DKMS UK
DKMS UK is a registered charity operating a blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting donors aged 16-55 through self-serve swab kits, school programmes, and community events. It serves blood cancer and disorder patients by facilitating donor matching, funded entirely through charitable donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What DKMS UK does
DKMS UK is the UK arm of the international DKMS Group, operating as a registered charity (DKMS Foundation, charity numbers 1150056 and SC046917) and private limited company headquartered in Chiswick, London. Established around 2013, the organisation recruits potential blood stem cell donors aged 16-55 and facilitates cross-border donor-patient matching for blood cancer and blood disorder patients. As part of the global DKMS network, DKMS UK contributes to a registry of 13 million donors worldwide that has facilitated 135,000 stem cell donations, with 90% of donations collected via peripheral blood stem cell collection (a non-surgical procedure). The UK entity celebrated its 3,000th UK donor in May 2026, and absorbed the 10,000 Donors organisation founded by current co-Managing Director Peter McCleave (which had registered 108,126 donors).
The core product is the self-serve donor registration service, delivered via online buccal swab kits and supplemented by the free HLA Typing Programme for tissue-matching. The product portfolio includes the Generation Lifesaver schools programme (launched November 2025 for 16-18 year olds), Virtual Drives (patient-specific online campaigns), regional volunteer hubs (Herts & Essex, West Midlands, Scotland), and the Gaming vs Blood Cancer fundraising initiative. The technology stack centres on a donor database integrated with international partner registries including Anthony Nolan, the US National Marrow Donor Program, ZKRD (Germany), and the World Marrow Donor Association, enabling reciprocal cross-border donor searches.
DKMS UK generates revenue entirely through charitable donations, community fundraising, and third-party affiliate platforms (Amazon Smile, eBay for Charity, Facebook Fundraisers, Give as you Live Online, Preworn). Each new donor costs approximately £40 to register, subsidised by donations; donor registration is free for eligible individuals. The go-to-market is community-led, combining direct-to-consumer self-serve website registration, school and community in-person drives, and virtual drives. Recent strategic actions include the February 2026 lowering of the minimum registration age from 17 to 16, the April 2026 appointment of a second co-Managing Director (Emma McCargow), and the launch of structured volunteer recognition via the inaugural Volunteer Awards in May 2026.
DKMS UK firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DKMS UK
- Legal name
- DKMS Foundation
- Website
- https://dkms.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DKMS UK is a registered charity operating a blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting donors aged 16-55 through self-serve swab kits, school programmes, and community events. It serves blood cancer and disorder patients by facilitating donor matching, funded entirely through charitable donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DKMS UK industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Stem Cell Donor Registry Services
- NAICS
- Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue) (HLAAAGAE)
Keywords
Where DKMS UK is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
DKMS UK business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: DKMS UK generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporate donors, and fundraising events. Supporters can donate money via the website using credit card, direct debit, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, or SMS. Each new potential donor costs approximately £40 to register.
- Third-Party Shopping and Giving Platforms: DKMS receives donations through affiliate partnerships including Amazon Smile (0.5% of purchases), eBay for Charity, Facebook Fundraisers, Give as you Live Online, and Preworn (15% of clothing sales).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Free donor registration |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
DKMS UK product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DKMS UK operates a blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting potential donors aged 16-55 through online buccal swab kit registration, school-based programmes, community events, and virtual drives. Registered donors receive free HLA tissue typing and are added to a global database of 13 million donors for matching with patients needing stem cell transplants. The charity also generates donations and fundraising income to subsidize the approximately £40 per-donor registration cost.
Product overview
DKMS UK operates as a blood stem cell donor registry charity with a unified core service: recruiting potential stem cell donors through an online buccal swab registration kit. The product portfolio includes the Generation Lifesaver schools programme for student donor registration, Virtual Drives for patient-specific campaigns, regional volunteer hubs (such as Herts & Essex), thematic fundraising initiatives like Gaming vs Blood Cancer, and awareness campaigns including Do The Swab!. The organization integrates with third-party payment platforms (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and fundraising portals (eBay for Charity, Facebook Fundraiser, Give as you Live Online, Preworn) to process donations and maximize fundraising reach. The DKMS Free HLA Typing Programme enables donor-patient matching through genetic tissue typing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Generation Lifesaver: A national initiative giving students aged 16-18 the chance to register as potential stem cell donors through school partnerships.
- DKMS Herts & Essex
- Gaming vs Blood Cancer
Products and services
- Stem Cell Donor Registration (Buccal Swab Kit) Free self-serve online registration service that enables eligible individuals aged 16-55 in the UK to join the blood stem cell donor register by completing an online form and submitting a buccal (cheek) swab. Data is stored on the DKMS donor database for international matching.
- DKMS Free HLA Typing Programme Free HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) tissue typing service provided to all registered DKMS donors, enabling their tissue characteristics to be matched with patients in need of stem cell transplants.
- Generation Lifesaver National schools programme that partners with secondary schools and colleges to enable students aged 16-18 to register as potential stem cell donors through educational sessions, DKMS ambassador assemblies, and on-site swabbing events.
- Virtual Drives Online donor registration campaign service that enables supporters to create and run virtual stem cell donor drives, particularly in support of specific patients, reaching potential donors who cannot attend in-person events.
- Gaming vs Blood Cancer Gaming-themed fundraising programme that engages the gaming community through streaming marathons and virtual tournaments to raise awareness of blood cancer and funds for DKMS UK.
- DKMS Herts & Essex Volunteer Hub Regional volunteer hub hosting local donor registration events and awareness activities in the Hertfordshire, Essex, and Cambridgeshire areas, established in September 2024.
Quantifiable outcome
- 13,000,000 donors registered worldwide
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use DKMS UK
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DKMS UK technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature2 records
DKMS UK partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Anthony NolancoreDKMS UK shares pseudonymised donor data with Anthony Nolan (registered charity no. 803716) as part of the UK Stem Cell Registry, enabling cross-registry donor searches for patients in need of stem cell transplants.
- National Marrow Donor Program (USA)coreDKMS shares donor tissue typing data with the US National Marrow Donor Program to facilitate international donor searches and expand the global pool of potential matches.
- ZKRD (Zentrale Knochenmarkspender Registry Deutschland)coreDKMS shares donor data with the German Central Bone Marrow Donor Registry to enable cross-border donor matching for patients requiring international searches.
- World Marrow Donor AssociationcoreDKMS participates in the World Marrow Donor Association network, collaborating with international registries worldwide to facilitate global donor searches and standardize practices.
- DKMS Germany and DKMS RegistrycoreDKMS UK operates as part of the international DKMS Group, sharing donor data with DKMS Germany and DKMS Registry gGmbH (based in Tübingen, Germany) for integrated global donor recruitment and matching.
- AmazonminorDKMS participates in Amazon Smile, receiving 0.5% of eligible purchases made by supporters who select DKMS as their charitable organization. No personal data is shared with Amazon.
- eBay for CharityminorSellers can donate a percentage of their item sale price to DKMS when listing on eBay. DKMS automatically receives the donation once items are sold.
- Give as you Live OnlineminorShopping portal that turns a percentage of purchases at over 4,000 retailers (including John Lewis, Expedia, Marks & Spencer) into free donations for DKMS.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DKMS UK competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- British Bone Marrow Registry (NHS Blood and Transplant): The NHS-operated UK stem cell donor registry, attached to the national blood service. Competes directly with DKMS UK for UK-based adult donors and transplant referrals.
- ZKRD (Zentrale Knochenmarkspender-Register Deutschland): Germany's central bone marrow donor registry, a named partner that shares donor data with DKMS UK for cross-border searches. Directly comparable nonprofit registry model.
- Gift of Life Marrow Registry: US-based nonprofit stem cell and marrow donor registry with a specific focus on Jewish and minority ethnic donor recruitment. Directly comparable mission and operating model.
- Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry: Canada's national stem cell donor registry operated by Canadian Blood Services. Comparable nonprofit government-affiliated registry model.
- Anthony Nolan: The UK's other major stem cell donor registry and a strategic partner of DKMS UK via the UK Stem Cell Registry. Directly competes for UK donor registrations and transplant center relationships.
- National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP / Be The Match): The largest US stem cell donor registry and a named international data-sharing partner of DKMS UK. Operates an identical buccal-swab registration and HLA typing model globally.
Others
- World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA): International association that coordinates stem cell donor registries worldwide and sets standards. DKMS UK is a member; WMDA is not a competitor but the coordinating body that enables the cross-border matching DKMS relies on.
Broad incumbents
- DKMS Group gGmbH: The German parent foundation that operates sister registries in Germany, the US (DKMS US), Poland, Chile, South Africa, India, and Brazil. Functions as both parent and the dominant global registry brand.
Emerging players
- ABMDR (Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry): Smaller ethnic-focused stem cell donor registry with similar nonprofit model. Comparable niche recruitment strategy targeting underrepresented populations.
Regional players
- Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry: Wales-based stem cell donor registry operating within the Welsh Blood Service. Comparable nonprofit model focused on a single UK nation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DKMS UK social profiles
Digital presenceDKMS UK financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DKMS UK leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
DKMS UK funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DKMS UK 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 DKMS UK
What does DKMS UK do?
DKMS UK operates a blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting potential donors aged 16-55 through online buccal swab kit registration, school-based programmes, community events, and virtual drives. Registered donors receive free HLA tissue typing and are added to a global database of 13 million donors for matching with patients needing stem cell transplants. The charity also generates donations and fundraising income to subsidize the approximately £40 per-donor registration cost.
Is DKMS UK a public or private company?
DKMS UK is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DKMS UK founded?
DKMS UK was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DKMS UK based?
DKMS UK is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does DKMS UK make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are third-Party Shopping and Giving Platforms.
Who are DKMS UK's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are British Bone Marrow Registry (NHS Blood and Transplant), ZKRD (Zentrale Knochenmarkspender-Register Deutschland), Gift of Life Marrow Registry, Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry, Anthony Nolan and National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP / Be The Match). World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) is listed as an others. DKMS Group gGmbH is listed as a broad incumbent. ABMDR (Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry) is listed as an emerging player. Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry is listed as a regional player.
Does DKMS UK have an API?
No public API is recorded for DKMS UK.
What industry is DKMS UK in?
DKMS UK's product category is Stem Cell Donor Registry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAJ, Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations, with a secondary code of HLAAAGAE, Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue). Its NAICS code is 621991 and its SIC code is 8300.