Stichting Ms Research

What Stichting Ms Research does

Stichting MS Research is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded in 1981 and headquartered in Voorschoten, Netherlands, with a stated mission to fund scientific research into multiple sclerosis (MS) and ultimately cure the disease. It serves as an intermediary organization that channels donations from individuals, corporate partners, and Dutch charity lotteries (VriendenLoterij and PostcodeLoterij) toward research projects at four major Dutch academic MS centers: MS Centrum Amsterdam, ErasMS Centrum Rotterdam, MS Centrum Noord Nederland, and the Nationaal Kinder MS Centrum Rotterdam. The foundation also engages the patient community through events (The May 50K, MS Moments, MS Dag), educational content, the annual Rondom MS magazine, and a clinical trial participation platform.

The foundation's core "products" are research grant programs and patient-facing information resources rather than commercial technology. Grant disbursements are substantial: over €1.3 million was awarded to six new projects in June 2026 alone, with prior individual grants ranging from approximately €246,000 to €695,000 across multi-year horizons. Sub-brands include smartphone-based MS monitoring tools (MS Sherpa, Neurokeys, Connect-MS study) developed in collaboration with academic partners. The foundation holds CBF recognition and ANBI status, the two principal Dutch regulatory certifications for charitable organizations, and reports that 64% of subsidies flow directly to research.

The revenue model is donation-based rather than commercial. Income streams comprise individual donations (one-time gifts of €15/€25/€50 or custom amounts; monthly subscriptions starting at €10), corporate partnerships, event-based fundraising, and lottery partnership proceeds. There are no publicly disclosed financial statements, and total annual revenue is not stated in available sources. The foundation operates with a small core team (1-10 employees) and outsources research execution to its network of academic partners, creating a capital-light operational model dependent on sustained donor and lottery engagement.

Name

Stichting Ms Research

Legal name

Stichting MS Research

Website

https://www.msresearch.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stichting MS Research is a Dutch non-profit foundation, founded in 1981 and based in Voorschoten, that funds scientific research into multiple sclerosis at four Dutch academic MS centers using donations from individuals, corporate partners, and Dutch charity lotteries, while serving the Netherlands' 36,000+ MS patient community through research, education, and patient events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Research Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Multiple sclerosis research
• Scientific research funding
• Charitable foundation
• Medical research grants
• Patient education resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Voorschoten

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation relies primarily on donations from individuals who support MS research. Donors can contribute through one-time gifts, periodic (monthly) donations, or legacy bequests.
2. Lottery Partnerships: Partnerships with Dutch lotteries including VriendenLoterij (Friends Lottery) and PostcodeLoterij (Postcode Lottery) provide significant funding. The foundation received €660,000 from PostcodeLoterij for the Kinderhersenlab project.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Companies can support the foundation through dedicated corporate donation programs. The foundation mentions 'Steun ons als bedrijf' (Support us as a company) as a giving option.
4. Event-Based Fundraising: Fundraising events such as The May 50K (walking/running challenge) generate donations from participants and their supporters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stichting MS Research is a Dutch charitable foundation that funds scientific research into multiple sclerosis at academic MS centers in the Netherlands. The foundation collects donations from individuals, corporate partners, and lottery organizations, and channels the proceeds into multi-year research grants, fellowships, and project subsidies at MS Centrum Amsterdam, ErasMS Centrum Rotterdam, MS Centrum Noord Nederland, and the Nationaal Kinder MS Centrum. It also publishes the annual Rondom MS magazine, runs community events, and provides patient education about MS disease mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Product overview

Stichting MS Research is a Dutch nonprofit foundation that has operated for 45 years funding scientific research into multiple sclerosis. The organization connects researchers, donors, and people with MS to stop the disease and ultimately find a cure. Its offerings include research funding programs at Dutch MS centers, the annual Rondom MS magazine, the MS.nl information portal, patient education resources about MS disease and treatment, and a clinical trial participation platform enabling patients to join research studies. The foundation does not offer commercial technology products or platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MS Sherpa: Smartphone app for monitoring MS symptoms including walking tests and cognitive tests
• Neurokeys
• Connect-MS

Products and services

• MS Research Funding Programs Scientific research funding programs for multiple sclerosis that award project grants, fellowships, and multi-year research subsidies to researchers at Dutch academic MS centers. Intended for MS researchers and clinicians.
• Rondom MS Magazine Annual Dutch-language magazine covering MS and MS research, distributed free of charge to readers including people with MS, families, donors, and healthcare professionals.
• Clinical Trial Participation Platform Online platform that connects people with MS to scientific research studies at Dutch academic MS centers, enabling patient participation in clinical and observational research.
• Patient Education Resources Web-based educational materials about MS covering disease mechanisms, causes, diagnosis, symptoms, disease course, and treatment options, intended for patients, families, and the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over €1.3 million awarded to six new MS research projects in June 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MS Centrum AmsterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic MS center in Amsterdam conducting research funded by the foundation. Studies include brain age measurement, smartphone monitoring (Connect-MS), and B-cell research. Collaboration with VU Medical Center.
• ErasMS Centrum RotterdamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMS research center at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, established 2002. Focus areas include immunology, genetics, and virology. Houses the National Pediatric MS Center. Key researcher: Dr. Joost Smolders (director).
• MS Centrum Noord NederlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern Netherlands MS center conducting research on MS lesions, myelin repair, and astrocyte function. Led by Dr. Wia Baron (scientific director). Collaboration with University of Groningen and UMCG.
• Nationaal Kinder MS Centrum Rotterdam (National Pediatric MS Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational expertise center for pediatric MS at ErasMS/Erasmus MC. Founded 2012 with additional funding from VriendenLoterij. Provides specialized care and conducts research for children with MS. Led by Dr. Rinze Neuteboom (pediatric neurologist).
• Nederlandse Hersenbank voor MS (Dutch Brain Bank for MS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrain tissue bank specifically for MS research. Provides post-mortem brain tissue from MS donors for scientific research. Essential for understanding MS pathology.
• International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational consortium of researchers studying genetic factors in MS. Collaboration with ErasMS researchers on EBV and genetic variant research.
• BEHIND-MS ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean research collaboration studying MS mechanisms. Part of the program subsidy to ErasMS Centrum. Includes multiple European research institutions.
• International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group (IPMSSG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational study group with 150 members from over 40 countries, including the Netherlands. Focused on optimizing care, knowledge, and research for children with MS and related conditions.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National MS Society (US): The largest MS research and services funder in the United States; directly comparable to Stichting MS Research in mission (funding MS research, supporting people with MS) but operates at materially larger scale across multiple geographies and program types.
• MS International Federation (MSIF): Global umbrella organization connecting national MS societies worldwide and funding international MS research; comparable as a peer MS-focused grantmaker, but with broader geographic reach than the Dutch foundation.
• KWF Dutch Cancer Society: Largest Dutch health-focused charity, funding cancer research through donations and lottery partnerships; comparable as a Dutch disease-focused research funder using the same donation/lottery revenue model, though much larger in scale.

Direct peers

• MS Society UK: UK-based charity funding MS research and supporting people with MS; the closest national-level analog to Stichting MS Research in terms of operating model (research grants, lottery-style income, community fundraising).
• Hersenstichting (Brain Foundation Netherlands): Dutch foundation funding neuroscience research, including co-funded MS projects with Stichting MS Research (€289,845 MRI contrast grant); directly comparable as a Dutch health research grantmaker with similar fundraising and grantmaking model.
• ALS Nederland: Dutch foundation funding ALS research and supporting ALS patients; structurally comparable to Stichting MS Research as a Dutch disease-specific research charity with community fundraising, events, and academic research grants, but for a different neurological disease.
• ParkinsonNL: Dutch foundation funding Parkinson's disease research; closely comparable to Stichting MS Research in scope (Dutch neurology research funding), donor base, and reliance on individual donations and events.
• International Progressive MS Alliance: Global research-funding collaboration focused specifically on progressive MS; comparable as a mission-aligned MS research funder, operating as a coalition of national MS organizations rather than a single-country charity.
• Alzheimer Nederland: Dutch foundation funding dementia research and supporting patients/families; directly comparable to Stichting MS Research as a Dutch neurodegenerative disease research charity with community fundraising and academic grant programs.

Emerging players

• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF): Disease-specific research funder with both general and pediatric-focused programs; comparable model (disease-specific, multi-year research grants, donor and event-driven fundraising) but focused on type 1 diabetes rather than MS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StichtingMSResearch

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stichting Ms Research