Stanford Blood Center

What Stanford Blood Center does

Stanford Blood Center is a nonprofit community blood center founded in 1978 and operating as part of Stanford University Medical Center. The organization collects, tests, and distributes blood products and provides specialized histocompatibility and immunogenetics laboratory services to Bay Area hospitals and transplant programs. Stanford Blood Center operates four fixed donor centers in Menlo Park, Mountain View, Campbell, and Dublin, supported by mobile blood drives that travel to workplaces, schools, and community venues throughout the region. Its core products include whole blood donations, apheresis-based platelets, plasma, and SuperRed (double red blood cell) collections. Supporting laboratory services include a Donor Testing Laboratory performing infectious disease screening (West Nile Virus, Hepatitis B/C, HTLV, HIV), a Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory (HLA Lab) using next-generation sequencing for solid organ and bone marrow transplantation matching, and a Flow Cytometry Laboratory.

Stanford Blood Center distributes blood products under direct supply relationships with five named anchor hospital customers: Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, El Camino Hospital, and O'Connor Hospital San Jose. Revenue is generated through per-unit sales of blood products to healthcare facilities and professional services fees for HLA typing, donor testing, and flow cytometry. Financial gifts from the community and research-donation revenue streams supplement operating income. The go-to-market motion is community-led, sustained by volunteer donors, corporate partnerships (San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes, tech employers), social media campaigns (#givebloodSBC), and educational content (HemoBLOGin, PULSE magazine).

Recent strategic activity has focused on regulatory participation (FDA ADVANCE study, BERC emergency readiness coalition), digital donor experience (SBC preCheck™), and pandemic response (COVID-19 convalescent plasma collection). The organization operates under HIPAA compliance and FDA blood center regulation, with licensing and safety protocols that constitute significant barriers to entry. Stanford Blood Center's competitive position rests on its Stanford Health Care ecosystem affiliation, specialized HLA lab capabilities, and a multi-decade brand reputation in Bay Area transfusion and transplantation medicine.

Name

Stanford Blood Center

Legal name

Stanford Blood Center

Website

https://stanfordbloodcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Stanford Blood Center is a nonprofit community blood center founded in 1978, operating four Bay Area donor centers to collect, test, and distribute blood products and HLA typing services to regional hospitals including Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blood Banking Services

NAICS

Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (Blood Bank) (HLAFAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ), Blood Bank, Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (HLAHAAAH), Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Blood donation services
• Apheresis blood collection
• HLA typing services
• Transfusion medicine
• Blood component processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Menlo Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Blood Products Sales: Collection and distribution of blood products (whole blood, platelets, plasma, SuperRed) to partner hospitals and healthcare facilities
2. Laboratory Services: HLA typing, donor testing, and flow cytometry services for hospitals and transplant programs
3. Research Donations: Blood donations collected for research purposes including advancing transfusion and transplantation medicine
4. Financial Gifts: Community donations and financial contributions to support operations and educational programs

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Stanford Blood Center is a nonprofit community blood center that collects whole blood and apheresis components (platelets, plasma, SuperRed double red blood cells) at fixed donor centers and mobile blood drives, then tests and distributes these products to Bay Area hospitals. It also operates specialized laboratories — including the Donor Testing Laboratory, Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Laboratory (HLA Lab) using next-generation sequencing, and the Flow Cytometry Lab — that deliver HLA typing, infectious disease screening, and flow cytometry services supporting solid organ and bone marrow transplantation.

Product overview

Stanford Blood Center is a community blood center providing blood donation services and transfusion products. The core offerings include whole blood donation and apheresis procedures (platelets, plasma, and SuperRed double red blood cell donations). Supporting laboratory services include donor testing, Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (HLA) testing, and flow cytometry. Digital tools include SBC preCheck™ for appointment pre-registration and a Donor Loyalty Store rewards program. The center also operates a Milestone Program recognizing donors at key donation milestones.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HemoBLOGin: The official SBC blog featuring stories about blood donation, patient experiences, and blood center news.
• SBC preCheck
• Give Good

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• San Jose SharkscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 January 2024Annual 'Save a Life' blood drive partnership at SAP Center. Now in its 18th year, this is one of SBC's most popular drives expecting 200+ donors per event.
• Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2022First-in-the-nation partnership of community blood centers to prepare for emergencies causing high demand for blood transfusions.
• The Tech InteractiveminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 September 2021'Give Good' initiative where SBC makes financial contributions to The Tech for each donor during campaign periods to support educational programs for youth.
• Blood Centers of America (BCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational campaign participant for Ukraine relief efforts, coordinating blood and transfusion supply support across member centers.
• America's Blood CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational blood center association enabling nationwide emergency coordination and shared best practices.
• Fresenius KabiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in nationwide Ukraine relief campaign providing blood and transfusion supplies.
• Sharks FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLongstanding partnership for annual 'Save a Life' blood drives at SAP Center, supporting blood donation awareness.
• Donate Life CaliforniaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presentation at blood drives to register organ donors alongside blood donation collection.
• Be The Match RegistryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBone marrow donor registry registration available at blood drives to connect patients with potential marrow donors.
• Good Karma BikesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGive Good campaign partner where SBC donates for every 15 donors to support local kids programs.
• Lucile Packard Children's Hospital StanfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric hospital serving as primary recipient of blood products; co-sponsor of summer camp for transplant recipients; shared research initiatives.
• Stanford Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent healthcare system; Stanford Hospital is designated trauma hospital and primary recipient of blood products.
• Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGive Good winter campaign partner making donations for each blood donor.
• Bay Area Cancer ConnectionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGive Good campaign partner supporting patients touched by breast and ovarian cancer.
• BayKids StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGive Good campaign partner contributing to creative expression programs for children facing serious illness.
• Humane Society Silicon ValleyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGive Good holiday campaign partner making donations for animal medical needs.
• NC Fit / Jason KhalipaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to raise awareness about blood donation in honor of Ava Khalipa's leukemia treatment.
• California's Great AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThemed blood drive during Halloween Haunt event to add community spirit.
• San Jose EarthquakesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual mobile blood drive partnership at Buck Shaw Stadium.
• UC Berkeley Blood CenterminorGTM or Marketing Partner'Rivals for Life' annual competition blood drive between Stanford and Cal blood centers during Big Game weekend.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Red Cross Biomedical Services: The largest U.S. blood collector, supplying roughly 40% of the national blood supply. Comparable in operating model (community blood drives, fixed donor centers, HLA and testing labs) but at a much larger national scale.

Direct peers

• Vitalant: One of the largest community blood collectors in the U.S., operating donor centers, mobile drives, and specialty laboratories nationwide. Directly comparable as a multi-state nonprofit blood center with cell therapy and lab services.
• Carter BloodCare: Texas-based community blood center providing blood products and specialty laboratory services to hospital partners. Directly comparable regional blood-center model with attached lab capabilities.
• New York Blood Center: Independent community blood center serving the New York metropolitan area with blood collection, transplant services, and research programs. Closely comparable mission, structure, and mix of clinical and research activities.
• OneBlood: Large regional blood center serving Florida and surrounding states. Comparable in donor-center-and-mobile-drive model and in operating non-profit regional blood banking at scale.

Others

• CareDx: Specialty transplant diagnostics company with HLA typing and immune-monitoring services. Comparable to SBC's HLA lab on the specialty laboratory side, though CareDx serves a broader national transplant market.

Regional players

• San Diego Blood Bank: Independent California-based community blood bank operating donor centers and specialty laboratory services. Comparable regional nonprofit model, operating in a separate California geography from SBC.
• Bloodworks Northwest: Independent regional blood center serving the Pacific Northwest with donor collection, HLA, and transfusion medicine services. Highly comparable scale and mission to SBC but in a different geography.
• Héma-Québec: Provincial blood operator supplying hospitals across Quebec, with donor collection, HLA, and stem cell services. Highly comparable mission and structure to SBC though serving a Canadian jurisdiction.

Emerging players

• Grifols (Biomat USA plasma collection network): Operates a large U.S. plasma collection network with apheresis capabilities overlapping SBC's plasma collection offerings, though focused on source plasma for fractionation rather than transfusion medicine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/giveblood
• Facebookfacebook.com/200618490289954
• Instagraminstagram.com/stanfordbloodcenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/StanfordBloodCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stanfordbloodcenter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Stanford Blood Center