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Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation was founded in 1967 by Dr. Irwin M. and Suzanne Rosenthal, along with Dr. Henry D.
Crohn's & Colitis Foundation
The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation was founded in 1967 by Dr. Irwin M. and Suzanne Rosenthal, along with Dr. Henry D. Janowitz, after a personal battle with Crohn's disease. Michael Osso has served as President and CEO since 2017, overseeing a national network of chapters and a research engine that has funded more than 2,000 research projects. The wealth originates from public donations, corporate partnerships with pharmaceutical firms like AbbVie and Janssen, and foundation grants. The foundation pursues a dual strategy: funding basic science and translational research through traditional grants, and operating a venture philanthropy arm called the IBD Ventures program. This program makes direct equity investments in early-stage biotech and digital health companies targeting inflammatory bowel disease. Asset classes include private equity (venture capital), grants, and patient-support services. Geographically, the foundation focuses on the United States but collaborates with researchers globally. Notable portfolio companies include Enshored Therapeutics, Senda Biosciences, and others targeting novel mechanisms in IBD. Though the foundation does not disclose AUM, it reported $57.5 million in total revenue for fiscal 2023 (per public filings). The team includes over 100 employees across five regional offices. Adjacent structures include the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Research Alliance, a partnership with the National Institutes of Health, and a patient registry called IBD Plexus that connects real-world clinical data with genomic and microbiome data. In December 2024, the foundation launched a $50 million IBD Venture Fund to accelerate early-stage therapeutic development (per the foundation, December 2024). The foundation's structural differentiator is its venture philanthropy model — it behaves like a patient-advocacy group and a venture capital firm simultaneously. By taking equity stakes in portfolio companies, it aligns financial returns with mission outcomes, and its deep patient registry provides a unique data advantage for drug developers. This hybrid structure is rare among disease foundations, which typically rely solely on grants.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
1967
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Additional offices
Bethesda, MD · San Francisco, CA · Chicago, IL · Dallas, TX · Atlanta, GA
Principals
Michael Osso
President & Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Andres Hurtado-Lorenzo
Senior Vice President, Translational Research & Scientific Initiatives
Laura Wingate
Executive Vice President, Mission
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation?
Michael Osso serves as President and CEO, overseeing the broader organization. The venture investment decisions are guided by a scientific advisory board and the IBD Ventures team. Specific investment leads are not publicly named, but the National Scientific Advisory Committee evaluates research grants (per the foundation's website).
How does the foundation source proprietary deal flow?
The foundation leverages its deep patient registry, IBD Plexus, and relationships with leading academic medical centers in the U.S. It also receives direct solicitations from biotech companies targeting IBD. The venture team reviews opportunities through the lens of translational potential and alignment with patient needs.
Is the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation structured as a venture firm or a non-profit?
It is legally a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. However, it operates a venture philanthropy program (IBD Ventures) that makes equity investments alongside grants. The foundation aims for financial returns on those investments to recycle capital into new research, distinct from a typical grant-only foundation (per public filings).
Does the foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct investments?
The IBD Ventures program focuses on direct equity investments in early-stage companies developing IBD therapeutics, diagnostics, or digital health tools. There is no public evidence of the foundation committing capital to external venture funds.
What investment stages does the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation typically target?
The foundation targets early-stage opportunities — typically seed to Series A — within the IBD space. It prefers companies with proof-of-concept data in animal models or early human trials. The recent $50M IBD Venture Fund specifically aims to accelerate preclinical and early clinical assets (per the foundation, December 2024).
How is the foundation related to pharmaceutical companies?
The foundation receives corporate sponsorships and partnership funding from major pharmaceutical firms such as AbbVie, Janssen, and Takeda for patient education and research initiatives. These relationships are disclosed in annual reports but are separate from the foundation's independent venture investment decisions.
What is the foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external VCs?
The foundation has not publicly disclosed active co-investment partnerships with venture capital firms. However, its venture arm may invest alongside VC firms in syndicated rounds for IBD-focused companies, with the foundation taking a mission-aligned minority stake.
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