What FERNE does

FERNE (Foundation for the Education and Research in Neurological Emergencies) is a US-based 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving emergency care for patients with neurological emergencies through evidence-based medical education and research support. It serves practicing emergency physicians and emergency medicine residents globally, delivering content on stroke, seizures, traumatic brain injury, headaches, vertigo, and related conditions via video lectures, journal clubs, clinical updates, and conference presentations. Its core technology is a curated educational content platform (ferne.org) that synthesizes clinical practice guidelines from major medical societies—ACEP Clinical Policies and AES Guidelines—into actionable emergency-department decision support, developed and presented by recognized emergency neurology experts including its President Edward P. Sloan, MD, MPH (Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Chicago).

The organization is run by a small core team of approximately three to five named staff and board members (President Edward P. Sloan MD, Treasurer Christopher Lewandowski MD, Business Manager Carla Sloan MBA), with administrative operations anchored at the University of Illinois at Chicago. FERNE maintains an extensive distribution network through co-hosted symposia at major emergency medicine conferences including the ACEP Scientific Assembly, SAEM, EMRA, MEMC, World Congress in Emergency Medicine, EuSEM, and SIMEU, supplemented by a Mailchimp newsletter and active social channels including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok.

FERNE generates revenue through unrestricted educational grants from pharmaceutical sponsors, research grants administered on behalf of neurological emergency research, and endowment-funded symposia; all clinical content is provided free of charge to medical professionals. The organization has no software product, API, paid subscription, or commercial offering—its value is delivered entirely through educational programming and society-level partnerships, and it has not raised venture funding, pursued acquisitions, or expanded beyond the non-profit grant-funding model in its 20+ years of operation.

Name

FERNE

Legal name

Foundation for the Education and Research in Neurological Emergencies

Website

https://ferne.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FERNE is a US-based 501c3 non-profit that develops and distributes evidence-based clinical education content—video lectures, journal clubs, and clinical updates—on neurological emergencies for practicing emergency physicians and residents globally, funded through educational grants and society partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Medical Education Services: As a 501c3 non-profit organization, FERNE generates revenue through medical education programs, grants, and potentially membership/subscription for educational content. The organization receives support through unrestricted educational grants from pharmaceutical companies and operates grant-funded research programs.
2. Research Grants: FERNE solicits and administers research grants for neurological emergency research. The organization invites research grant proposals via email and supports educational symposia through endowment funds and unrestricted educational grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FERNE is a 501c3 nonprofit that develops and disseminates evidence-based educational content (journal clubs, clinical updates, video lectures, and research resources) on neurological emergencies for emergency physicians and emergency medicine residents. Content synthesizes clinical practice guidelines from major medical societies (ACEP, AES) into practical bedside decision support for conditions such as stroke, seizures/status epilepticus, traumatic brain injury, headache, and dizziness. Materials are distributed free of charge via ferne.org, email newsletter, social media, and presentations at major emergency medicine conferences worldwide.

Product overview

FERNE (Foundation for the Education and Research in Neurological Emergencies) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides educational content for emergency physicians on neurological emergencies. The organization offers a portfolio of educational resources including Journal Clubs (reviews of neuro emergency publications), Clinical Updates (current patient care information), Video Content (lectures from EM meetings), Research Resources (grant opportunities), and Meeting Presentations from conferences such as MEMC and World Congress Emergency Medicine. The content covers topics including stroke, seizures, traumatic brain injury, headache, dizziness/vertigo, and COVID-19 neurological implications. FERNE does not offer a software product, API, or technical integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Journal Clubs Reviews of neurological emergency patient care publications delivered in a structured Q&A format with references to clinical literature, available as downloadable PDFs on ferne.org for emergency physicians and residents.
• Clinical Updates Current evidence-based neurological emergency patient care information synthesized from major medical society guidelines (e.g., ACEP Clinical Policies, AES Guidelines) for emergency department clinical practice.
• Video Content Educational videos from emergency medicine meetings and conferences covering optimal diagnosis and treatment of neurological emergency patients, hosted on ferne.org and YouTube.
• Meeting Presentations Conference presentations and educational symposia delivered at major emergency medicine meetings including MEMC (Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Congress), World Congress in Emergency Medicine, ACEP Scientific Assembly, SAEM, and EMRA events.
• Research Resources Information on neurological emergency patient care research opportunities and grant proposal submission, with FERNE soliciting and administering research grants for neurological emergency research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clinical guidelines synthesized from 2014 ACEP, 2024 ACEP, 2016 AES, and 2020 AES policies for seizure and status epilepticus management

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE collaborates with ACEP on educational symposia and aligns its clinical content with ACEP Clinical Policies. The organizations co-host educational sessions at ACEP Scientific Assembly meetings, with FERNE providing neurological emergency-focused content integrated into ACEP's educational programming.
• Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE co-hosts educational sessions with EMRA at ACEP meetings, providing neurological emergency content specifically designed for emergency medicine residents. Sessions include case studies, sim wars competitions, and clinical policy reviews targeting trainee education.
• Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE partners with SAEM for educational programming including annual meetings and the Neurocritical Care Society joint sessions. The collaboration focuses on academic emergency medicine research and education in neurological emergencies.
• EB MedicinemoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE collaborates with EB Medicine to develop educational content, including podcast presentations and clinical monographs on neurological emergencies. EB Medicine provides CME support for FERNE educational initiatives.
• Emergency Medicine FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a charitable organization partner in the neurological emergencies links section, indicating alignment in supporting emergency medicine research and education.
• Mediterranean Emergency Medicine Congress (MEMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE is a consistent participant in MEMC, hosting educational tracks on neurological emergencies at this major international emergency medicine conference held in various European locations.
• European Society for Emergency Medicine (EuSEM)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE participates in EuSEM congresses, contributing neurological emergency educational content to European emergency medicine audiences and facilitating international knowledge exchange.
• SIMEU (Italian Society of Emergency Medicine)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFERNE has collaborated with SIMEU for joint educational programs including case conferences and neurological emergency lectures at Italian emergency medicine congresses.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• EB Medicine: Publisher of peer-reviewed CME clinical content for emergency physicians, including monographs and podcasts on neurological emergencies. FERNE explicitly collaborates with EB Medicine, but EB Medicine operates a paid subscription model that contrasts with FERNE's free content.
• Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM): Free, web-based educational platform for emergency medicine clinicians and residents that, like FERNE, produces curated clinical content, online journal clubs, and conference-adjacent educational materials for the EM community.

Broad incumbents

• American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP): The largest U.S. emergency medicine professional society, a FERNE strategic partner and host of the ACEP Scientific Assembly where FERNE co-presents neurological emergency symposia. ACEP is a multi-product incumbent across advocacy, education, and publishing.
• Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM): Academic emergency medicine society that co-hosts educational programming with FERNE and runs its own annual meeting, fellowships, and peer-reviewed journal. SAEM is broader in scope but overlaps directly on FERNE's educational mission.
• Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA): Trainee-led emergency medicine organization that partners with FERNE to deliver resident-focused neuro-emergency content at ACEP meetings. EMRA's broader product set (publications, advocacy, job resources) contrasts with FERNE's single-topic focus.
• American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM): Alternative emergency medicine professional society competing for physician mindshare, conference attendance, and educational content distribution; overlaps FERNE's clinician audience but operates as a broader society.

Emerging players

• CorePendium: EB Medicine's continually updated digital emergency medicine reference/textbook. A commercial productizing play in the same clinical-content category where FERNE offers free educational material.
• Neurocritical Care Society: Society dedicated to neurocritical care that overlaps FERNE on stroke, status epilepticus, and TBI content and co-presents with SAEM. It is more specialized in ICU neuro care whereas FERNE targets the ED entry point.
• SGU Podcast / Skeptic's Guide to Emergency Medicine: Independent podcast and educational resource critiquing EM literature and clinical guidelines, comparable in format (audio/video, evidence-based emergency medicine teaching) to FERNE's journal club and clinical update content.

Others

• Emergency Medicine Foundation: Charitable foundation supporting emergency medicine research and education, listed as a FERNE non-profit partner. Closely related ecosystem role but distinct function as a research grantmaker rather than content provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@ferneorg
• Xx.com/FerneOrg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 FERNE