Oklahoma Blood Institute

What Oklahoma Blood Institute does

Oklahoma Blood Institute, operating as Our Blood Institute (OBI), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional blood center founded in 1977 and headquartered in Oklahoma City. It collects, processes, and distributes blood components (red blood cells, platelets, and plasma) to hospitals and medical facilities across Oklahoma, operating a hybrid network of fixed blood centers, mobile blood drives at workplaces, schools, and community locations, and digital self-service platforms including Donor EXPRESS (online pre-screening), Donor Portal, and the Donable peer-to-peer recruitment app.

The organization's underlying technology is conventional blood banking infrastructure with an emerging biotech layer. A new cleanroom facility enables OBI to convert donated blood into advanced cell therapies, representing a strategic pivot beyond traditional transfusion products into regenerative therapeutics. Donor engagement is supported by an integrated digital ecosystem (BioLinked, BloodStream, The Blood Matters Blog) that drives recruitment, retention, and education across web, mobile, and social channels. The Donable app monetizes donor referral, paying users for recruiting new donors to OBI locations.

The business model combines two revenue streams: hospital reimbursement for supplied blood products (a transaction-fee model priced per unit) and charitable financial contributions from the public. As a nonprofit, OBI does not charge donors; blood products are sold to healthcare providers at reimbursement rates. Geographic reach is currently Oklahoma-focused, though the rebrand to Our Blood Institute signals potential multi-state expansion. The organization employs 501-1,000 staff and is led by CEO John Armitage, MD, alongside CIO J.P. Potter, CMO Tuan N. Le, COO Kimberly van Antwerpen, and CFO Randall G. Stark.

Name

Oklahoma Blood Institute

Legal name

Our Blood Institute

Website

https://obi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Oklahoma Blood Institute, operating as Our Blood Institute, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit regional blood center that collects, processes, and distributes blood products to hospitals across Oklahoma through fixed centers, mobile drives, and digital donor platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blood Banking Services

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991)

akta.pro primary industry

Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (Blood Bank) (HLAFAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Blood Bank, Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (HLAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Blood banking services
• Nonprofit blood center
• Blood collection services
• Donor recruitment programs
• Cell therapy manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Blood Products Supply to Hospitals: Supplies blood and blood components (red blood cells, platelets, plasma) to regional hospitals and medical facilities. As a nonprofit blood center, revenue comes from reimbursements for blood products from healthcare providers.
2. Financial Donations: Accepts charitable financial contributions from the public. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN 73-1008735, relying on public donations to support operations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit blood center that collects, processes, tests, and distributes blood components — including red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and cryoprecipitate — to hospitals and medical facilities across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, and beyond. The organization also operates donor-facing digital tools, mobile blood drives, and a newly launched advanced cell therapy and cell engineering cleanroom.

Product overview

Our Blood Institute operates as a unified blood donation service platform, offering multiple interconnected donor-facing tools. The core product suite consists of Donor EXPRESS (online pre-screening), the Donable peer-to-peer recruitment app (mobile-based donor referral program), and the Donor Portal (account management with test results and scheduling). Supporting these are engagement platforms including BioLinked, BloodStream, and The Blood Matters Blog, which collectively form the donor experience ecosystem focused on recruitment, retention, and education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Donable: Peer-to-peer app that pays users for recruiting blood donors to OBI locations.
• Donor EXPRESS
• Donor Portal

Products and services

• Blood Products Supply to Hospitals
• Advanced Cell Therapy and Cell Engineering Services
• Donor EXPRESS Online Pre-Screening
• Donor Portal Online Account Management
• Donable Peer-to-Peer Donor Recruitment App
• Mobile Blood Drive Collection Service
• Financial Donation Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Platelet shelf life is extremely short; someone in the U.S. needs platelets every 15 seconds

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Medical & Hospital PartnerscoreOthersOur Blood Institute supplies blood products to regional hospitals and medical facilities as part of its core mission. These hospital partners receive blood for patient transfusions, emergency care, and surgical procedures. The organization maintains a dedicated hospital partner section on their website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carter BloodCare: Texas-based nonprofit community blood center supplying hospitals across North, Central, and East Texas. Closely comparable to OBI in scale, regional focus, and community-based donor recruitment approach.
• Vitalant: One of the largest U.S. community blood center networks, supplying hospitals across multiple states. Directly comparable to OBI in mission (nonprofit community blood collection), customer base (regional hospitals), and product mix (red cells, platelets, plasma).
• OneBlood: Large regional nonprofit blood center serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. Closely mirrors OBI's operating model — community-based blood collection, mobile drives, and direct hospital supply — at a larger multi-state scale.
• Versiti: Multi-state nonprofit blood center and diagnostic services organization with hospital supply and integrated research capabilities. Comparable to OBI across blood collection, hospital supply, and growing therapeutic/diagnostic adjacencies.
• Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center: Nonprofit blood center serving the Texas Gulf Coast region with hospital supply and community donor programs. Comparable regional operating model and scale to OBI.
• San Diego Blood Bank: Regional nonprofit blood center serving Southern California hospitals. Directly comparable to OBI on operating model, regional scope, and product portfolio including emerging cell therapy initiatives.
• Bloodworks Northwest: Pacific Northwest nonprofit blood center supplying hospitals in Washington and Oregon. Comparable to OBI in community-based blood collection and hospital supply, with similar regional nonprofit structure.
• New York Blood Center: Major nonprofit community blood center serving the New York region, also engaged in research and cell therapy. Comparable to OBI on core blood banking operations and on the emerging cell therapy/advanced therapeutics diversification strategy.
• BioBridge Global: Parent of South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, combining nonprofit blood banking with regenerative medicine and cell therapy capabilities. Closely mirrors OBI's strategic intent to evolve from a commodity blood bank into a broader biologics and cell therapy organization.

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross: The largest single U.S. blood collection and distribution organization, operating a national network of blood centers and hospital supply contracts. Directly comparable to OBI's blood banking model but at national scale and as a broadly diversified humanitarian nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/okblood
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OurBloodInstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/OklahomaBloodInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/our-blood-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/ourbloodinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oklahoma Blood Institute