Skin of Color Society

What Skin of Color Society does

Skin of Color Society is a nonprofit professional dermatology organization founded in 2004 and headquartered in Chicago. It serves as a membership-based community for dermatologists, researchers, residents, and allied professionals focused on skin of color dermatology, with 1,330+ members across 22 countries. Its core activities address a historically underserved subspecialty area by convening clinicians, producing education, and funding research.

The society's core products and programs include an annual symposium, the DEEP (Dermatology Education and Engagement Platform) learning platform, a podcast, structured mentorship, research awards, and scholarships. The underlying technology is primarily content- and community-oriented: the DEEP platform delivers ongoing digital education, the podcast extends audio content distribution, and the symposium provides in-person clinical and scientific programming. Distribution is through direct member channels and sponsor-supported programming rather than a consumer-facing product surface.

The business model is a nonprofit funding stack composed of three streams: corporate sponsorships from major pharmaceutical companies (including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, AbbVie, and Sanofi/Regeneron), membership dues, and donations. The society is staffed by 11-50 employees and operates with a relatively small headcount to support its multi-country member base and programming calendar. Revenue predictability is tied to pharma sponsorship cycles and annual membership renewal cycles rather than enterprise contracts or transaction-based revenue.

Name

Skin of Color Society

Legal name

Skin of Color Society

Website

https://skinofcolorsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Skin of Color Society is a nonprofit dermatology organization founded in 2004, serving 1,330+ clinicians and researchers across 22 countries through education, research awards, mentorship, and annual programming focused on skin of color dermatology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Medical Society

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

General & Medical Dermatology (HLAKACAA), Racial & Ethnic Justice Organizations (BPAGAFAC)

Keywords

• Skin of color dermatology
• Professional medical society
• Dermatology education training
• Clinical research awards
• Health equity advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Pharmaceutical and skincare companies sponsor SOCS at various levels (Champion $125,000+, Ally $60,000, Partner $30,000, Friend $15,000) to support education, research, mentorship and leadership efforts.
2. Membership Dues: Individual and professional memberships provide recurring revenue with tiered benefits and an International Fellow Sliding Scale for members from developing countries.
3. Tax-Deductible Donations: Donations to the SOCS Foundation (501(c)(3) nonprofit) support mentorship grants, research studies, and awareness initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Skin of Color Society (SOCS) is a nonprofit professional dermatologic organization that delivers paid membership services, CME-accredited online education through its proprietary DEEP (Dermatology E-Learning and Equity Platform) LMS, structured mentorship and research grant programs, scholarships, and an Annual Scientific Symposium for dermatology professionals. It also operates a public Find a Doctor database and community education campaigns (e.g., My Best Winter Skin) for patients of color, funded by tiered corporate sponsorships, membership dues, and tax-deductible donations through its 501(c)(3) SOCS Foundation.

Product overview

The Skin of Color Society (SOCS) is a professional dermatology organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs rather than a single product. Its portfolio includes flagship events (Annual Scientific Symposium, SOCS Media Day), education platforms (Dermatology E-Learning and Equity Platform DEEP, Educational Showcase with MelanatED videos), mentorship initiatives (SOCS Mentorship Program, Center for Leadership CFL), scholarship programs (Dermatologists of Tomorrow Scholarship DOTS), research support (Meeting the Challenge Summit, Research Awards), community outreach (My Best Winter Skin Campaign), professional networking (SOCS Connects), member services (Find a Doctor Database, SOCS Speaks Expert Network), and media content (Skin of Color Savvy Podcast). The SOCS Foundation provides fundraising infrastructure. These offerings collectively advance the society's mission of achieving health equity and excellence in skin of color dermatology patient care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color: Official podcast of SOCS, produced by HCPLive, featuring clinically-focused discussions and personal stories from SOCS experts on skin of color dermatology topics.

Products and services

• SOCS Professional Membership Paid professional membership for dermatologists, residents, fellows, and medical students providing access to the member portal, mentorship programs, CME-accredited education through DEEP, research awards, networking events, and an International Fellow Sliding Scale for members in developing countries.
• Corporate Sponsorship Program Tiered corporate sponsorship package (Champion $125,000+, Ally $60,000, Partner $30,000, Friend $15,000) giving pharmaceutical and skincare companies visibility through SOCS events, the DEEP platform, and society programs.
• Annual Scientific Symposium Annual flagship in-person symposium showcasing latest skin of color dermatology research, presentations, panels, and networking for dermatology professionals, held in conjunction with the AAD Annual Meeting.
• Dermatology E-Learning and Equity Platform (DEEP) Online learning management system enabling members to learn from skin of color dermatology experts and earn continuing medical education (CME) credits through dermatology educational webinars and practice management content.
• Skin of Color Savvy Podcast Official SOCS podcast produced with HCPLive featuring clinically-focused discussions and personal stories from SOCS members on skin of color dermatology topics, with episodes released twice monthly in Savvy Conversations and Savvy Stories formats.
• Find a Doctor Database Public-access physician directory enabling patients to locate SOCS member dermatologists who treat patients with skin of color.
• Dermatologists of Tomorrow Scholarship (DOTS) Multi-year scholarship providing financial support and mentorship to medical students pursuing dermatology careers, with 33 scholarships awarded in 2025.
• SOCS Center for Leadership (CFL) Comprehensive leadership training program based on the Kouzes and Posner Leadership Challenge framework, designed to develop dermatology leaders with innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.
• Research Awards Program Portfolio of research awards including the Career Development Award, Dermatology Research Award, Early Career Innovations Award, Institutional Research Fellowship Grants, and the DF-SOCS Collaborative Mid-Career Award sponsored by Sanofi and Regeneron ($1M grant).
• SOCS Mentorship Program Program pairing mentor dermatologists with mentees for professional development and career guidance in skin of color dermatology; 100 mentor-mentee pairings facilitated in 2025.
• Clinical Investigator Training Mentorship Program Multi-phase training program developed collaboratively with the NMA Dermatology Section for clinical trial process education, including Phase II in-person principal investigator training.
• SOCS Foundation (501(c)(3)) 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable foundation supporting SOCS programs through tax-deductible donations across donor tiers (Dr. Susan C. Taylor Society $2,500+, Benefactor $800-$2,499, Sustainer $300-$799, Advocate $50-$299, Patron $1-$49) for research, education, mentorship, and advocacy.
• Global Access Membership Fund Program offsetting membership fees for international colleagues in developing countries to expand SOCS's global reach; supports International Fellow Sliding Scale membership.
• SOCS Speaks Expert Network Network connecting SOCS dermatology experts with media interviews, speaking engagements, social media collaborations, and consulting opportunities.
• SOCS Media Day Annual virtual press conference featuring SOCS experts presenting on dermatology topics for media, now in its 8th year.
• My Best Winter Skin Campaign Annual public education and community outreach campaign providing skincare tips and product samples for winter skin care, engaging 505 volunteers across 105 events in 72 cities, 31 states, and 2 countries in 2025.
• Meeting the Challenge Summit Annual summit convening 115+ stakeholders across the clinical research ecosystem to advance diversity in dermatology research and clinical trials, focused on inclusive study design.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 mentor-mentee pairings facilitated in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered champion, ally, core and partner.

• CliniquechampionGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion-level corporate sponsor supporting education, research, mentorship and leadership. Established the Dermatologists of Tomorrow Scholarship providing financial support and mentorship to medical students pursuing dermatology.
• Johnson & JohnsonchampionGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion-level sponsor supporting Clinical Investigator Training Mentorship Program, SOCS Media Day, and various educational initiatives.
• PfizerchampionGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion-level sponsor supporting SOCS Connects regional networking events and various society programs.
• AbbViechampionGTM or Marketing PartnerChampion-level sponsor supporting annual scientific symposium and research programs.
• Sanofi and RegeneronallyGTM or Marketing PartnerAlly-level sponsor providing $1M grant for Dermatology Foundation-SOCS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mid-Career Award supporting research on dermatological issues impacting underrepresented groups.
• Eli LillyallyGTM or Marketing PartnerAlly-level sponsor and Founding Sponsor of the Center for Leadership, supporting leadership development initiatives.
• Dermatology FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partner collaborating on research awards including the DF-SOCS Collaborative Mid-Career Award, Career Development Award, and Dermatology Research Award.
• National Medical Association (NMA) Dermatology SectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on the Clinical Investigator Training Mentorship Program, co-leading Phase II in-person principal investigator training.
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Scientific Symposium held in conjunction with AAD Annual Meeting, providing cross-promotional and educational collaboration.
• Sun Pharmaceutical IndustriespartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner-level sponsor supporting the Center for Leadership and President's Book Club textbook distribution.
• L'Oréal Dermatological Beauty (SkinCeuticals, La Roche-Posay, CeraVe)allyGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter enabling the DEEP learning platform and My Best Winter Skin campaign product donations.
• European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV)partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOCS presenting scientific sessions at EADV Congress 2025 in Paris and 2026 in Vienna.
• Dubai DermapartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOCS presenting first-ever Scientific Session at Dubai Derma conference in UAE.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS): The largest US society for dermatologic surgeons, representing procedural dermatology. Competes with SOCS for dermatologists' annual meeting time, continuing education dollars, and aesthetic/pharma sponsorships.
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD): The largest US professional dermatology association, with which SOCS co-locates its Annual Scientific Symposium. AAD serves as the broader incumbent across general dermatology, while SOCS specializes in skin of color — making AAD both a strategic partner and the dominant competitor for members, sponsorships, and CME attention.
• European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV): Europe's leading dermatology professional society, where SOCS now presents scientific sessions (Paris 2025, Vienna 2026). EADV is the international incumbent in the same specialty, providing a venue for SOCS content but also a competitor for global dermatology mindshare and corporate sponsorships.

Direct peers

• Women's Dermatologic Society: A US dermatology society with a defined specialty focus (women in dermatology) analogous to SOCS's skin-of-color focus. Operates similar programs — mentorship, awards, annual meetings — and pursues overlapping corporate sponsors, making it a directly comparable niche dermatology society.
• American Dermatological Association: An invitation-only US dermatology society focused on advancing the specialty. Overlaps with SOCS's senior membership tier and serves as a parallel high-prestige dermatology professional network.
• Dermatology Foundation: Long-standing strategic partner that co-administers research awards with SOCS, including the DF-SOCS Collaborative Mid-Career Award, Career Development Award, and Dermatology Research Award. Operates in the same dermatology research-funding and education ecosystem and shares corporate sponsors.
• National Medical Association (NMA) Dermatology Section: Co-lead partner on the Clinical Investigator Training Mentorship Program (Phase II principal investigator training). NMA's Dermatology Section overlaps SOCS's mission of supporting dermatologists of color and serves a related member base, making it both a collaborator and a parallel society for African American physicians.
• International Society of Dermatology: A global dermatology society with international reach, analogous to SOCS's growing international footprint. Overlaps on global member recruitment and international congress presence, especially in regions where SOCS is expanding (EMEA, Africa).
• Society for Investigative Dermatology: A research-oriented dermatology society whose annual meeting and journal sit at the intersection of clinical and basic science dermatology. Competes for the same research-active dermatologists SOCS serves and shares academic and pharma funding pools.

Others

• American Board of Dermatology: The certification body for US dermatologists, indirectly linked to SOCS's mission of improving dermatology training and culturally competent care. While not a competitor for members, ABD's certification standards influence the pipeline of dermatologists SOCS trains and recruits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SkinOfColor
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@skinofcolorsociety934
• Facebookfacebook.com/SkinofColorSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skin-of-color-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/skinofcolorsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Skin of Color Society