Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation

What Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation does

The Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation (PCSRF) is an Australian non-profit charitable foundation founded in 2010 by Perry Cross AM after a 1994 rugby accident left him a C2 ventilated quadriplegic. The foundation's sole mission is to fund and facilitate research toward a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and to improve life for people living with SCI until a cure is found. Its core product is the Spinal Injury Project at Griffith University, a world-first human clinical trial of nerve bridge transplantation combined with intensive rehabilitation, using patients' own olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) harvested from the nasal system and engineered into nerve bridges transplanted at the injury site, supported by a LiveCyte live-cell imaging safety screening platform.

The foundation operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market motion anchored on personal storytelling. It deploys Cure Crusader Ambassadors (individuals living with SCI) to corporate events, schools, and community gatherings; runs signature events including the Everything is Possible Gala Dinner (800+ guests in 2026), Legends Lunches, and Gold Coast fundraising events; and runs the SIP Week (Sipping for a Cure) awareness campaign. Revenue is generated entirely through donations, with no commercial product sales: streams include individual giving (one-time and monthly), corporate sponsorships at Platinum/Event/In-Kind/Research tiers, community fundraising events, bequests, and facilitated government and major-donor grants.

Since inception, PCSRF has helped secure over $42 million for Australian spinal cord injury research, including $16.1M cumulative from Queensland's MAIC, $6.8M from MRFF, and major gifts from philanthropists Clem Jones and Nicola and Andrew Forrest. The foundation partners primarily with Griffith University (since 2013), where a team of 40+ researchers from 19 countries is conducting the clinical trial. Distribution and donor engagement channels include a website donation platform, Raisely-powered peer-to-peer fundraising pages, monthly lab tours at Griffith's Gold Coast campus (in-person and virtual), and a third-party merchandise store.

Name

Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation

Legal name

Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation

Website

https://www.pcsrf.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation is an Australian non-profit founded in 2010 that funds and facilitates Griffith University's Spinal Injury Project, including a world-first nerve bridge cell transplantation human clinical trial, serving people with spinal cord injury and their supporters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spinal Cord Injury Medical Research Foundation

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Spinal cord injury research
• Paralysis cure clinical trial
• Nerve bridge transplantation
• Olfactory cell therapy
• Medical research charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Surfers Paradise

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (One-Time and Monthly): The foundation receives donations from individual supporters, including both one-time gifts and a monthly giving program ('Give Monthly'). Donors contribute via the website, at events, and through direct outreach.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorship: Corporate partners provide financial sponsorship at various tiers (Platinum, Event Partner, In-Kind Supporter, Research Partner) in exchange for association with the foundation and its events. Partners include Prestige Automotive Group, AHA Admiralty, Care Match, Maritimo, Morgans Foundation, and others.
3. Community Fundraising Events: The foundation organises and benefits from community fundraising events including gala dinners, golf days, charity lunches, and challenge events. These events mobilising individual community members generate revenue through ticket sales, auction items, and donations.
4. Bequests and Planned Giving: The foundation encourages supporters to leave a gift in their Will, offering a bequest program for donors who wish to leave a lasting legacy supporting paralysis research.
5. Government Grants and Research Funding: The foundation facilitates government funding for its partner research institution, Griffith University. This includes MAIC (Motor Accident Insurance Commission) grants totalling $16.1M, MRFF (Medical Research Future Fund) grants of $6.8M, and Queensland Health funding of $2M, channelled through the foundation's research partnership.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation is a registered Australian nonprofit charity that funds and facilitates world-first spinal cord injury research, principally by raising donations, securing government grants and channelling more than $42 million to Griffith University's Spinal Injury Project. Its central deliverable is the Nerve Bridge Transplantation and Rehabilitation Human Clinical Trial, which combines olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation with intensive rehabilitation for people with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury. The foundation also runs awareness and fundraising programs such as SIP Week, the Cure Crusader Ambassador Speaking Program and research lab tours.

Product overview

The Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation is a single-focus charity that funds and facilitates spinal cord injury research toward finding a cure for paralysis. The core product is the Spinal Injury Project, a world-first Nerve Bridge Transplantation and Rehabilitation Human Clinical Trial conducted in partnership with Griffith University. This treatment uses the patient's own olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from the nose, formulated into nerve bridges and transplanted into the injured spinal cord, combined with intensive rehabilitation therapy. Supporting services include rehabilitation trials, laboratory tours (both in-person and virtual), a Cure Crusader Ambassador speaking program, and the annual SIP Week awareness/fundraising campaign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spinal Injury Project - Nerve Bridge Transplantation and Rehabilitation Human Clinical Trial World-first clinical trial of a cell transplantation therapy using the patient's own olfactory ensheathing cells formulated into engineered nerve bridges and implanted at the spinal cord injury site, paired with intensive pre- and post-transplantation rehabilitation, aimed at restoring movement for people with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury. Delivered in partnership with Griffith University for SCI-affected participants.
• Rehabilitation Trials Program Foundation-funded intensive rehabilitation clinical trials combining prehabilitation (pre-trial preparation) and long-term rehabilitation programs to support spinal cord injury recovery, with established protocols underpinning the nerve bridge transplantation trial.
• Research Laboratory Tours In-person monthly tours and a virtual tour of the Spinal Injury Project research laboratory at Griffith University Gold Coast campus, enabling supporters and donors to see the world-first research facility and meet the research team.
• Cure Crusader Ambassador Speaking Program Volunteer speaking program deploying individuals living with spinal cord injuries to corporate events, schools, and community groups to share personal journeys, raise awareness and inspire donations to fund paralysis research.
• SIP Week (Sipping for a Cure) Campaign Annual flagship awareness and fundraising campaign in which participants drink all beverages through a straw for a week to experience the daily challenges faced by people with spinal cord injuries, raising funds and visibility for paralysis research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $42M raised for spinal cord injury research since 2010
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, platinum sponsor and minor.

• Griffith UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation's primary research partner since 2013. The Spinal Injury Project is based at Griffith University's Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics, operating within the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research. The foundation began supporting Griffith University SCI research in 2013, initially supporting the work of Emeritus Professor Alan Mackay-Sim and subsequently deepening its partnership with Professor James St John. The foundation has helped secure over $42M in funding for Griffith's research and is co-funding the world-first human clinical trial.
• Prestige Automotive Groupplatinum sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor and presenting partner of the 'Everything is Possible' Gala Dinner. Listed as a Platinum Sponsor of the foundation, providing financial and marketing support for the foundation's flagship fundraising events.
• AHA Admiraltyplatinum sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a Platinum Sponsor of the foundation, providing corporate support for the foundation's events and programs.
• Care Matchplatinum sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a Platinum Sponsor of the foundation, providing corporate partnership support.
• University of QueenslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation previously funded Associate Professor Marc Ruitenberg's team in collaboration with stem cell expert Professor Ernst Wolvetang at UQ for spinal cord repair research using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), with $433,694 committed between 2018–2022.
• MaritimominorGTM or Marketing PartnerAustralia's premium motoring brand, official charity partner of the foundation. Provides fundraising and awareness support through its network and customer base.
• Morgans FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as an Event Partner supporting the foundation's fundraising events.
• International Spinal Research TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation representatives (Perry Cross and Tom Ray) attended the International Spinal Research Trust Meeting in London, indicating an international collaborative relationship with global SCI research organisations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation: The largest US-based spinal cord injury research and advocacy charity, founded after Christopher Reeve's injury. Directly comparable mission of funding cure-focused SCI research, supporting people living with paralysis, and advocating for the SCI community — provides the archetypal model PCSRF's founder was inspired by.
• FightMND: Leading Australian medical research foundation focused on motor neurone disease, founded in 2014. Comparable in structure as a high-profile Australian disease-specific research charity with major government co-funding, signature televised fundraising campaigns, and celebrity/sporting ambassador engagement.
• International Spinal Research Trust (Spinal Research): UK-based charity founded in 1980 dedicated to funding research to develop treatments for spinal cord injury. Directly comparable in mission and funding model; PCSRF has an existing collaborative relationship with this organisation as noted in the company's partnership data.
• Wings for Life: Austria-based global spinal cord injury research foundation that funds SCI research worldwide and runs the world's largest SCI running event. Directly comparable as a non-government SCI research charity with global research funding programs and high-profile ambassador-driven fundraising.
• CatWalk Trust: New Zealand-based spinal cord injury research charity founded by Catriona Williams after a horse riding accident. Already a documented partner/grantor of PCSRF ($75K grant in 2015); shares the SCI cure-focused research mission and similar small-team nonprofit operating model.
• SpinalCure Australia: Australia's leading community-funded spinal cord injury research charity, focused on promoting and funding research into treatments and cures for paralysis. Most direct domestic peer with similar Australian focus, cure-oriented research mission, and donor-driven funding model.

Broad incumbents

• ALS Therapy Development Institute: World's largest ALS-dedicated drug discovery nonprofit, operating its own in-house laboratory. Comparable as a disease-specific research nonprofit focused on finding treatments/cures, though operates an in-house lab model rather than the university-partnership approach PCSRF uses.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation: One of Australia's largest medical research charities, funding research across the breast cancer continuum. Comparable as an Australian disease-specific research charity with similar corporate partnership, gala, and community fundraising mechanics, though at substantially larger scale.
• Cure Parkinson's: UK charity funding research to slow, stop, or reverse Parkinson's disease. Comparable as a focused cure-oriented research funder with similar scientific advisory structure and clinical trial co-funding approach, though focused on a different neurological condition.
• Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research: The world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's disease research. Comparable as a high-profile celebrity-founded disease research charity with a similar donor/celebrity-driven fundraising model, although operating at substantially larger scale and focused on a different condition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PerryXFndn
• Facebookfacebook.com/PCSRF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perry-cross-spinal-research-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation