal attestations.

Product overview

UZ Brussel Foundation is a charitable fundraising organization affiliated with Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (University Hospital Brussels). The foundation supports a portfolio of healthcare projects and scientific research programs rather than a unified software product. The portfolio includes: De Appeltuin (pediatric play therapy), Villa Samson (animal-assisted therapy), ComfortKIDZ (palliative care), Ridderfonds (children's support fund), Kankerbestrijding (cancer research including immunotherapy and radiotherapy), Bru-BRAIN (Alzheimer/dementia research), Aurélienfonds (rare disease research), HIV research (mRNA vaccine development), Hart- en Vaatziekten (cardiovascular care), STISA (toy donations), A!DAfonds (immune disorder support), and PICU (pediatric ICU family space). These are charitable projects and medical research initiatives, not software products with technical integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• De Appeltuin: Pediatric play and learning space at the KidZ Health Castle providing therapeutic activities, educational support, and parental guidance for hospitalized children.
• Villa Samson
• Ridderfonds
• Aurélienfonds
• A!DAfonds
• Bru-BRAIN
• ComfortKIDZ
• STISA
• Paul De Knop Fonds

Products and services

• De Appeltuin (The Apple Garden / Jardin des Pommes) Pediatric therapy and play program within the KidZ Health Castle children's hospital, offering multidisciplinary therapy that reduces learning delays and stimulates rehabilitation through educational and recreational activities for hospitalized children.
• Villa Samson Animal-assisted therapy facility adjacent to UZ Brussel where hospitalized patients can interact with their own pets or therapy animals (three resident Maine Coon cats and trained therapy dogs), promoting mental and emotional well-being through human-animal contact.
• Kankerbestrijding (Cancer Research Program) Clinical cancer research initiatives including dendritic cell immunotherapy, MRIdian radiotherapy technology, contact radiotherapy, and breast clinic services at UZ Brussel.
• ComfortKIDZ Specialized team providing support for families with children suffering from chronic, life-limiting, or life-threatening conditions, offering terminal/palliative care, chronic pain management, and parenteral nutrition support.
• Ridderfonds (Knight's Fund / Fonds Des Chevaliers) Fund providing financial and psychological assistance to seriously ill children and their families, encompassing ComfortKIDZ, STISA, and De Appeltuin projects.
• Aurélienfonds (Aurélien Fund) Fund dedicated to researching rare diseases (weesziekten), established in memory of Aurélien, supporting families and scientific research into orphan diseases.
• Bru-BRAIN (Alzheimer and Dementia Research) Interdisciplinary memory clinic conducting research on Alzheimer's disease and dementia, recognized as a full member of the European Alzheimer Disease Consortium (EADC).
• Centrum Hart- en Vaatziekten (Cardiovascular Center) Comprehensive cardiovascular care program offering prevention, screening, and treatment for heart and vascular diseases, including the Hartverwarmend workshop initiative for CPR training.
• HIV Research Program Scientific research aimed at developing an HIV vaccine using mRNA technology and natural killer cell therapy, conducted in collaboration with NAVI-lab (VUB) and the Infectiology Research Group.
• STISA Toy donation program that raises funds to purchase and donate toys to hospitalized children at UZ Brussel, supporting play and emotional development.
• A!DAfonds (A!DA Fund) Fund providing support to children with primary immune deficiencies and their parents, addressing the lack of fully reimbursed psychological support for these patients.
• PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Family Space) Project to create a warm family space adjacent to the pediatric intensive care unit, providing parents and siblings a place to rest and recharge during critical care situations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Immunotherapy increased melanoma cure rates from a few percent to approximately 30%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• European Alzheimer Disease Consortium (EADC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Bru-BRAIN, the memory clinic of UZ Brussel, was recognized as a full member of the EADC in 2022. This is a network of European expertise centers dedicated to increasing knowledge of Alzheimer's disease for better treatment and future prevention. Membership requires demonstrated tradition of internationally leading scientific research.
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUZ Brussel Foundation is part of UZ Brussel, which belongs to the same legal entity as VUB. The NAVI-lab (led by Prof. dr. Joeri Aerts) and the Infectiology Research Group (led by Prof. dr. Sabine Allard) conduct HIV research at the Brussels Health Campus, combining fundamental scientific research and clinical practice.
• Hospital Schools (Inkendaal, Cardijnschool, Bednet)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnerships providing hospital schooling for children at UZ Brussel, ensuring continuity of education during hospitalization.
• Kites Palliative Home Care Team (UZ Leuven)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Kites team for palliative pediatric home care, providing support for children with life-limiting conditions.
• ARTE (Anatomical Research Training and Education, VUB)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVUB department handling body donations to science, providing documentation and coordination for donors who wish to contribute to medical education after death.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Belgische Cardiologische Liga (Belgian Heart Foundation): Belgian charity dedicated to cardiovascular disease prevention and research funding. Comparable on the cardiovascular research and prevention programs (Centrum Hart- en Vaatziekten) the UZ Brussel Foundation supports.
• Kinderkankerfonds (Children's Cancer Fund Flanders): Belgian charity focused on childhood cancer research and family support. Closely comparable on the pediatric-oncology and family-support programs (De Appeltuin, ComfortKIDZ) funded by the UZ Brussel Foundation.
• UZ Leuven Foundation: The fundraising arm of Belgium's other major university hospital (UZ Leuven / KU Leuven). Closest structural peer: same university-hospital funding model, similar named-fund and project-sponsorship programs, similar Belgian donor pool.
• UZ Gent Foundation: Fundraising arm of Ghent University Hospital. Directly comparable in structure: university-hospital-affiliated foundation supporting research and patient-care projects, operating in the same Belgian Flemish academic-medicine ecosystem.
• CHU Saint-Luc Foundation: Fundraising foundation of the Brussels-based Catholic university hospital Saint-Luc. Directly comparable: same Brussels catchment area, similar portfolio of pediatric, oncology, and research programs, same university-affiliated structure.

Broad incumbents

• Kom op tegen Kanker: Large Belgian cancer charity raising funds across scientific research, patient support, and prevention. Comparable mission overlap on oncology funding and patient-welfare programs, though it operates at national scale rather than hospital-anchored.
• King Baudouin Foundation: Belgium's largest independent grantmaking foundation, active across health, research, and social causes. Relevant comparable for institutional-donor cultivation, large-fund governance, and multi-cause fundraising at national scale.
• Belgian Red Cross: Major Belgian humanitarian and health charity operating nationally. Comparable as a sizable Belgian health-mission nonprofit reliant on donations and volunteers, though broader in scope (emergency response, blood supply, etc.).
• Stichting tegen Kanker (Belgian Cancer Foundation): National Belgian cancer-research charity with deep institutional donor relationships. Similar cancer-research funding thesis and Belgian donor base; differs by national scope and broader mandate versus UZ Brussel's hospital-anchored model.

Emerging players

• Alzheimer Liga Vlaanderen: Flemish association supporting people with dementia and their families. Comparable on the dementia/Alzheimer's funding and awareness mission that the UZ Brussel Foundation pursues through the Bru-BRAIN initiative.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uzbrusselfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UZ Brussel Foundation