Spot The Dot

What Spot The Dot does

Spot the Dot is an Austrian non-profit foundation (Verein zur Förderung des Bewusstseins für verschiedene Arten von Hautkrebs) founded in 2015 by Marije Kruis, a Dutch melanoma patient residing in Vienna, and registered at Goldschlagstrasse 82/36, 1150 Vienna. It focuses exclusively on raising awareness of melanoma and other forms of skin cancer through creative campaigns, educational tools, and collaborations with athletes, artists, medical professionals, and patient advocacy groups. The organization operates across more than 35 countries with website content available in 11 languages, serving the general public (with emphasis on young adults and outdoor enthusiasts), healthcare professionals and hospitals, athletes, and patient organizations.

The foundation's principal educational asset is the Check-a-Mole browser game, which teaches the ABCDE method for identifying potentially cancerous moles without requiring cookies, registration, or personal data. The game is deployed inside healthcare facilities including 24 Belgian hospitals, Spaarne Gasthuis (Netherlands), Erasmus Rotterdam, Hietzing Clinic, Centrum Oosterwal, and ZAS Palfijn Antwerp. Complementary offerings include the Spotted Realities self-published photography book priced at €19.00 per copy, the Faster Than Skincancer international campaign with 30+ athlete ambassadors, ABCDE educational guides, the Love Your Body / Check Your Skin exhibition series, the Don't Fade Away calendar tool, and a sunscreen dispenser partnership with Sundo in Tyrol. Underlying technology is a WordPress-based multilingual website maintained by BLAEK Design Studio and Digital Workshop.

Spot the Dot is funded almost entirely through grants and sponsorships from pharmaceutical companies — principally Novartis (cumulative disclosed grants of roughly €100,000 across 2018-2024) and MSD (cumulative roughly €40,000 across 2018-2025), plus ACO Sweden/Perrigo, Cantabria Labs, the Israeli Skin Cancer Foundation, and Telefonica — together with individual donations, sales of the Spotted Realities book, and merchandise (Faster Than Skincancer goggles, cycling jerseys, beach towels, skate decks). It is VAT-exempt under §6(1)27 UStG as a small Austrian Verein, has 1-10 personnel under founder Marije Kruis, a board of directors (Lucia Friedrich, Johannes Riegler) and Treasurer (Elisabeth Feldner since 2025), and does not charge end-users for any of its awareness tools.

Name

Spot The Dot

Legal name

Spot the Dot: Verein zur Förderung des Bewusstseins für verschiedene Arten von Hautkrebs

Website

https://spotthedot.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spot the Dot is an Austrian non-profit foundation founded in 2015 by melanoma survivor Marije Kruis that raises skin cancer awareness through the multilingual Check-a-Mole educational game, awareness campaigns, and creative projects serving the general public, athletes, healthcare providers, and patient organizations across 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Awareness / Dermatology Patient Advocacy

akta.pro primary industry

Topic/Interest-Based Content Discovery Apps (MPACAKAB)

Keywords

• Skin cancer awareness
• Melanoma prevention education
• Dermatology patient advocacy
• Health awareness campaigns
• Nonprofit public health education

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations: Spot the Dot accepts donations from individuals via PayPal and bank transfer. The organization is registered as a nonprofit (Verein) in Austria.
2. Sponsorship and Grants: Pharmaceutical companies (MSD, Novartis, etc.) provide sponsorship and grant funding to support development and promotion of educational tools and awareness campaigns. In 2025, funding included €1,327 from MSD Austria, €3,000 from individuals, €6,650 from MSD Belgium, €10,350 from ACO Sweden, and €1,500 from Verein zur Förderung der Dermatologie und Venerologie.
3. Book Sales: The organization self-publishes and sells the Spotted Realities photography book through its online shop at €19.00 per copy plus shipping. All proceeds support skin cancer awareness activities.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including Faster Than Skincancer goggles, cycling jerseys, beach towels, skate decks, and other promotional items through the online shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Spot the Dot produces and distributes free multilingual awareness and educational tools about melanoma and skin cancer, anchored by the Check-a-Mole browser game (11 languages), the Spotted Realities self-published photography book, and the Faster Than Skincancer campaign with athlete ambassadors. The organization also sells branded merchandise (goggles, cycling jerseys, skate decks, beach towels) via its online shop, with all proceeds and grant funding supporting further awareness projects across more than 35 countries.

Product overview

Spot the Dot is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of educational and awareness products focused on melanoma and skin cancer prevention and early detection. The core offerings include the Check a Mole Game (an interactive browser-based educational tool teaching the ABCDE skin cancer detection method available in multiple languages), the Spotted Realities photography book, and the Faster Than Skincancer awareness campaign with athlete ambassadors. These products are complemented by educational resources including ABCDE guides, print materials, and public health partnerships for sunscreen dispenser programs. All offerings serve the unified mission of encouraging conversations about skin cancer prevention and early detection with loved ones and healthcare professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spotted Realities: A self-published photography book by Anna Bedynska featuring photos of everyday dots in Tokyo, combined with skin cancer awareness messaging. Published in English, German, Dutch, Japanese, and Polish.
• Check-a-Mole Game
• Faster Than Skincancer
• Don't Fade Away
• Do You Campaign
• Love Your Body, Check Your Skin
• The Night Belongs to Runners

Products and services

• Check-a-Mole Educational Game Browser-based educational game that teaches the ABCDE method for identifying potentially cancerous moles, available in 11 languages (English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Japanese); does not require cookie consent, registration, or personal data input.
• Spotted Realities Photography Book Compact 200-page photography book (20 x 13 cm) with over 70 photographs by Anna Bedynska, combining art with skin cancer awareness messaging; sold at €19.00 per copy plus shipping through the spotthedot.org shop, with proceeds funding awareness activities.
• Spot the Dot Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise including Faster Than Skincancer goggles, Night Runners cycling jerseys, beach towels, skate decks, and other promotional items sold through the spotthedot.org online shop to support skin cancer awareness funding.
• Faster Than Skincancer Campaign International awareness campaign combining athlete ambassadors, multilingual website content, videos, branded merchandise, and skydive/beach events to promote skin cancer prevention and early detection among runners, cyclists, surfers, and outdoor enthusiasts.
• Don't Fade Away Skin-Check Calendar Tool Personal skin-check calendar tool in multiple languages that helps individuals track and remind themselves to perform regular skin self-examinations as part of melanoma early-detection practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26,895 unique website visitors and 24,000+ game plays in 2025 alone

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GlobalSkin – International Alliance of Dermatology Patient OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpot the Dot became a member of GlobalSkin in 2025. The organization contributes to and benefits from international collaboration aimed at advancing patient-centered dermatology care, aligned with GlobalSkin's three pillars of research, advocacy, and support.
• Global Melanoma Patient Advocacy CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpot the Dot is an official member of the Global Melanoma Patient Advocacy Coalition and participates in global workgroups joining forces to raise awareness of melanoma on an international level. The organization attended the 2025 coalition meeting in Amsterdam.
• Die Allianz (Austria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDie Allianz is a collective of patient organizations and advocates focused on oncology in Austria. Spot the Dot participates to improve cancer care in Austria through collaboration and staying informed about the latest research.
• SundocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSundo, a Belgian company developing and operating sunscreen dispensers for public spaces, partnered with Spot the Dot to combine free access to sunscreen with awareness around UV risks, skin cancer prevention, and regular skin checks. The partnership supports the Tyrol initiative in Austria where free sunscreen dispensers were installed at public locations.
• Save Your Skin Foundation (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Canadian Save Your Skin Foundation for promotion of the Check a Mole game in Canada, including communication via 40 public sunscreen dispensers across Canada. In 2024, a Canadian pharma company provided €6,724.26 for the collaboration.
• Rak'n'Roll Foundation (Poland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRak'n'Roll Foundation in Poland supported the Spotted Realities book project and organized the public exhibition of photos from the book in Warsaw at the Royal Łazienki Museum. Also provided local support for book distribution.
• BLAEK Design StudiocoreTechnology or IntegrationBLAEK Design Studio provides concept, web design, and development services for Spot the Dot. They have been responsible for the organization's website redesign and ongoing digital presence.
• Anna BedynskacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolish documentary photographer who collaborated on the Spotted Realities book, capturing urban photography in Tokyo that represents the 'dots' metaphor for skin cancer awareness.
• Vampire Surf ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Vampire Surf Club on creating an ABCDE guide for surfers and blog content about skin cancer checks for surfers.
• Melanoompunt (Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian Melanoma Foundation collaborated on the Faster Than Skincancer Belgium event, including skydive beach events and promotional activities.
• Carolina Zani Melanoma Foundation (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian melanoma foundation collaborated with Spot the Dot on the Love Your Body exhibition in Brescia and the development of the Italian Check a Mole game.
• Fundación Piel Sana / Academia Española de Dermatología y Venereología (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish dermatology academy collaborated on skin cancer awareness strategies, including the Love Your Body exhibition in Madrid and a 2024 street art event at Casa de Vacas Cultural Center in Retiro Park.
• Clinica Dermatologica Internacional (Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish dermatology clinic collaborated on the Love Your Body exhibition in Madrid, including local press campaigns and educational initiatives.
• Willpower RunningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch running clothing brand collaborated on The Night Runners collection and Faster Than Skincancer merchandise, including the Night Runners Prime Racing long sleeve and related social media campaigns.
• Vision1 EyewearminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEyewear brand collaborated on launching Faster Than Skincancer branded goggles and Black Friday promotions.
• Beton StudiocoreTechnology or IntegrationDesign studio responsible for layout and design of the Spotted Realities book, as well as campaign design work for Faster Than Skincancer and other campaigns.
• De Wolven (PR & Communications)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDutch PR and communications consultancy providing press collaboration and media relations support for Spot the Dot campaigns in the Netherlands.
• Arctic PaperminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPaper company sponsored the Spotted Realities book production by providing paper materials.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skin Cancer Foundation: US-based non-profit dedicated to skin cancer education, prevention, and early detection. Most directly comparable peer to Spot The Dot given shared mission of public skin cancer awareness, educational campaigns, and clinician engagement.
• Melanoma Institute Australia: Australian non-profit dedicated to melanoma research, treatment, and awareness. Highly comparable mission and audience, with a stronger clinical/research orientation but similar non-profit awareness-driven model.
• Aim at Melanoma: US-based non-profit dedicated to melanoma awareness, education, and patient support. Comparable in focus on melanoma-specific awareness content and patient education tools.
• Melanoma Research Foundation: US-based non-profit focused on melanoma awareness, patient advocacy, and research funding. Highly comparable in mission scope (melanoma-specific awareness and patient support), audience (patients, families, clinicians), and non-profit operating model.
• Save Your Skin Foundation: Canadian non-profit focused on skin cancer awareness and patient support. Already an active partner of Spot The Dot, with shared model of multilingual awareness campaigns and patient advocacy in dermatology.

Broad incumbents

• GlobalSkin: International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations. Spot The Dot joined as a member in 2025; operates at the broader dermatology patient-advocacy umbrella level rather than melanoma-specific niche.
• American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD): US professional dermatology association that runs large-scale skin cancer awareness campaigns (e.g., SPOT Skin Cancer). Operates broadly in dermatology advocacy rather than melanoma-specific niche.
• European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV): European professional dermatology organization running pan-European skin cancer awareness and prevention campaigns. Overlaps with Spot The Dot's audience (clinicians, public) and European geographic scope, but operates at far larger scale.
• Cancer Research UK: Large UK cancer charity funding research and running awareness campaigns across cancer types including skin cancer. Operates at much larger scale with broader cancer remit; comparable in patient/public awareness function.

Others

• Sundo: Belgian company developing and operating sunscreen dispensers for public spaces, partnered with Spot The Dot on the Tyrol initiative. Adjacent rather than competitive - Sundo provides UV protection infrastructure while Spot The Dot provides awareness content; together they form an integrated sun-safety ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBw8f8BbSq0hiCyyP2JrK2A
• Facebookfacebook.com/spotthedotcampaign
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spotthedot
• Instagraminstagram.com/spot.the.dot
• TikToktiktok.com/@spot.the.dot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Spot The Dot