December 12, 2025
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Kindling Bio is proud to have been awarded 1st Prize at Hack4Hope 2025, receiving €100,000 in funding and strategic support from the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC).
Hack4Hope, organised by PSCC and its Childhood Cancer Working Group, brought together clinicians, academic researchers, patient organisations, industry leaders and early-stage innovators with the shared goal of accelerating meaningful innovation for children with cancer. The event was held on 3rd December 2025, at Future4care in Paris and welcomed approximately 150 participants across the paediatric oncology ecosystem.
During the programme, Kindling Bio’s CEO and Co-founder, Dr. Aleck Jones, pitched alongside an inspiring group of finalists advancing innovation across childhood cancer care. The award followed an intensive, highly collaborative day of discussion and expert feedback designed to strengthen each project and accelerate progress toward better outcomes for young patients and their families.
“This recognition from Hack4Hope and the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster is hugely meaningful for us as a young company. The opportunity to engage directly with clinicians, patient advocates, and experts across paediatric oncology has already strengthened our thinking and sharpened our path forward.” — Dr. Aleck Jones, Co-founder and CEO of Kindling Bio
In addition to funding, the award establishes a new strategic relationship with PSCC, one of Europe’s leading cancer innovation clusters. This support will help Kindling Bio accelerate development of its paediatric-led cancer gene therapy platform and deepen its engagement within the European childhood cancer ecosystem.
Hack4Hope 2025 was supported by Imagine for Margo – Children without Cancer, Foundation S, LifeArc, Sanofi and Bristol Myers Squibb, and showcased nine finalist companies committed to advancing innovation in paediatric oncology.
Looking Ahead
Winning Hack4Hope represents an important milestone for Kindling Bio as we continue to build a fundamentally different approach to cancer immunotherapy, designed around the unique biology and unmet needs of children.
With the support of PSCC, we will focus on strengthening our scientific foundations, accelerating preclinical progress, and expanding collaborations that help move our cancer gene therapy platform closer to the clinic.
About Kindling Bio
Kindling Bio is a biotechnology company developing paediatric-led, next-generation cancer gene therapies that reprogramme tumour biology and harness children’s immune responses to fight a wide range of tumours. The company is based at the London Cancer Hub.
About the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster
The Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC) is a world-class cancer innovation biocluster selected under France’s Healthcare Innovation 2030 plan, with a mission to accelerate breakthroughs that improve cancer outcomes worldwide. Founded by leading academic, clinical and industry institutions, PSCC brings together researchers, clinicians, startups and pharmaceutical partners to translate cutting-edge science into impactful diagnostic and therapeutic solutions, positioning France and Europe at the forefront of global cancer innovation.
