Croí

What Croí does

Croí is an Irish registered charity (RCN 20016616), founded in 1986 as The West of Ireland Cardiac Foundation, that leads public-facing efforts to prevent and manage heart disease and stroke in Ireland, with a particular focus on the West of Ireland. Headquartered at Croí House in Newcastle, Galway, the charity operates with 11–50 employees and delivers a multidisciplinary service portfolio spanning a nurse-led telephone and online helpline (Croí Connects), community outreach and workplace wellness programmes, condition-specific health education (Heart Condition Hub, Women At Heart, ASCVD awareness), stroke rehabilitation programmes, structured health improvement courses (Croí Healthy Hearts, ACTivate Your Life), and exercise classes. It is the only Irish affiliate of the Global Heart Hub and a member of FH Europe, and partners clinically with GPs, Galway University Hospitals, and the Irish Association of Heart Failure Nurses (IAHFN).

The underlying technology stack is standard and non-proprietary: a WordPress CMS-based website (croi.ie) hosting condition resources, an online referral form, and a membership/course management system; Zoom for live online health chats and webinars; Stripe for payment processing; Microsoft Clarity and Google Analytics for web analytics; and CookieYes for consent management. The Croí Connects Podcast is distributed across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podchaser, and I Heart Radio, supported by Novartis. No AI/ML capabilities, proprietary algorithms, or data analytics platforms are disclosed.

Croí's business model is a diversified charity funding model with no pricing on core services: all patient-facing services (helpline, online chats, webinars, community programmes, exercise classes, resources) are provided free of charge. Revenue is generated through one-time and recurring public donations, fundraising events (Croí Night Run, Croí Galway Race Day), an annual Win A Volvo lottery (Volvo XC60 or €60,000 cash prize), corporate sponsorships and partnerships (Benecol, Novartis, Connacht Hospitality Group, IFA), EU project grants (Heartsafe NWE, JACARDI), legacy giving, and a non-publicly-priced membership/course area. Customer segments are horizontal and fragmented: patients and families with cardiovascular conditions, stroke survivors, healthcare professionals who refer patients, employers and community organisations, and the general prevention-focused public.

Name

Croí

Legal name

CROÍ Ireland

Website

https://croi.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Croí is an Irish registered charity that provides free heart disease and stroke prevention, education, rehabilitation, and nurse-led helpline services to patients, families, and the public, with a focus on the West of Ireland and national reach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: The charity solicits one-time and recurring donations from the public via its website donate pages and direct appeals. Donations are the primary funding source supporting free heart health services.
2. Fundraising Events: Croí organises and hosts fundraising events including the annual Croí Charity Night Run, Croí Galway Race Day, and other community fundraising activities. Revenue is generated through event registrations, sponsorship, and participant fundraising.
3. Lottery/Raffle Campaigns: The Win A Volvo annual lottery campaign offers prizes (Volvo XC60 or €60,000 cash) with ticket sales supporting the charity's free heart health checks and work.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships and sponsorships (e.g., Benecol sponsoring the Night Run, Novartis supporting the podcast) provide funding and in-kind support in exchange for brand visibility.
5. Membership and Courses: A membership area provides access to courses and educational content. The scope and pricing of membership are not publicly disclosed.
6. EU Project Funding: Croí participates in EU-funded projects including Heartsafe NWE and JACARDI, which provide grant funding for specific community health programmes.
7. Legacy Giving: The charity promotes legacy giving and wills as a long-term fundraising channel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Croí is a registered Irish heart and stroke charity that delivers free cardiovascular prevention, education, rehabilitation, and patient support services. Its flagship offering is Croí Connects, a Cardiac Nurse Specialist helpline and online chat service, supplemented by structured health programmes (Croí Healthy Hearts, ACTivate Your Life, Stroke Rebuild, MyStroke), community exercise classes (Back To Fitness, Yoga, Strengthening Workouts), condition-specific education (Women At Heart, ASCVD Programme, Heart Condition Hub), workplace wellness outreach, and patient advocacy through Heart & Stroke Voice Ireland. Fundraising events and EU-funded projects (Heartsafe NWE, JACARDI) sustain free service delivery.

Product overview

Croí is a heart and stroke charity offering a portfolio of health education programmes, rehabilitation services, community outreach initiatives, and fundraising events. The core offerings include Croí Connects (telephone helpline and online chats), educational content on heart conditions (heart conditions hub, Women At Heart, ASCVD awareness), structured health programmes (Healthy Hearts, ACTivate Your Life, stroke rebuild programmes), exercise classes (Back To Fitness, yoga, strengthening workouts), EU-funded projects (Heartsafe NWE, JACARDI), and community outreach (Croí in Your Community, Third Age programme). Fundraising activities include the annual Win A Volvo lottery and Night Run events. The organisation operates Croí Connects, a nurse-led telephone and online support service, and provides access through an online referral system connecting individuals with multidisciplinary health professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Croí Connects Telephone helpline (091 332999) and online health chats connecting callers with Cardiac Nurse Specialists for heart-health guidance and signposting; available weekdays 9am–5:30pm. Targeted at patients, families, and the Irish public.
• Croí Connects Podcast Podcast series exploring heart, stroke, and cardiovascular health topics through expert interviews and patient stories, distributed via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podchaser, iHeart Radio, and Listen Notes. Supported by Novartis with editorial independence retained by Croí.
• ASCVD Education Programme Educational initiative raising awareness of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, the underlying cause of 85% of heart attack and stroke-related deaths. Targeted at the Irish public and at-risk individuals.
• Women At Heart Programme Women's heart-health awareness programme addressing the unique cardiovascular symptoms and risk factors in women, including the Her Final Search campaign. Targeted at women in Ireland.
• Croí CLANN Community health programme within Croí's portfolio of initiatives supporting cardiovascular health in local communities.
• ACTivate Your Life Behavioural activation programme helping participants take control of their health and wellbeing, supporting self-management and lifestyle change.
• Croí Healthy Hearts Programme Structured programme focused on cardiovascular health improvement and prevention for at-risk individuals.
• Stroke Rebuild Programme Post-stroke rehabilitation programme supporting recovery and rebuild after stroke, targeted at stroke survivors and their families.
• MyStroke – Life After Stroke Programme Dedicated programme supporting stroke survivors in life after stroke, providing recovery guidance and community connection.
• Heart & Stroke Voice Ireland (HSVI) Patient, survivor, and carer-led advocacy alliance providing a platform for the patient and carer voice in heart and stroke advocacy under Croí's auspices. Targeted at patients, survivors, and caregivers across Ireland.
• Croí in Your Community and Workplace Community and workplace outreach programme bringing heart health and stroke prevention services—talks, risk assessments, and screenings—to community groups and corporate employees across Ireland.
• Croí Third Age Health programme specifically focused on older adults in the Mayo community, supporting healthy ageing and cardiovascular risk management.
• Croí Referral Form Online referral system connecting individuals (self-referred or referred by healthcare providers) with the Croí Health Team, including nurses, dietitians, exercise specialists, occupational therapists, and health psychologists.
• Heartsafe NWE European Union-funded project focused on cardiovascular health in the North-West Europe region, delivered as part of Croí's programmes portfolio.
• JACARDI European Union-funded project supporting heart disease and stroke prevention initiatives, delivered as part of Croí's programmes portfolio.
• IFA Farmer Health Checks Programme 2026 Nationwide heart-health screening programme delivered in partnership with the Irish Farmers Association, providing free heart-health checks to farmers across Ireland.
• Win A Volvo Fundraiser Annual lottery event offering chance to win a Volvo XC60 or €60,000 cash; ticket sales support free heart-health checks and the charity's heart disease and stroke work.
• Croí Night Run Annual charity night run event held across multiple locations in Ireland to raise funds and awareness for heart disease and stroke; 2026 edition sponsored by Benecol.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 80% of all heart disease is preventable through lifestyle change and risk factor modification — Croí's programmes focus on these modifiable risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diet, exercise, alcohol, weight, stress).
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Heart HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCroí is an affiliate of the Global Heart Hub, the international alliance of heart patient organisations. This partnership provides access to international best practices, collaborative research, and global advocacy frameworks. Croí participates in Global Heart Hub initiatives including the Women and Heart Disease Working Group and the Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month campaign.
• FH Europe (Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Europe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCroí is a member of FH Europe, the European FH Patient Network. The partnership focuses on raising awareness of familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in Ireland, supporting early diagnosis, and connecting Irish patients to European FH resources and advocacy.
• Irish Association of Heart Failure Nurses (IAHFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCroí supports the Irish Association of Heart Failure Nurses (IAHFN) in annual Heart Failure Awareness Week campaigns. Croí Head of Patient & Community Engagement Annie Costelloe participates alongside IAHFN President Emer Burke to raise public awareness of heart failure symptoms, early diagnosis, and management across Irish hospitals.
• NovartisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNovartis provides sponsorship support for the Croí Connects Podcast series. Novartis has no editorial influence over content; Croí maintains independence in all educational materials produced.
• BenecolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenecol is the title sponsor of the Croí Charity Night Run 2026. Sponsorship provides brand visibility and association with a high-profile national fundraising event.
• Irish Farmers Association (IFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCroí partnered with the IFA to deliver the nationwide rollout of the 2026 Farmer Health Checks Programme, providing free heart health checks to farmers across Ireland. This partnership extends Croí's community screening reach into the agricultural sector.
• Connacht Hospitality GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConnacht Hospitality Group partners with Croí Connects, providing venue or logistical support for the helpline programme's community activities.
• Cycle Friendly EmployerminorOthersCroí holds the Cycle Friendly Employer certification, indicating the organisation promotes employee cycling as part of its workplace health and sustainability culture.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland: Scottish health charity delivering community-based services, nurse-led advice, and rehabilitation programmes for chest, heart, and stroke conditions. Comparable in service mix (helpline, community programmes, advocacy) to Croí, but regionally limited to Scotland.

Broad incumbents

• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada: Canadian health charity combining research funding, public education, and advocacy across heart disease and stroke. Comparable scope to Croí's integrated heart-and-stroke mission, but at substantially greater scale with significant research-grant operations.
• British Heart Foundation: The UK's leading heart charity and one of the largest cardiovascular research funders globally. Operates a similar mix of research funding, patient information, helplines, and fundraising retail (charity shops), serving as a scale benchmark for what a national heart charity can become.
• National Heart Foundation of Australia: Australia's peak non-government funder of cardiovascular research and provider of patient education. Comparable in mission and hybrid research/education model, though substantially larger and with deeper research-grant operations than Croí.

Others

• American Heart Association: The largest US voluntary organization focused on heart disease and stroke, combining research funding, patient education, advocacy, and CPR training. Comparable to Croí across every dimension except scale — useful as the global gold-standard reference for national heart charities.
• Diabetes Ireland: Irish chronic-disease charity delivering patient education, support services, and health-professional training for diabetes. Directly comparable to Croí in operating model, headcount scale, and West-of-Ireland-rooted national footprint, despite addressing a different disease.
• Global Heart Hub: The international alliance of heart patient organisations of which Croí is an Irish affiliate. Not a competitor but a peer network and convening body, providing the umbrella under which Croí participates in cross-border initiatives like Women and Heart Disease and Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month.
• Irish Cancer Society: Ireland's largest cancer charity, operating a nurse-led support line, patient information, and national fundraising model that closely mirrors Croí's structure. Strong benchmark for charity operating model, donation/lottery fundraising, and HSE-style national advocacy in Ireland.

Direct peers

• Irish Heart Foundation: Ireland's largest dedicated heart disease charity, operating nationally with similar nurse-led support, patient education, CPR training, and advocacy programmes. Directly competes with Croí for donors, corporate partnerships, and HSE collaboration in the same disease area and same geography.
• Stroke Association: The UK's primary stroke-focused charity, providing helpline, rehabilitation support, life-after-stroke programmes, and advocacy. Closely comparable to Croí's Stroke Rebuild, MyStroke, and Stroke Support Groups portfolio in mission and delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/croiheartstroke
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/Cro%C3%ADCharity
• Facebookfacebook.com/CroiHeartStroke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/croiheartstroke
• Instagraminstagram.com/croiheartstroke
• TikToktiktok.com/@croiheartstroke?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Croí