KCCure
KCCure (Kidney Cancer Research Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 providing free kidney cancer education, subtype-specific patient communities, clinical trial databases, and peer-reviewed research grants to patients, caregivers, and researchers across all RCC subtypes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLeesburg, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KCCure does
KCCure (Kidney Cancer Research Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit patient advocacy organization founded in 2016 to accelerate kidney cancer research and improve outcomes for patients across all renal cell carcinoma subtypes. The organization serves kidney cancer patients, caregivers, researchers, and clinicians by aggregating educational content, subtype-specific patient communities, clinical trial information, and patient-reported survey data. Cofounded by patients, caregivers, and clinicians — including President Dena Battle and Vice President Dr. Hans Hammers (UT Southwestern) — KCCure operates as a grassroots coalition emphasizing patient-driven, evidence-based advocacy.
The organization's product portfolio spans six interconnected offerings: subtype-specific Facebook patient communities (covering metastatic, localized, papillary, chromophobe, translocation, unclassified RCC, and renal medullary carcinoma); a peer-reviewed research grants program with the Chromophobe RCC Research Program as a flagship ($50,000 annual grants); comprehensive educational resources covering types, stages, grades, adjuvant therapy, and treatments; a non-clear cell RCC clinical trial database; a patient survey research platform whose data has been presented at ASCO and ESMO; and an FDA-approved treatment reference chart. KCCure does not develop proprietary technology; its "platform" is kccure.org supplemented by Facebook groups, functioning as an information aggregation and community hub rather than a technology product.
KCCure's business model is donation-driven: contributions from individuals via website and Facebook campaigns fund both operations and research grants. Notable grant awards include a $100,000 inaugural CAR T-Cell grant to Dana Farber (2017) and recurring $50,000 Chromophobe RCC grants to Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers (FY2022, FY2024). All resources — education, trial listings, community access, grant programs — are provided free. Distribution is entirely direct-to-patient through digital channels globally, with strategic partnerships (Eisai's Kompass hub, Broad Institute's Rare Cancer Dependency Map, RCRF's Pattern.org) extending reach into pharma, research, and tissue-donation ecosystems. The go-to-market motion is community-led: building subtype-specific patient communities, engaging patients in survey research, and amplifying the patient voice at major oncology conferences.
KCCure firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KCCure
- Legal name
- Kidney Cancer Research Alliance
- Website
- https://kccure.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KCCure (Kidney Cancer Research Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 providing free kidney cancer education, subtype-specific patient communities, clinical trial databases, and peer-reviewed research grants to patients, caregivers, and researchers across all RCC subtypes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KCCure industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Patient Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)
Keywords
Where KCCure is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leesburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
KCCure business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations: KCCure operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and raises funds through individual donations, Facebook donation campaigns, and its website donation portal. Donations fund the organization's research grant programs, outreach activities, and operational costs.
- Research Grants (Funded by Donations): KCCure funds peer-reviewed kidney cancer research grants using donated funds. The organization has awarded grants including a $100,000 inaugural grant to Dana Farber (CAR T-Cell research) and $50,000 Chromophobe RCC research grants to Brigham and Women's researchers.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
KCCure product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KCCure (Kidney Cancer Research Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free kidney cancer patient education resources, subtype-specific online patient communities, peer-reviewed research grant funding (including the Chromophobe RCC Research Program), a non-clear cell clinical trial database, and patient survey research to inform research priorities. The organization aggregates and shares kidney cancer information through its website, Facebook communities, and partnerships with advocacy organizations and pharmaceutical companies. All resources are provided free of charge to patients and caregivers worldwide.
Product overview
KCCure (Kidney Cancer Research Alliance) is a patient-driven, evidence-based kidney cancer advocacy organization offering a suite of interconnected resources including online patient communities for different RCC subtypes, a peer-reviewed research grants program with focus areas like Chromophobe RCC, educational materials on types/stages/treatments, a clinical trial database for non-clear cell subtypes, patient survey research, and an FDA-approved treatment reference chart. The organization operates as a grassroots coalition connecting patients, caregivers, doctors, and researchers to accelerate kidney cancer research and improve patient outcomes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KCCure Patient Communities Online patient communities (primarily Facebook groups) connecting individuals diagnosed with specific kidney cancer subtypes — including clear cell, papillary, chromophobe, translocation, unclassified, renal medullary carcinoma, and localized/metastatic categories — for peer support, information sharing, and clinical trial referrals.
- KCCure Research Grants Program Peer-reviewed research funding program enabling patients to direct competitive research grants to patient-prioritized kidney cancer research gaps, including the Chromophobe RCC Research Program offering $50,000 awards and the inaugural $100,000 CAR T-Cell grant to Dana Farber.
- Kidney Cancer Education Resources Free educational materials covering kidney cancer types, stages, grades, treatment options, adjuvant therapy, clinical trials, and a glossary of terms, provided to patients and caregivers through the KCCure website.
- Non-Clear Cell RCC Clinical Trial Database Comprehensive listing of active and enrolling clinical trials specifically for non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma subtypes, including NCT trial IDs, histology, treatments, phases, and locations, published on the KCCure website.
- Patient Survey Data Platform Patient-driven survey research program including the 2019 Kidney Cancer Patient Survey, COVID-19/Kidney Cancer Patient Survey, and COVID-19 Vaccine surveys, generating patient-reported outcome and treatment-preference data that informs research priorities and is presented at major oncology conferences.
- FDA-Approved Kidney Cancer Treatment Chart Reference chart listing all FDA-approved treatments for metastatic renal cell carcinoma with brand/generic names, drug companies, approval dates, and line of therapy information, published as a free resource on the KCCure website.
Quantifiable outcome
- Chromophobe patient community grew by more than 70 percent since the KCCure Chromophobe Program launched in 2020
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use KCCure
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KCCure technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
KCCure partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- EisaicoreEisai partnered with KCCure and three other advocacy organizations (KidneyCAN, Kidney Cancer Association, National Kidney Foundation) to launch Kompass, an unbranded digital hub that aggregates kidney cancer support resources for patients and caregivers. The platform features around four dozen resources including educational guides, videos, helplines, peer mentoring, and patient testimonials, personalized based on user responses to three questions about their role and needs. KCCure contributed its expertise in patient-centered resources and community needs to this initiative.
- KidneyCANcoreKidneyCAN is one of the four advocacy organizations that partnered with Eisai and KCCure to launch the Kompass digital hub for kidney cancer patients and caregivers. KCCure and KidneyCAN contributed to the aggregation of support resources on the platform.
- Kidney Cancer AssociationcoreThe Kidney Cancer Association is one of the four advocacy organizations that partnered with Eisai and KCCure to launch the Kompass digital hub for kidney cancer patients and caregivers, providing educational resources and support materials on the platform.
- National Kidney FoundationcoreThe National Kidney Foundation is one of the four advocacy organizations that partnered with Eisai and KCCure to launch the Kompass digital hub for kidney cancer patients and caregivers, contributing kidney cancer support resources to the platform.
- Brigham and Women's HospitalcoreKCCure awarded Dr. Elizabeth Henske and Dr. Carmen Priolo from Brigham and Women's Hospital the FY2022 KCCure Chromophobe Research Grant of $50,000 for their proposal: Role of Cysteine Homeostasis and Ferroptosis in the Therapy of Chromophobe RCC. This grant is part of the KCCure Chromophobe RCC Research Program. Dr. Henske received a second grant in 2024 for Targeting KIT in Chromophobe Kidney Cancer.
- Dana Farber Cancer CentercoreKCCure awarded its inaugural research grant of $100,000 to Dr. Wayne Marasco at Dana Farber Cancer Center for his proposal: CAR T-Cell Factories that change the Tumor Microenvironment to Achieve RCC Cures. This was described as a milestone for KCCure and for kidney cancer research as a whole.
- Broad InstitutemajorKCCure's Director of Patient Engagement Laura Loughlin attended the Broad Institute's Pre-Launch Workshop for the Rare Cancer Dependency Map Initiative. The initiative provides a patient-driven research platform seeking treatments for rare kidney cancers. KCCure promotes and supports this research effort as part of its mission to advance rare subtype research.
- Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF)majorKCCure partners with the Rare Cancer Research Foundation (RCRF) and promotes Pattern.org, an online patient-directed consent platform that allows patients to authorize donation of fresh tumor tissue for research. KCCure actively encourages eligible kidney cancer patients to participate. This addresses the critical lack of tissue access for rare kidney cancer research.
- RMC SupportminorKCCure partners with RMC Support, an organization founded by Cora Conner to provide information and support for patients with Renal Medullary Carcinoma. KCCure supports RMC awareness campaigns including Change.org petitions and the RMC Support Registry, standing together to advance RMC research efforts.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KCCure competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): US umbrella advocacy organization for patients with rare diseases, including rare cancers. Operates research grants and patient assistance programs; comparable as a broader rare-disease advocacy and grant-making infrastructure player.
- American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer-focused nonprofit funding multi-cancer research, patient support, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a disease-specific research and support nonprofit, but with vastly broader scope and resources than KCCure.
- National Kidney Foundation: Largest US kidney-disease nonprofit. While its mission extends well beyond cancer, it includes kidney cancer education and patient resources and was named as a co-partner on Kompass with KCCure — a broad incumbent in overlapping patient-education territory.
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): Established patient-advocacy nonprofit funding research and patient services for a high-mortality cancer. Comparable archetype of a disease-specific advocacy nonprofit that runs patient services and competitive research grants.
Direct peers
- Rare Cancer Research Foundation: Nonprofit advancing rare-cancer research including rare kidney cancers, operator of the Pattern.org patient-directed tumor donation platform. Direct KCCure partner addressing the same tissue-access bottleneck for rare kidney cancer research.
- KidneyCAN: Kidney cancer patient advocacy nonprofit focused on accelerating research and patient access to trials. Highly comparable to KCCure in mission scope and listed alongside KCCure as a co-developer of the Kompass digital hub.
- Renal Medullary Carcinoma Support Network: Patient-driven support community for renal medullary carcinoma, a rare kidney cancer subtype. KCCure directly partners with RMC Support — analogous grassroots nonprofit structure with rare-subtype focus.
- Kidney Cancer Association: The largest kidney cancer patient advocacy nonprofit in the US, offering education, support, and research funding across all RCC subtypes. Directly comparable as a kidney-cancer-specific advocacy organization and a co-partner with KCCure on the Eisai-led Kompass digital hub.
- Lustgarten Foundation: Largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research with patient-directed research priorities. Comparable funding model that uses donations to direct competitive research grants at high-priority disease areas.
- CLL Society: Patient-driven chronic lymphocytic leukemia advocacy nonprofit providing education, expert guidance, and research support. Similar niche-cancer, patient-led advocacy model with research advocacy and physician-scientific advisory board.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KCCure social profiles
Digital presenceKCCure financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KCCure leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
KCCure funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KCCure 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 KCCure
What does KCCure do?
KCCure (Kidney Cancer Research Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free kidney cancer patient education resources, subtype-specific online patient communities, peer-reviewed research grant funding (including the Chromophobe RCC Research Program), a non-clear cell clinical trial database, and patient survey research to inform research priorities. The organization aggregates and shares kidney cancer information through its website, Facebook communities, and partnerships with advocacy organizations and pharmaceutical companies. All resources are provided free of charge to patients and caregivers worldwide.
Is KCCure a public or private company?
KCCure is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was KCCure founded?
KCCure was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is KCCure based?
KCCure is headquartered in Leesburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does KCCure make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are research Grants (Funded by Donations).
Who are KCCure's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), American Cancer Society, National Kidney Foundation and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). Direct peers are Rare Cancer Research Foundation, KidneyCAN, Renal Medullary Carcinoma Support Network, Kidney Cancer Association, Lustgarten Foundation and CLL Society.
Does KCCure have an API?
No public API is recorded for KCCure.
What industry is KCCure in?
KCCure's product category is Patient Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAA, Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS), with a secondary code of BPAGACAL, Public Health & Health Equity Organizations. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8000.