What OpenBiome does

OpenBiome Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit organization, originally founded in 2012 as an MIT spinout, that operated the first public stool bank in the United States delivering investigational fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) treatments for Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infections. Over more than a decade it built standardized, cryopreserved FMT preparations and high-dose protocols for severe/fulminant disease, ultimately delivering 72,000+ investigational treatments to 1,300+ hospitals and clinics and contributing to the field that produced the first two FDA-approved live biotherapeutic drugs for C. diff. Following the FDA's decision to end enforcement discretion for stool banks, OpenBiome ceased direct FMT distribution in 2025 and reorganized as the OpenBiome Foundation on July 16, 2025.

Under the Foundation model, the organization no longer sells or distributes FMT products commercially. Its current offerings center on (1) the OpenBiome Biorepository—an open-access repository of stool samples and associated clinical data, (2) a targeted Grant Making Program funding pioneering microbiome research globally, (3) Field Building programs including white papers, clinical webinars, and the OpenDialog newsletter, and (4) advocacy for sound health policy and hospital-based FMT programs. Core technology assets include the proprietary donor screening and stool-banking protocols developed over the operational period and an IND-track manufacturing relationship with the University of Minnesota Microbiota Therapeutics Program (Dr. Alexander Khoruts).

The revenue model is foundation/grant-based: OpenBiome is funded through donations, grants, and charitable contributions rather than commercial sales, with disclosed historical capital limited to a $100K–$125K Y Combinator investment (Aug 2020) and small grants from the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (2022) and WPSS.bio (2020). Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on thought-leadership content, expert Q&As, webinars, and editorial coverage to reach clinicians, scientists, hospitals, and global health researchers. It is led by CEO Julie Barrett O'Brien with a newly elected board (Jane Williams as Chair), headquartered in Woburn, MA, and serves customers across North America and South America (notably Paraguay).

Name

OpenBiome

Legal name

The OpenBiome Foundation

Website

https://openbiome.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OpenBiome Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit that evolved from the first U.S. public stool bank into a research foundation advancing microbiome science through its biorepository, targeted grantmaking, and field-building programs for clinicians, scientists, hospitals, and global health researchers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microbiome Therapeutics Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) & Microbiota Restoration Products (HLAAAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA), General Gastroenterology (HLAKAEAA)

Keywords

• Microbiome therapeutics
• Stool banking services
• Biorepository access
• Research grantmaking
• Fecal microbiota transplantation

Headquarters

HQ city

Medford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation/Grant Model: As a nonprofit foundation, OpenBiome generates revenue through donations, grants, and charitable contributions rather than commercial product sales. They focus on advancing microbiome science through funding rather than direct revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The OpenBiome Foundation is a nonprofit that advances microbiome science and expands patient access to microbiome therapies through targeted grantmaking, an open-access biorepository, field-building education, and policy advocacy. Originally the operator of the first U.S. public stool bank that delivered 72,000+ investigational FMT treatments to 1,300+ hospitals for recurrent C. difficile infections, the foundation now focuses on funding pioneering research, sharing biological resources, and championing sound health policy for C. diff patients following the FDA's 2025 decision to end enforcement discretion for stool banks.

Product overview

OpenBiome Foundation operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs focused on accelerating microbiome science and expanding patient access to microbiome therapies. The core offerings include: (1) the OpenBiome Biorepository—an open-access biological resource repository of stool samples and associated data shared with researchers; (2) a Grant Making Program providing targeted funding for pioneering microbiome research; (3) Field Building initiatives including educational white papers, clinical webinars, and the OpenDialog newsletter featuring expert Q&As; and (4) advocacy and policy work to champion FMT access for C. difficile patients. The organization transitioned from its prior role as a stool bank providing investigational FMT treatments (over 72,000 treatments delivered to 1,300+ hospitals) to a foundation model focused on powering the next generation of discoveries through resource sharing and innovation support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microbiome Research Grant Making Program Targeted grantmaking program providing financial investments and global collaborations to support pioneering microbiome research aimed at advancing scientific breakthroughs. Designed for microbiome researchers, principal investigators, and clinician-scientists seeking funding for high-impact microbiome studies.
• Open-Access Biorepository and Biological Resources Open-access biological resource repository containing unparalleled stool samples and associated clinical data, made available to power the next generation of microbiome discoveries and scientific research. Targeted at microbiome researchers and clinicians worldwide.
• C. Diff Program — No Patient Left Behind Advocacy and policy program designed to close critical gaps in C. difficile treatment access, champion sound health policy, and develop new models for hospital-based FMT programs. Targeted at healthcare systems, clinicians, and C. diff patient communities.
• Field Building and Clinical Education Educational initiative comprising white papers, clinical webinars, research publications, expert Q&A content, and resources that equip clinicians, scientists, and healthcare systems with knowledge and tools to advance microbiome therapies. Targeted at clinicians, researchers, and healthcare systems.
• Hospital FMT Program Support and Know-How Sharing Advisory and know-how sharing service helping hospitals and healthcare systems establish their own IND-compliant FMT manufacturing capabilities after OpenBiome ceased commercial FMT distribution. Targeted at hospital leadership and clinical operations teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• FMT resolves 80-90% of recurrent C. difficile infections not responsive to antibiotic therapy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• University of Minnesota Microbiota Therapeutics ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership between 2022-2024 where UMN Microbiota Therapeutics Program served as manufacturer of FMT products for OpenBiome. Dr. Khoruts' program continues to work with OpenBiome Foundation to advocate for FDA reinstatement of enforcement discretion for severe/fulminant C. diff patients.
• Dr. Walter Sandoval - Paraguayan Gut Microbiome ProjectstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpenBiome funding enabled expansion of gut and vaginal microbiome studies, genotyping, and metabolomics research in Paraguay, including Indigenous communities. Facilitated connections with Poyet and Groussin Labs for international collaboration.
• Poyet and Groussin LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration connections facilitated through OpenBiome's networking efforts for Paraguayan microbiome research
• AGA FMT National RegistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Gastroenterological Association's FMT National Registry is a critical resource for advancing understanding of FMT safety and outcomes. OpenBiome strongly encourages all clinicians performing investigational FMT to participate in the registry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Seres Therapeutics: Seres developed VOWST, the first FDA-approved oral fecal microbiota spore therapy for recurrent C. difficile. Directly comparable to OpenBiome as a microbiome-therapeutics company targeting the same disease with an FMT-derived approach.
• Vedanta Biosciences: Vedanta develops defined bacterial consortia for microbiome-based therapeutics, including programs targeting recurrent C. difficile. Directly comparable as a clinical-stage microbiome therapeutics peer advancing live biotherapeutics.

Broad incumbents

• Ferring Pharmaceuticals (Rebyota): Ferring commercializes Rebyota, the first FDA-approved live biotherapeutic for recurrent C. diff, originally developed by Rebiotix. A broader incumbent that overlaps with OpenBiome's FMT-for-C. diff mission but operates at global pharmaceutical scale.

Regional players

• MaaT Pharma: European clinical-stage company developing microbiome-based therapies including FMT-derived products for C. diff and graft-versus-host disease. Comparable to OpenBiome's FMT and stool-banking focus but based in and primarily serving Europe.

Emerging players

• Assembly Biosciences: Clinical-stage biotech developing microbiome-targeted therapies for serious diseases. Comparable to OpenBiome as a microbiome therapeutics player, though with a smaller, earlier-stage portfolio overlapping in FMT-adjacent indications.
• Second Genome: Microbiome drug discovery company developing therapeutics that modulate the microbiome. Comparable to OpenBiome in targeting microbiome-based interventions, though focused on small-molecule and biologic discovery rather than FMT delivery.

Others

• American Gastroenterological Association (AGA): Operates the FMT National Registry, a key partner and data platform for FMT safety and outcomes that OpenBiome endorses. A professional society peer in advancing gastroenterology research, registries, and clinical guidelines.
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Disease-focused nonprofit that drives research funding, advocacy, and patient access for cystic fibrosis. Comparable to OpenBiome Foundation as a health-focused grantmaker and advocacy organization, though operating at much larger scale.
• Doris Duke Charitable Foundation: Major philanthropic foundation funding medical research and clinical care, including translational science. Comparable to OpenBiome Foundation as a grantmaking peer focused on advancing biomedical research.
• OpenBiome Foundation / Wyss Institute partnership (Harvard): Academic research institution that has historically collaborated on microbiome and engineering biology initiatives, with roots in OpenBiome's MIT heritage. A research-enabling peer in translational microbiome science, though not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/openbiome
• Xx.com/OpenBiome
• Facebookfacebook.com/openbiome

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors3 records

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 OpenBiome