Rare Disease Foundation
Rare Disease Foundation is a Vancouver-based Canadian non-profit founded in 2008 that provides treatment and research services for patients affected by rare diseases, operating with a small team under the chairmanship of Owen Underhill.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rare Disease Foundation does
Rare Disease Foundation is a Canadian non-profit organization incorporated in 2008 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. Per its own short description, it provides treatment and research services aimed at addressing diseases for patients, positioning it within the rare disease advocacy and patient-support ecosystem. The organization is led by Owen Underhill, who serves as Chairman of the board.
The foundation operates with a small team of 11-50 employees, consistent with a lean non-profit model reliant on donations, grants, and volunteer or contracted clinical/research partnerships rather than commercial revenue. The organization has no disclosed subsidiaries, no parent entity, no public ticker, and no documented funding rounds, M&A activity, or product launches in the available data. Its website (rarediseasefoundation.org) was inaccessible during data collection, returning only a security verification loading screen, so details on specific programs, beneficiary counts, donor base, research collaborations, geographic reach beyond Vancouver, and financial position are not observable from primary sources.
Strategically, the foundation fits the profile of a long-standing but small patient-advocacy non-profit: durable in longevity (17 years since founding) but narrow in observable scale and reach. No technology stack, AI/ML capabilities, integrations, certifications, patents, awards, partnerships, social media presence, or leadership team beyond the Chairman are documented. For PE/VC/M&A audiences, this entity is not an investment target in the conventional sense, but rather a potential philanthropic partner, co-funder of rare disease research, or acquisition target only if it holds specific assets (e.g., patient registries, research IP) not visible in the current data.
Rare Disease Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rare Disease Foundation
- Website
- https://rarediseasefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rare Disease Foundation is a Vancouver-based Canadian non-profit founded in 2008 that provides treatment and research services for patients affected by rare diseases, operating with a small team under the chairmanship of Owen Underhill.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rare Disease Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-Profit Rare Disease Patient Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
Keywords
Where Rare Disease Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Rare Disease Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Rare Disease Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rare Disease Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides treatment and research services for patients suffering from rare diseases. The foundation focuses on supporting affected individuals through patient-oriented programs and advancing research into under-served disease areas. Its mission centers on bridging gaps in care and scientific knowledge for conditions that receive limited attention from mainstream healthcare and pharmaceutical systems.
Product overview
The source content does not contain information about Rare Disease Foundation's products or services. The website displayed a verification/loading screen without providing access to product details.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Patient Treatment Services
Companies that use Rare Disease Foundation
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles2 records
Rare Disease Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Rare Disease Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves2 records
Rare Disease Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Genetic Alliance: Non-profit health advocacy organization focused on genetic and rare disease communities; comparable as a non-profit foundation providing support, research infrastructure, and resources to patients with rare conditions.
- Global Genes: US-based rare disease advocacy non-profit focused on connecting, empowering, and mobilizing the rare disease community; comparable mission and non-profit funding model around patient support and research enablement.
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): The leading US-based rare disease patient advocacy and research non-profit; directly comparable as a non-profit foundation supporting rare disease patients through research, treatment access, and policy advocacy.
- Orphanet: International reference portal and consortium for rare diseases and orphan drugs; comparable mission of improving diagnosis, care, and treatment of rare diseases through curated information and research resources.
- EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases: US-based rare disease non-profit focused on accelerating biotech innovation through policy and advocacy; comparable as a non-profit operating at the intersection of rare disease patient needs and research advancement.
- Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD): Canada's national rare disease patient advocacy organization; the most directly comparable peer given Rare Disease Foundation's Vancouver, Canada base and overlapping mission of treatment access and research support.
Broad incumbents
- Rare Diseases International: Global alliance of rare disease patient organizations; comparable non-profit mission around rare disease advocacy and treatment access, but operating at a larger international scale.
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Rare Diseases: UK-based research funding infrastructure with a dedicated rare diseases portfolio; comparable as a funder/convener of rare disease treatment and research activity, though structured as a government research arm rather than a foundation.
- EURORDIS - Rare Diseases Europe: European-wide alliance of rare disease patient organizations; a much larger, incumbent peer operating in the same rare disease support and advocacy space with a broader geographic mandate.
Regional players
- Children's Tumor Foundation: US-based non-profit focused on neurofibromatosis and related rare diseases; comparable as a disease-focused foundation funding research and supporting patient treatment, primarily US rather than Canadian.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Rare Disease Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceRare Disease Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rare Disease Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rare Disease Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rare Disease Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rare Disease Foundation
What does Rare Disease Foundation do?
Rare Disease Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides treatment and research services for patients suffering from rare diseases. The foundation focuses on supporting affected individuals through patient-oriented programs and advancing research into under-served disease areas. Its mission centers on bridging gaps in care and scientific knowledge for conditions that receive limited attention from mainstream healthcare and pharmaceutical systems.
When was Rare Disease Foundation founded?
Rare Disease Foundation was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rare Disease Foundation based?
Rare Disease Foundation is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are Rare Disease Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Genetic Alliance, Global Genes, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), Orphanet, EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases and Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD). Broad incumbents are Rare Diseases International, National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Rare Diseases and EURORDIS - Rare Diseases Europe. Children's Tumor Foundation is listed as a regional player.
Does Rare Disease Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rare Disease Foundation.
What industry is Rare Disease Foundation in?
Rare Disease Foundation's product category is Non-Profit Rare Disease Patient Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAM, Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations, with a secondary code of BPAGACAA, Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS). Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8300.