Emerge Australia

What Emerge Australia does

Emerge Australia Inc. is the national Australian not-for-profit organization providing information, support, and advocacy for people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and long COVID. Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Melbourne, it serves an estimated 250,000 to 600,000 affected Australians through a portfolio of direct service, education, research-enablement, and policy-advocacy programs. The organization is governed by a Board of which half of members live with or care for someone with ME/CFS.

The operational product portfolio centers on (1) direct patient services — a federally funded nurse-led Telehealth Support Call Service for housebound and bedbound patients, facilitated online Support Groups, and Support Service and GP directories; (2) clinical education — the Learn With Emerge Australia program and a partnership with the US-based Bateman Horne Center, plus Continuing Professional Development modules and HealthPathways resources for GPs, RACP, and RACGP clinicians; (3) research enablement — operation of the AusME Registry and Biobank, a monthly Research Digest (129+ issues), and stakeholder consultation on federally funded NHMRC clinical guidelines; and (4) awareness and advocacy — the Imagine Podcast Series (50+ episodes), ME/CFS and Long COVID Awareness Weeks, annual Journalism Excellence Awards, and the bipartisan Parliamentary Friends of ME/CFS group.

Emerge Australia is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (DGR-eligible, ABN 22 385 438 041) and generates no commercial revenue from its services. Its revenue model is a mix of federal government grants (Department of Health and Aged Care funding secured through 30 November 2026, plus $1.1 million NHMRC grant for clinical guidelines), individual donations (EOFY appeals, monthly giving, Pedal for Power fundraiser), planned giving (gift in will), corporate workplace giving partnerships, and community membership. The organization operates in a single country (Australia) with no parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Emerge Australia

Legal name

Emerge Australia Inc.

Website

https://emerge.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emerge Australia is a Melbourne-based national not-for-profit (founded 1980) providing telehealth, education, research enablement, and policy advocacy for Australians living with ME/CFS and long COVID, funded by federal grants, donations, and membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chronic disease patient advocacy and support services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Chronic disease advocacy
• Patient support services
• Telehealth patient support
• ME/CFS awareness
• Health professional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Federal government funding through the Department of Health and Aged Care, currently secured until 30 November 2026. Funding supports telehealth and patient support services. The organization is applying for continued funding under the Chronic Conditions Framework.
2. Donations and Appeals: Individual donations through EOFY appeals, monthly giving, Pedal for Power fundraiser, and general fundraising campaigns. Tax-deductible donations for DGR-eligible contributions.
3. Gift in Will / Bequests: Planned giving through gift in wills for long-term sustainability.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Workplace giving programs and corporate partner relationships.
5. Membership: Membership program for community members to support the organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Emerge Australia is a national not-for-profit that delivers free patient support services, education, research facilitation, and policy advocacy for people living with ME/CFS and long COVID in Australia. Its core service is a federally funded nurse-led Telehealth Support Call Service for patients (many of whom are housebound or bedbound), complemented by facilitated online support groups, online live education, an AusME Registry and Biobank for research, a monthly Research Digest, and parliamentary advocacy through the Parliamentary Friends of ME/CFS group.

Product overview

Emerge Australia is a national not-for-profit organization providing a comprehensive suite of services for people affected by ME/CFS and long COVID. The organization's product portfolio centers on patient support services (Telehealth Support Call Service, Support Groups, Support Service Directory), education (Learn With Emerge Australia program, GP Directory), research facilitation (AusME Registry and Biobank, monthly Research Digest), and advocacy (ME/CFS Awareness Week campaigns, Parliamentary Friends of ME/CFS group). The Emerge Australia Imagine Podcast Series serves as a key awareness and community engagement platform, featuring personal stories and expert interviews. The organization is also coordinating the development of new Australian Clinical Guidelines for ME/CFS through NHMRC funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Telehealth Support Call Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of respondents reported improved access to health services through telehealth
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Parliamentary Friends of ME/CFSflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Bipartisan parliamentary group co-chaired by Dr Mike Freelander MP and Senator Jordon Steele-John, with 18 other MPs. Provides forum for ME/CFS advocacy at federal level. Emerge Australia CEO Anne Wilson and community members present at meetings.
• ME/CFS Alliance AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of ME/CFS advocacy organizations including Bridges & Pathways, Emerge Australia, ME Advocacy Network, ME/CFS Australia, and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Group Australia. Works on shared advocacy priorities.
• Bateman Horne CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with US-based Bateman Horne Center for clinical education, specifically the 'Learn With Emerge Australia & Bateman Horne Center' online education program.
• AusME RegistrycoreOthersNational ME/CFS and long COVID registry and biobank for research purposes, operated in collaboration with Australian researchers and institutions.
• National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHMRC is developing new Australian clinical guidelines for ME/CFS with $1.1 million federal funding, in consultation with Emerge Australia and other stakeholders.
• Department of Health and Aged Care (Australian Federal Government)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal government department providing funding for telehealth and patient support services through the Chronic Conditions Framework. Emerge Australia is seeking continued Tier 1 funding.
• ME/CFS AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of ME/CFS Alliance Australia coalition working on shared advocacy priorities at national level.
• Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulted by NHMRC in development of new ME/CFS clinical guidelines.
• Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulted by NHMRC in development of new ME/CFS clinical guidelines.
• Burnet InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution where Dr Emma Tippett presented on diagnostic challenges and clinical pathways at Parliamentary Friends Group meeting.
• Community Advisory Panel MemberscoreOthersOver 30 community members selected as panelists to provide input on advocacy priorities, representing diverse perspectives from people with ME/CFS and long COVID.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Solve ME/CFS Initiative: US-based nonprofit advocating for ME/CFS research and patient support. Comparable to Emerge Australia in combining patient advocacy, research facilitation, and government engagement to advance ME/CFS recognition and care.
• ME Association: UK-based charity providing information, support, and advocacy for people with ME/CFS. Highly comparable mission to Emerge Australia, operating in a different geography but with closely aligned services and patient community.
• Bateman Horne Center: US-based center of excellence providing clinical care, research, and education for ME/CFS and long COVID. Already a strategic partner of Emerge Australia and directly comparable in clinical education and patient support mission.
• Long COVID Alliance: US-led coalition of patient-advocates, scientists, and organizations focused on Long COVID. Comparable to Emerge Australia's long COVID advocacy work, with overlapping patient populations and policy objectives.
• ME/CFS Australia: Australian state-based ME/CFS advocacy organization and member of the ME/CFS Alliance Australia coalition alongside Emerge Australia. Direct peer operating in the same domestic market with overlapping patient community.
• ME Advocacy Network: Australian ME advocacy organization and member of the ME/CFS Alliance Australia coalition. Direct peer operating alongside Emerge Australia with shared advocacy priorities at the federal level.
• Action for ME: UK charity advocating for people with ME and supporting research. Comparable to Emerge Australia as a national patient advocacy organization offering support services, information resources, and policy engagement.

Emerging players

• Patient-Led Research Collaborative: Patient-led research collective focused on Long COVID. Comparable to Emerge Australia in combining lived-experience leadership with research output, though more research-oriented and operating at smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• Open Medicine Foundation: Global organization funding and conducting ME/CFS and long COVID research. Broader in scope and more research-focused than Emerge Australia, but addresses the same patient populations and conditions.
• National Health Council: US-based nonprofit providing advocacy, policy, and research support across chronic disease patient organizations. Comparable to Emerge Australia in policy advocacy function, but operates at a broader cross-disease scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/EmergeAus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@emergeaustralia6693
• Facebookfacebook.com/emergeaustraliainc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emergeaustraliainc
• Instagraminstagram.com/emergeaustraliainc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Emerge Australia