One of America’s leading neurorehabilitation and research hospitals has joined SCI Ventures, the first specialist venture fund dedicated to paralysis co-founded by Spinal Research.
Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado, has become a fund Partner, reinforcing a shared commitment to bringing new therapies to people living with paralysis.
Through the partnership, Craig Hospital will invest in SCI Ventures, join the Fund’s board of directors and contribute clinical expertise and direct connection to the patient community.
SCI Ventures was created in 2023 to bridge the early-stage funding gap that has long slowed the translation of promising neuroscience discoveries into clinical impact.
It was co-founded by Spinal Research with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Wings for Life, Shepherd Centre and Promobilia Foundation.
The initiative is already accelerating a new wave of innovation in neuro-restoration. SCI Ventures has built a portfolio of eight biotech and neurotechnology companies, with six already advancing programmes in human studies, and has attracted more than $500m in follow-on investments from top-tier VCs.
Portfolio companies include ONWARD Medical, which is behind the ARC-EX electrical spinal stimulation system – the first dedicated therapy for spinal cord injury to be approved for use.
EG427 is developing a targeted gene therapy for bladder dysfunction and Healx AI, is applying artificial intelligence to identify and rapidly advance repurposed drugs for spinal cord injuries.
“Success requires rallying the global spinal cord injury ecosystem around innovation,” said Adrien Cohen, Founding Managing Director of SCI Ventures. “Craig Hospital’s clinical and research leadership and deep connection to the SCI community will be invaluable as we translate promising breakthroughs into therapies that reach patients faster.”
Spinal Research is the leading UK charity funding and supporting the best research around the world to develop life-changing new treatments and therapies for those paralysed after a spinal cord injury.
Chief Executive Louisa McGinn said: “We’re incredibly proud to have co-founded this new venture model. The next five years present an unprecedented opportunity to change what’s possible for people living with spinal cord injuries.
“Breakthrough therapies are nearing clinical reality and frontier technologies — from AI and robotics to gene therapies — are opening bold new pathways toward recovery.
“We hope that by supporting the early-stage companies developing these treatments, with both capital and access to our network of experts, we will help accelerate delivery.”
Image: Adrien Cohen, Founding Managing Director of SCI Ventures. Source: Spinal Research
