Défi Canderel

What Défi Canderel does

Défi Canderel is a Canadian nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1989 in Montreal by Jonathan Wener, founder of the Canderel real estate firm, following his wife Susan's cancer diagnosis. The organization mobilizes the Canadian business community to raise unrestricted funds for cancer research, scholarships, and research equipment, operating as a fundraising intermediary between corporate donors and academic cancer research institutions. Its model channels corporate sponsorship dollars and individual donations to a national network of beneficiary research institutes, with donations split equally between two primary beneficiaries: the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute at McGill University and the Institut du cancer de Montréal at Université de Montréal.

The organization's product surface consists of annual signature fundraising events held across eight or more Canadian cities, including a flagship Health and Wellness Festival in Montreal at Percival Molson Stadium, regional editions in Calgary (Superhero Dash), Quebec City, Edmonton (Pickleball Challenge), Ottawa (Trivia Night), Toronto (Pickleball Classic), and Vancouver (Rappelling Challenge), plus an annual golf tournament at the Royal Montreal Golf Club. Each regional event is paired with a localized beneficiary — Alberta Cancer Foundation for Calgary and Edmonton, CHEO Research Institute for Ottawa, SickKids Foundation for Toronto, BC Cancer Foundation for Vancouver, and CHU de Québec–Université Laval for Quebec City. Donation processing runs through the CrowdChange online platform, which enables team registration, individual fundraising pages, and direct giving with city-specific research institute allocation. The organization also administers a portfolio of scholarship and fellowship programs (Canderel Fellowships of up to $25,000 per year, Entry Studentships of $15,000, Master's/Doctoral Scholarships up to $24,000, Conference Travel Awards, Rising Star internships, and the Marilyn Wener Excellence Award) targeted at partner research institutes.

Revenue is generated through corporate sponsorship tiers ranging from $5,000 (Team Registration) to $35,000 (Platinum), plus ancillary sub-sponsorships (Main Stage, Lunch, DJ, Snack, Hydration), alongside individual donations. National corporate sponsors include Colliers International, McCarthy Tétrault, and Yardi Systems. Over 36 years the organization has raised more than $28 million CAD, with a 2025 fundraising goal of $3.1 million CAD. As a registered charity (registration number 700390214RR0001) operating with a 1–10 person staff, Défi Canderel has no parent company, no institutional investors, and no proprietary technology platform of its own — its competitive position is grounded in brand trust, a multi-decade community network, and institutional research partnerships rather than technology moats.

Name

Défi Canderel

Legal name

Défi Canderel

Website

https://deficanderel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Défi Canderel is a Montreal-based Canadian nonprofit founded in 1989 that raises unrestricted cancer research funds through annual corporate fundraising events across eight Canadian cities, supporting academic research institutes and scholarship programs nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Fundraising

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Federated Giving Organizations (e.g., United Way-type) (BPAGAKAG)

Keywords

• Cancer research fundraising
• Corporate philanthropy events
• Community fundraising events
• Research scholarships and grants
• Nonprofit charitable giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship: Annual corporate sponsorships at multiple tier levels ranging from Platinum ($35,000) to Team Registration ($5,000), plus additional sponsorships for Main Stage, Lunch, DJ, Snack, Hydration. National, regional, and local sponsors support various city editions.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donations through online fundraising pages and direct giving campaigns. Donations split equally between two primary beneficiaries: Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (McGill University) and Institut du cancer de Montréal (Université de Montréal). Tax receipts provided for Canadian donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Défi Canderel is a registered Canadian charity that organizes annual corporate fundraising events across multiple Canadian cities to channel unrestricted funding into cancer research, scholarships, and research equipment at partner institutions. Donations are split equally between the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (McGill University) and the Institut du cancer de Montréal (Université de Montréal), with regional events directing funds to Alberta Cancer Foundation, CHEO Research Institute, SickKids Foundation, and BC Cancer Foundation.

Product overview

Défi Canderel is a nonprofit cancer research fundraising organization operating as a single unified initiative rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization's core offering consists of annual corporate fundraising events spanning multiple Canadian cities, complemented by scholarship and internship programs funded by donations. The main event portfolio includes the flagship Défi Canderel Health and Wellness Festival in Montreal, regional events in Calgary (Superhero Dash), Quebec City (Walking Event), Edmonton (Pickleball), Ottawa (Trivia Night), Toronto (Pickleball), and Vancouver (Rappelling Challenge), plus an Annual Golf Tournament. Donation processing is handled through the CrowdChange platform. The scholarship programs include Canderel Fellowship Awards, Entry Studentship Awards, Master's and Doctoral Scholarships, Conference Travel Awards, Marilyn Wener Excellence Award, Rising Star Awards, and the Canderel Grant—all supporting cancer researchers and students at partner institutions including the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, Montreal Cancer Institute, Alberta Cancer Foundation, CHEO Research Institute, SickKids Foundation, and BC Cancer Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Défi Canderel Health and Wellness Festival Annual flagship corporate fundraising event held at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, McGill University, featuring a High Tech Rally, sports activities, networking, and a symbolic fun run to raise funds for the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute and the Institut du cancer de Montréal.
• Calgary Superhero Dash (YYC Edition) Annual family-friendly 1K/5K walk/run/dash event at North Glenmore Park, Calgary, raising funds for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
• Édition Québec Walking event in Quebec City raising funds for the Fondation du CHU de Québec, supporting cancer research at CHU de Québec-Université Laval / CRCHU.
• Edmonton Pickleball Challenge Annual pickleball tournament in Edmonton raising funds for the Alberta Cancer Foundation, with a round-robin format, prizes, and silent auction.
• Ottawa Tiree & Canderel Challenge Trivia Night Annual corporate trivia night in Ottawa raising funds for pediatric oncology research at the CHEO Research Institute, with a cocktail networking reception and silent auction.
• Toronto Pickleball Classic Pickleball tournament in Toronto raising funds for the SickKids Foundation, with a championship format and introductory learning clinic for beginners.
• Vancouver Rappelling Challenge Building rappelling event at 401 West Georgia in Vancouver raising funds for the BC Cancer Foundation.
• Annual Golf Event Annual golf tournament at The Royal Montreal Golf Club raising funds for cancer research, with an online auction and networking reception.
• CrowdChange Donation Platform Online fundraising platform used for event registration, team creation, sponsorship, and donation processing, with customizable fundraising pages and city-specific research institute allocation.
• Canderel Fellowship Awards Partial stipend of up to $25,000 per year awarded to incoming postdoctoral fellows at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute and Montreal Cancer Institute.
• Canderel Entry Studentship Awards $15,000 awards given to first-year graduate students recruited through the Goodman Cancer Institute's Student Recruitment Days.
• Canderel Master's and Doctoral Scholarships Financial assistance up to $24,000 per year per recipient for Master's and doctoral students at the Montreal Cancer Institute.
• Canderel Conference Travel Awards Awards established in 1995 facilitating graduate students and postdoctoral fellows' participation in national and international cancer research conferences.
• Marilyn Wener Excellence Award Annual scholarship created in 2012 awarded to students from both the Goodman Cancer Institute and the Montreal Cancer Institute, recognizing dedication to cancer research and philanthropic contribution.
• Canderel Rising Star Awards Summer internships of minimum 10 weeks at the Goodman Cancer Institute with a $3,000 stipend for outstanding undergraduates pursuing medical research careers.
• Canderel Grant Maximum annual award of $2,000 supporting outstanding undergraduate and graduate students at the Montreal Cancer Institute.

Quantifiable outcome

• $28+ million raised for cancer research over 36 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered regional, national and core.

• Alberta Cancer FoundationregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional beneficiary for Calgary Superhero Dash and Edmonton Pickleball events. Official fundraising partner for every Alberta Health Services cancer centre. Focus on detection, treatment, and care for Albertans facing cancer.
• CHEO Research InstituteregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional beneficiary for Ottawa Tiree & Canderel Challenge Trivia Night. Pediatric oncology research focused on eliminating childhood cancer. Pioneer of groundbreaking treatments in pediatric oncology.
• SickKids FoundationregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional beneficiary for Toronto Pickleball Classic. Supports hospital's Precision Child Health initiative. Mission to inspire communities to invest in health and scientific advances for children worldwide.
• BC Cancer FoundationregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional beneficiary for Vancouver Rappelling Challenge. Fundraising partner to BC Cancer supporting world-leading scientists and clinicians. Largest philanthropic funder of cancer research in British Columbia, serving 80,000 patients per year.
• CHU de Québec-Université Laval / CRCHUregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Regional beneficiary for Quebec City Edition. Largest francophone health research center in North America with over 3,000 researchers, students, and staff. Partnership through Fondation du CHU de Québec.
• Marathon of Hope Cancer Research NetworknationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019National research network created through partnership between Goodman Cancer Institute and Montreal Cancer Institute directors. Part of Terry Fox's vision for national cancer research collaboration.
• Quebec Cancer Consortium (QCC)nationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Provincial and national research network building on collaboration and collective energy to tackle cancer's greatest challenges. Created through partnership of Morag Park, Réjean Lapointe, and Anne-Marie Mes-Masson.
• Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (McGill University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989Primary beneficiary receiving 50% of all donations. Funds support recruitment of top global talent, high-risk/high-payoff studies, student funding, and conference participation. Research focus on molecular oncology and immunotherapy. Named in landmark discoveries including MET oncogene identification.
• Institut du cancer de Montréal (Université de Montréal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989Primary beneficiary receiving 50% of all donations. Affiliated with CRCHUM's Cancer Research Axis. Over 75 years of research support. Funds innovative projects, young researcher recruitment and training, educational initiatives, and scientific conference organization.
• Colliers InternationalnationalGTM or Marketing PartnerNational sponsor for Défi Canderel 37th edition. Commercial real estate services company providing national corporate sponsorship support.
• McCarthy TétraultnationalGTM or Marketing PartnerNational sponsor. Major Canadian law firm providing corporate sponsorship and potentially legal expertise support.
• Yardi SystemsnationalGTM or Marketing PartnerNational sponsor. Real estate investment management software company supporting cancer research fundraising.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Cancer Society: The largest Canadian cancer charity, running national fundraising events (Relay For Life, CIBC Run for the Cure) and funding research across all cancer types. Overlaps in event-driven fundraising and cancer research funding, but operates at materially larger scale and broader mission scope.

Direct peers

• Movember Foundation: Cause-driven nonprofit running annual men's health fundraising campaigns with strong corporate sponsorship and community engagement. Comparable in event/community fundraising DNA and reliance on multi-year corporate partners, but focused on men's cancers and mental health.
• Stand Up To Cancer: Charitable program raising funds for collaborative, translational cancer research through entertainment-industry-driven events and corporate partnerships. Comparable in uniting corporate sponsors and donors around high-impact research funding models.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: U.S.-based cancer research fundraising organization funding 'translational' and 'unrestricted' research grants to scientists. Comparable in its emphasis on directing flexible research dollars to investigators rather than restricted projects.
• Terry Fox Foundation: Canada's flagship community-event-driven cancer research fundraiser (Marathon of Hope, Terry Fox Run). Highly comparable operating model — national volunteer/corporate fundraising events supporting cancer research — and an existing partner of Défi Canderel via the Marathon of Hope Cancer Research Network.
• Alberta Cancer Foundation: Provincial cancer research and care fundraiser that is both a peer and a regional beneficiary partner of Défi Canderel. Runs signature events (Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer) and funds researchers across Alberta cancer centres.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada: Disease-specific cancer research funder running national corporate team events (Light The Night, Team In Training). Comparable event-driven corporate fundraising model funding research, scholarships, and patient support programs.
• Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation: Hospital-affiliated cancer research fundraising foundation supporting one of the world's top cancer centres. Comparable model of channeling corporate and individual donations into research programs, scholarships, and equipment at a single anchor institution.
• BC Cancer Foundation: Provincial cancer research fundraiser that is both a peer and a beneficiary partner of Défi Canderel. Runs its own signature events and corporate partnerships across BC to fund cancer research and patient care initiatives.
• SickKids Foundation: Pediatric hospital research foundation running signature fundraising events and corporate partnerships. Comparable in channeling community/corporate donations to research, scholarships, and equipment at a single anchor institution — and is a current Défi Canderel Toronto beneficiary.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/deficanderel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/defi-canderel
• Instagraminstagram.com/deficanderel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Défi Canderel