Coalition for Aligning Science

What Coalition for Aligning Science does

Coalition for Aligning Science (CAS), founded in 2020 by Dr. Ekemini A.U. Riley and headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, is a service-based organization that designs and implements large-scale biomedical research programs on behalf of philanthropic funders. CAS does not function as a traditional grantmaker or product vendor; instead, it operates as an implementation partner, identifying knowledge gaps within a disease area, building cross-sector coalitions, designing and managing the resulting research programs, and applying data-driven evaluation to guide the strategic use of private capital. Its flagship initiatives span neurodegeneration (Aligning Science Across Parkinson's, ASAP), neuropsychiatry (Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving With Bipolar Disorder, BD²), neurodevelopment (Aligning Research to Impact Autism, ARIA), emerging therapeutics (Aligning Discoveries Across Psychedelic Therapies, ADAPT), public health surveillance (Wastewater SCAN), and an overarching CNS-focused effort (CNS Quest). Core partners include the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Cure Parkinson's, Parkinson's Foundation, Parkinson's UK, the Sergey Brin Family Foundation, Catalyst4, Verily, and academic founding partners Stanford, University of Michigan, and Emory. The underlying operating model combines program management, research administration, open science frameworks (open data, code, protocols), and Direct Advising services for family offices and nonprofits on science and health-based giving.

CAS operates with a small team of approximately 18 PhD-level staff across program management, data strategy, communications, and research administration. Its revenue model is managed services-based, blending program management fees on administered philanthropic capital, retainers from DirectAdvising engagements, and operating support from funders; the organization does not sell products directly, has no disclosed pricing model, and does not publish revenue. The customer base is essentially a small group of large philanthropic funders and research non-profits, with CNS Quest and ASAP representing the largest and most strategic relationships.

Name

Coalition for Aligning Science

Legal name

Coalition for Aligning Science

Website

https://aligningscience.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Coalition for Aligning Science is a Chevy Chase-based service organization that designs and manages large-scale biomedical research programs on behalf of philanthropic funders, operating flagship initiatives in Parkinson's, bipolar disorder, autism, psychedelic therapies, and wastewater surveillance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research Program Management and Philanthropic Advising

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Clinical Trial Informatics (EDC/CTMS/eCOA/eTMF) (HLAGAJAM)

Keywords

• Biomedical research consulting
• Strategic philanthropy advising
• Research program management
• Open science frameworks
• Venture philanthropy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chevy Chase

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Service-Based Organization / Program Management: CAS is a service-based organization that designs and implements large-scale biomedical research programs. They manage initiatives funded by philanthropic capital and serve as implementation partners for funding collaboratives. They do not operate as a grantor but manage funding opportunities through their initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CAS designs and implements large-scale biomedical research programs and provides strategic advising to family offices and nonprofit funders on science and health-based giving. It acts as an implementation partner managing flagship initiatives in Parkinson's, bipolar disorder, autism, psychedelic therapies, and wastewater-based infectious disease surveillance under open science principles.

Product overview

The Coalition for Aligning Science (CAS) is an organization that designs and implements large-scale biomedical research programs to accelerate discoveries. CAS operates as a service-based organization managing multiple flagship research initiatives: Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP), Wastewater SCAN, Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving With Bipolar Disorder (BD²), Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA), and Aligning Discoveries Across Psychedelic Therapies (ADAPT). These initiatives span neurological conditions (Parkinson's, autism, bipolar disorder), psychedelic therapies, and wastewater-based epidemiology. CAS also partners with CNS Quest and offers DirectAdvising services to guide science and health-based giving for family offices and nonprofits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP): A collaborative initiative fostering resources to better understand the underlying causes of Parkinson's disease, jointly implemented with the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
• Wastewater SCAN
• Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving With Bipolar Disorder (BD2)
• Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA)
• ADAPT
• CNS Quest

Products and services

• Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) ASAP is a flagship initiative fostering collaboration and resources to better understand the underlying causes of Parkinson's disease; CAS jointly implements it alongside the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
• Wastewater SCAN Wastewater SCAN is a wastewater-based epidemiology program that partners with communities in California and Verily to monitor wastewater for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses across the U.S.
• Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving With Bipolar Disorder (BD²) BD² is an initiative providing access to breakthrough insights on bipolar disorder through four programs: BD² Discovery Grants, Brain Omics, Genetics Platforms, and the Integrated Network.
• Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA) ARIA is a cross-disciplinary initiative connecting emerging science, technologies, and insights to advance autism research and create more therapeutic opportunities for people with profound autism and people on the spectrum.
• Aligning Discoveries Across Psychedelic Therapies (ADAPT) ADAPT brings structure and collaboration to the emerging field of psychedelic therapies research, establishing robust and independently validated research methods to understand therapeutic benefits and mechanisms.
• CNS Quest CNS Quest focuses on accelerating discoveries, advancing treatments and care, and improving daily lives of people impacted by Parkinson's disease, autism, bipolar disorder, and other central nervous system conditions, with CAS acting as implementation partner.
• DirectAdvising DirectAdvising is a service in which CAS partners with family offices and nonprofit organizations to guide their science and health-based giving using a data-driven, holistic approach.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,300+ research outputs generated through ASAP initiative
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• OA WorkssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator providing open access expertise and support for scientific knowledge sharing initiatives across CAS programs.
• Cure Parkinson'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based Parkinson's organization collaborating on research initiatives, particularly within the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) program to accelerate understanding of Parkinson's disease.
• DataSeersupportingTechnology or IntegrationData management and transparency services partner supporting open science frameworks and data sharing best practices across CAS initiatives.
• The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary partner in jointly implementing the ASAP initiative. MJFF is the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, working alongside CAS to foster collaboration and resources to understand Parkinson's disease.
• Parkinson's FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing resources and research support for Parkinson's disease, collaborating within the ASAP initiative network.
• Parkinson's UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Parkinson's research and support organization partnering within the ASAP Collaborative Research Network to advance understanding of Parkinson's disease.
• StratossupportingTechnology or IntegrationPlatform partner supporting research coordination and collaboration infrastructure for CAS-managed initiatives.
• YLDsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization contributing to coalition-building efforts and multidisciplinary collaboration within CAS programs.
• VerilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLife sciences research company partnering with SCAN to offer communities across the U.S. opportunity to monitor wastewater for COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses using SCAN's method.
• Stanford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in developing the SCAN wastewater detection method for COVID-19 virus RNA in sewage, providing actionable community infection level information.
• University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in developing the SCAN wastewater detection method for COVID-19 virus RNA in sewage, providing actionable community infection level information.
• Emory UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner in developing the SCAN wastewater detection method for COVID-19 virus RNA in sewage, providing actionable community infection level information.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy: Milken Institute's Center for Strategic Philanthropy provides data-driven philanthropic advising to donors - the same core service as CAS's DirectAdvising. CAS Founder Ekemini Riley previously served as Director at Milken Institute, making this a direct conceptual and operational peer.
• FasterCures: A Milken Institute center focused on accelerating biomedical research and patient access to therapies. FasterCures convenes multi-sector stakeholders around specific disease research challenges, overlapping directly with CAS's coalition-building, open data, and program coordination approach.
• Critical Path Institute: A nonprofit that coordinates pre-competitive consortia to accelerate medical product development, including clinical trial data sharing and regulatory science. Closely parallels CAS's model of managing multi-stakeholder research programs with shared data infrastructure.
• Wellcome Leap: Established by Wellcome Trust to fund bold, time-bound programs that solve specific health challenges at scale. Wellcome Leap's model of designing large-scale, milestone-driven research programs is structurally analogous to ASAP, BD², and other CAS initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI Science): A major philanthropic entity funding biomedical research at scale through CZI Science and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network. Operates as a broader incumbent with multiple programs and infrastructure investments in biomedical research, overlapping with CAS's mission and funder pool.
• Schmidt Sciences: Eric Schmidt's science philanthropy vehicle funding large-scale research programs and AI for science. Compares to CAS as a similarly structured science-focused philanthropic organization, though with broader scope across physical and life sciences.

Emerging players

• Arc Institute: A research organization founded by Patrick Collison that funds and conducts large-scale biomedical research with a focus on complex diseases. Comparable to CAS in its model of tackling ambitious disease-focused programs with concentrated resources and open science principles.
• Cures Within Reach: A nonprofit that funds clinical repurposing trials, building bridges between researchers, funders, and patient communities. Smaller and more specialized than CAS, but shares the coalition-driven approach to addressing gaps in biomedical research.

Others

• Center for Open Science: A nonprofit that builds open science infrastructure (OSF Registries, preprint infrastructure). Comparable to CAS's open science workstream, particularly given that CAS Open Science Consultant Robert Thibault was recognized by Stanford's Center for Open and Reproducible Science.
• Helmsley Charitable Trust: A major private foundation funding healthcare and biomedical research programs. Representative of the family office / foundation donor category that CAS serves through DirectAdvising, and a potential funder/partner archetype.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/aligningscience.com
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coalition-for-aligning-science

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Coalition for Aligning Science