Ican (international Children's Advisory Network)

What Ican (international Children's Advisory Network) does

iCAN (International Children's Advisory Network), founded in 2014 and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a global youth engagement platform connecting pediatric patients ages 8-18 (approximately 90% of whom live with a medical diagnosis) with pharmaceutical companies, clinical research organizations, academic institutions, and regulators. Its core offerings are organized around KIDS Chapters (geographic and institution-based local groups, including KIDS Illinois, Nebraska, Central Ohio, Rainbow, Uganda, Mexico City, and a KIDS Virtual chapter), a Youth Council for older members, a Young Professional's Network for alumni, an iCAN Parents support network, and a Seal of Approval certification program; supporting content includes the iCAN Curriculum, youth-authored publications (I CAN story book, Coloring for Change, iCAN&DCRI Anthology), and the multilingual International Position Paper on Youth Partnership in Healthcare.

Technically, iCAN's platform is light-touch: a Wix-hosted website (icanresearch.org) serves as the primary hub, with Zoom powering the Ask the Experts webinar series and recurring corporate focus groups, and Google Forms and Google Drive handling surveys, interest forms, and project submissions. There are no disclosed APIs, mobile apps, integrations, proprietary AI components, or patented systems; the technical backbone is coordination rather than software moats. The annual iCAN Summit is the operational and reputational centerpiece, rotating internationally (Montreal in 2025, Barretstown, Ireland in 2026).

The organization generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit funding stack: individual donations (with a $25+ tier receiving the I CAN book), corporate sponsorships (Pfizer, Eli Lilly, DCRI, PTN, Biocryst, Fortrea, Georgia Tech, Autism Speaks), chapter-level fundraising (benefit concerts, bake sales, car washes), and event-driven fundraisers including the ImpactFall silent auction, iCAN Shine talent show ($2 per vote), and Challenge of 10 peer-to-peer campaign, all processed via the Zeffy fundraising platform. The annual Summit carries a per-child cost of approximately $2,500. Its regulatory positioning as an official FDA community partner within the CDRH Patient and Caregiver Connection and TAP provides differentiated access to U.S. medical-device and drug regulatory processes for its sponsors and member families.

Name

Ican (international Children's Advisory Network)

Legal name

The International Children's Advisory Network Inc.

Website

https://icanresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

iCAN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs KIDS Chapters on four continents to connect pediatric patients ages 8-18 with pharmaceutical, clinical research, and regulatory partners, including the FDA, for surveys, focus groups, and advocacy. Annual flagship is the iCAN Summit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Patient Advocacy

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health Education & Parent Coaching (Sleep, Safety, Illness Management) (EDACAMAN)

Keywords

• Pediatric patient advocacy
• Youth healthcare engagement
• Clinical research advisory
• Patient advocacy nonprofit
• Pediatric regulatory affairs

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: iCAN operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Revenue is generated primarily through donations, including individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and donor advisor funds. The 'I CAN' book is offered free with donations of $25 or more.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including ImpactFall Silent Auction (Bidding for Betterment), iCAN Shine Virtual Talent Show, and Challenge of 10 peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. Proceeds support year-round programming and the annual Summit.
3. Chapter Fundraising: iCAN chapters conduct local fundraising activities including benefit concerts, bake sales, car washes, and community partnerships. Cost to send one child to Summit is approximately $2,500.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

iCAN runs a global chapter-based youth advocacy network that connects pediatric patients (ages 8-18), their families, and young professionals with healthcare industry and regulatory partners through surveys, focus groups, speaking opportunities, and research collaborations. Its flagship programs—KIDS Chapters, Youth Council, Young Professional's Network, iCAN Parents, the annual iCAN Summit, and the Seal of Approval—are delivered via the iCAN website, virtual events, and an annual international gathering. The organization is funded by donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events, and supports industry and regulatory partners (including the FDA) seeking authentic pediatric patient perspectives for clinical research, device, and drug development.

Product overview

iCAN (International Children's Advisory Network) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that operates a platform of youth engagement programs connecting pediatric patients (ages 8-18) with healthcare industry and regulatory bodies. The core portfolio includes KIDS Chapters (local advisory groups), the Youth Council (leadership program), Young Professional's Network (transition program), and iCAN Parents (family support). Annual programming includes the iCAN Summit, Challenge of 10 fundraiser, iCAN Shine talent showcase, and ImpactFall auction. Supporting resources include the Seal of Approval certification, iCAN Curriculum educational materials, published books (I CAN book, Coloring for Change, Anthology), FDA partnership resources, parent guides, and fundraising toolkit. The organization facilitates youth voice in clinical research, drug development, and medical device design through surveys, focus groups, speaking opportunities, and direct advisory roles with industry and the FDA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KIDS Chapters: Youth member chapters focused on understanding, communicating, and improving medicine, research, and innovation for children
• Youth Council
• Young Professional's Network (YPN)
• Seal of Approval
• iCAN Shine
• Challenge of 10
• ImpactFall

Products and services

• KIDS Chapters Local youth advisory chapters for children aged 8-18 that provide a platform to share experiences with medical conditions and advise on research studies, clinical trials, devices, and drugs.
• Youth Council A council for older youth members to take leadership roles, conduct research, create educational materials such as the Coloring for Change coloring book, and advocate for pediatric healthcare.
• Young Professional's Network (YPN) A network for young professionals who have aged out of youth membership to continue advocating for pediatric patients and engage with industry and regulatory partners.
• iCAN Parents A parent support network that creates resources for families of medically fragile children, including guides on clinical trial participation and letters for educators.
• KIDS Siblings A program supporting siblings of medically fragile children, addressing their unique needs and experiences within the healthcare context.
• iCAN Summit An annual international summit where youth members present research, share stories, network with industry and regulatory professionals, and participate in workshops on pediatric healthcare. Approximate cost to send one child to Summit is $2,500.
• Seal of Approval A program that recognizes products and services reviewed and approved by iCAN youth members as safe and effective for pediatric patients.
• Challenge of 10 A peer-to-peer fundraising initiative where participants choose a challenge of 10 (e.g., walking 10 minutes, doing 10 good deeds) to raise money for bringing kids to the annual iCAN Summit.
• iCAN Shine: Global Talent Showcase A virtual talent show fundraiser where youth from around the world showcase their talents (singing, dancing, magic, etc.) to raise funds for the annual Summit at $2 per vote.
• ImpactFall (Bidding for Betterment) An annual fall silent auction featuring items and experiences donated by supporters, with proceeds benefiting iCAN's youth programs and the annual Summit.
• iCAN Volunteer Hours A program tracking and celebrating volunteer service hours contributed by iCAN youth members to their communities.
• iCAN Curriculum An educational curriculum developed by iCAN for teaching youth about clinical research, healthcare advocacy, and pediatric patient engagement.
• iCAN Books Publications created by iCAN youth, including the 'I CAN' book (stories of youth overcoming challenges), the Coloring for Change coloring book, and the iCAN&DCRI Anthology.
• iCAN FDA Partnership Resources Resources and partnership information connecting youth with FDA programs, including the CDRH Patient and Caregiver Connection and Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program (TAP).
• iCAN Fundraising ToolKit A comprehensive toolkit with templates, guidelines, and ideas to help chapters and individuals raise funds for iCAN programming and Summit attendance.
• International Position Paper on Youth Partnership in Healthcare A youth-driven position paper created at the 2025 iCAN Summit, addressing accessibility of healthcare for youth, the importance of youth voice in healthcare decisions, and healthcare education needs, available in multiple languages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $7,000 raised by KIDS CHOC members through benefit concerts for Summit attendance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartneriCAN is an official community partner of the FDA, participating in the CDRH Patient and Caregiver Connection and Total Product Life Cycle (TPLC) Advisory Program (TAP). iCAN youth share their experiences living with medical conditions and using medical devices to inform FDA regulatory decisions. This partnership provides FDA with direct access to pediatric patient perspectives throughout the product lifecycle.
• PfizermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPfizer partners with iCAN to conduct focus groups with youth members on new protocols about bacterial infections and reviews clinical trial materials with youth advisors. This provides Pfizer with direct input from pediatric patients on clinical trial design and materials.
• Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCRI collaborated with iCAN on the Anthology project, a compilation of creative works (essays, illustrations, poems) focused on clinical research experiences from the pediatric patient perspective. This collaboration highlights the importance of pediatric clinical research through patient stories.
• Pediatric Trials NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric Trials Network partners with iCAN to offer research training programs to youth members. The PTN has cited iCAN's International Position Paper on Youth Partnership in Healthcare as a resource they can incorporate into their work.
• Eli LillyminorOthersEli Lilly provides STEM internship opportunities to iCAN youth members, supporting professional development and career pathways in healthcare and research.
• BiocrystminorOthersBiocryst offers diverse internship programs to iCAN youth members, providing career development opportunities in the pharmaceutical and biotech sector.
• FortreaminorOthersFortrea provides student internship opportunities to iCAN youth members, supporting pathways into clinical research and healthcare careers.
• Georgia Institute of TechnologyminorOthersGeorgia Tech offers internships and cooperative education opportunities to iCAN youth members through university partnerships.
• Autism SpeaksminorOthersAutism Speaks provides internship opportunities to iCAN youth members, supporting youth with autism in career development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): Largest US rare-disease patient advocacy organization running patient registries, research grants, and FDA engagement programs; serves a broader (all-age) population but overlaps iCAN in regulatory advocacy and the ~10% of iCAN members with rare conditions.
• Children's Hospital Association: National association representing children's hospitals, including research advocacy and policy engagement; broader institutional peer that shares iCAN's pediatric healthcare-improvement mission and regulatory-engagement channel.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Professional association of pediatricians producing policy guidance, clinical guidance, and advocacy on children's health; a much larger institutional peer addressing pediatric healthcare improvement and pediatric regulatory input.
• PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute): Government-funded research institute funding patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research and engaging patients throughout the research lifecycle; a broader institutional analogue to iCAN's pediatric patient-engagement model.

Direct peers

• Starlight Children's Foundation: National nonprofit delivering programs for hospitalized and seriously ill children including hospital gown delivery and pediatric content; comparable in mission (supporting pediatric patients) though less focused on clinical-research advisory.
• Kids v Cancer: Pediatric patient advocacy nonprofit focused on expanding children's access to experimental therapies and clinical trials, directly overlapping iCAN's mission of inserting youth voices into pediatric clinical research and regulatory processes.
• Global Genes: Rare-disease patient advocacy organization providing patient education, research toolkits, and partner programs for industry; comparable in serving a medically experienced youth/parent community engaged with clinical research.
• Family Voices: Family-led national network advocating for children and youth with special healthcare needs, with comparable parent-education, clinical-trial navigation, and policy-advocacy programming that mirrors iCAN's parent-facing work.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Pediatric cancer-focused nonprofit funding research and supporting patient families, overlapping with iCAN on clinical trial awareness and patient/family education for seriously ill children.

Emerging players

• Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy: Disease-specific patient advocacy nonprofit with strong FDA engagement and youth representation; narrower than iCAN but highly comparable in its integration of patient/youth voice into regulatory and clinical-trial advisory work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/iCANResearch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@icanresearch8679
• Facebookfacebook.com/icanresearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ican-international-childrens-advisory-network
• Instagraminstagram.com/icanresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Ican (international Children's Advisory Network)