What Osher Collaborative does

The Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health is a nonprofit international network of eleven academic health centers funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation, with its coordinating center hosted at the University of California, San Francisco. Founded in 1998 with the establishment of the first Osher Center at UCSF, the Collaborative has grown to include centers at Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's Hospital (2001), Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm (2005), Northwestern University (2014), Vanderbilt University Medical Center (2014), University of Miami (2017), University of Washington (2018), University of Cincinnati (2021), University of Wisconsin-Madison (2021), University of Utah (2022), and University of Vermont (2022). The organization operates as a horizontal platform delivering whole-person integrative healthcare that combines conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary approaches including acupuncture, massage therapy, mind-body techniques, yoga, tai chi, and nutritional interventions.

The Collaborative's core products span three pillars. Clinical care services are delivered directly at member Osher Centers, collectively providing 60,602 individual care visits per year across the network. Educational offerings include the year-long Osher Collaborative Faculty Fellowship supported by a $5 million Bernard Osher Foundation endowment, the Graduate Certificate in Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati, the Vanderbilt Health Coaching Program, the Integrative Medicine Grand Rounds series, community education classes at multiple centers, and annual free virtual symposia on topics ranging from healthy aging to planetary health. Research programs apply rigorous scientific methods to evaluate integrative health therapeutic mechanisms and efficacy, exemplified by a $2,780,075 PCORI-funded study at UCSF on nonpharmacologic pain management in hospitalized cancer patients.

The business model is foundation-funded rather than commercial. The Bernard Osher Foundation serves as the sole flagship financial partner, funding all eleven centers and providing the coordinating endowment. Supplemental funding comes from research grants (notably PCORI), philanthropic gifts (such as a $2 million 2025 gift from John and Carrie Hayden to establish a community learning kitchen at the University of Cincinnati), and clinical revenue that accrues to the host academic medical centers. Customer segments are horizontal: individual patients seeking whole-person care, healthcare professionals and trainees pursuing advanced integrative medicine training, and the broader research community. The Collaborative employs 525 individual core members across member institutions, with a lean central coordinating staff (Coordinating Center Manager, Communications Specialist, Education Program Manager).

Name

Osher Collaborative

Legal name

Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health

Website

https://oshercollaborative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Nonprofit collaborative network of eleven academic health centers funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation, providing whole-person integrative healthcare, professional education, and research across UCSF, Harvard, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Karolinska, and seven other institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clinical Care Services: Provides integrative health clinical services through 11 Osher Center locations at major academic medical institutions across the United States and internationally.
2. Bernard Osher Foundation Funding: Primary funding from The Bernard Osher Foundation to establish and support Osher Centers at academic institutions. The Foundation also awarded a five-million-dollar endowment to the Osher Collaborative Coordinating Center for education efforts.
3. Research Grants and PCORI Funding: UCSF Osher Center received a $2,780,075 funding award from PCORI to study nonpharmacologic approaches to relieve pain and symptom distress among diverse hospitalized cancer patients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health is a nonprofit international network of eleven academic health centers funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation that provides whole-person integrative clinical care, education programs (fellowships, certifications, community classes), and research in evidence-based integrative medicine. Its core offerings include direct clinical services at member Osher Centers plus structured educational programs and research initiatives that combine conventional medicine with complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massage, yoga, and nutrition.

Product overview

Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health is a network of eleven academic health centers funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation, dedicated to advancing integrative healthcare through clinical care, education, and research. The organization offers a unified platform of services centered around whole-person, evidence-based integrative medicine. Its core offerings include direct clinical care services at member Osher Centers across major universities, specialized educational programs including the year-long Faculty Fellowship, graduate certificates, health coaching certification, and community education classes. The Collaborative also conducts ongoing research programs and hosts annual virtual symposia for public and professional education on integrative health topics. The various products serve different constituencies: patients seeking integrative care, healthcare professionals seeking training, and researchers advancing the field.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Care Services Whole-person integrative healthcare services provided at eleven Osher Centers across academic health institutions, combining conventional medicine with evidence-based complementary therapies to address physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and environmental influences on health.
• Osher Collaborative Faculty Fellowship A year-long advanced training program for faculty at Osher Center institutions to develop highly skilled leaders and clinicians in integrative health, with scholars encouraged to develop individual interests in integrative medicine.
• Virtual Symposia Annual free virtual educational events hosted by the Osher Collaborative on topics including integrative care, healthy aging, and planetary health, featuring presentations from Osher Collaborative experts.
• Graduate Certificate in Integrative Health (University of Cincinnati) An advanced degree program for health professionals covering evidence-based integrative health approaches, designed to be completed in as little as a year, focusing on addressing root causes of disease.
• Vanderbilt Health Coaching Program A certification program training healthcare professionals in health coaching skills to manage chronic medical conditions such as metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and chronic pain.
• Community Education Classes Public educational classes on integrative medicine practices offered at various Osher Center locations, including mindfulness, movement, nutrition, and wellness programs.
• Integrative Medicine Grand Rounds Educational events hosted by Osher Centers featuring presentations on integrative health research, clinical practices, and emerging topics in the field.
• Research Programs Patient-centered research initiatives applying rigorous scientific methods to evaluate therapeutic mechanisms, efficacy, and approaches in integrative health, resiliency, and well-being.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,602 individual care visits per year provided by the Osher Centers
• +1 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• University of UtahcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022University of Utah joined the Osher Collaborative in 2022, offering integrative health and wellness programs through their healthcare system.
• University of VermontcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022University of Vermont joined the Osher Collaborative in 2022, establishing the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the Larner College of Medicine.
• University of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021University of Cincinnati joined the Osher Collaborative in 2021, transforming healthcare toward a well-care system through clinical practice, advanced education, innovative research, and community engagement.
• University of Wisconsin-MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021University of Wisconsin-Madison joined the Osher Collaborative in 2021, supporting individuals, communities and healthcare system through integrative health and participatory medicine.
• University of WashingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018University of Washington established its Osher Center in 2018 at UW Medicine, focused on comprehensive clinical and academic integrative health programs.
• University of MiamicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017University of Miami Miller School of Medicine joined the Osher Collaborative in 2017, providing integrative health services to the South Florida community.
• Northwestern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Northwestern University established its Osher Center in 2014, focused on innovative integrative health patient care, education, and research to promote a healthcare system that optimizes health and whole-person wellness.
• Vanderbilt University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Vanderbilt established its Osher Center in 2014 as part of the Osher Collaborative network advancing integrative health research, education, and care.
• Karolinska InstitutetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm established its Osher Center in 2005, applying psychobiological perspectives to investigate determinants of physical and mental well-being with emphasis on mechanisms for placebo, pain experience and self-rated health.
• Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Harvard established its Osher Center in 2001, focused on enhancing human health, resilience and quality of life through translational research, clinical practice and education in integrative medicine.
• University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998UCSF established the first Osher Center in 1998. The Osher Collaborative Coordinating Center is hosted by UCSF Osher Center, providing infrastructure to support collaborative initiatives across all eleven Osher Centers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cleveland Clinic Center for Integrative Medicine: A major US health system's integrative medicine service line embedded in a large multi-specialty provider. Comparable as a clinical-delivery peer but operates at much larger institutional scale with broader non-integrative service lines.
• Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine: Mayo Clinic's integrative medicine program offering whole-person care within one of the largest US multispecialty academic medical systems. Comparable clinical scope but vastly larger institutional footprint and brand than any single Osher Center.

Direct peers

• Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (University of Arizona): University of Arizona's flagship integrative medicine center, founded by Dr. Andrew Weil. Operates the country's most established integrative medicine fellowship and serves as the closest single-institution peer to any individual Osher Center, with comparable clinical, education, and research scope.
• Duke Integrative Medicine: Duke University Health System's integrative medicine center offering clinical care, professional training, and research. Directly comparable to a single Osher Center in scale, offerings, and academic-medical-center integration.
• Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine: Johns Hopkins Medicine's integrative medicine initiative providing clinical care, education, and research within an elite academic medical center. Closely comparable to Osher Centers at Harvard, UCSF, and Northwestern in mission and target patient populations.
• Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine: Stanford Medicine's integrative medicine program delivering whole-person care and education within an elite academic medical system. Highly comparable to individual Osher Centers like UCSF or Harvard in clinical/research positioning.
• Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health: The umbrella consortium of academic health centers advancing integrative medicine, of which the Osher Collaborative member institutions are a major component. Directly comparable as the higher-level convening organization for academic integrative medicine in North America.

Emerging players

• Bastyr University: Accredited university specializing in natural medicine, integrative health, and nutrition degrees. Comparable as an integrative-medicine education provider and research site, but operates as a standalone university rather than a coordinated network across elite academic medical centers.
• Samueli Institute (now at Georgetown): Research-focused integrative and complementary medicine organization historically focused on military and veteran populations. Comparable as a research peer with similar evidence-building mission, though not a clinical-care provider at Osher's scale.
• Institute for Functional Medicine: Educational and certification organization training clinicians in functional and integrative medicine. Comparable to Osher Collaborative's education and fellowship programs but focused on practitioner training rather than direct clinical delivery or research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OsherCollab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/%40OsherCollaborative
• Facebookfacebook.com/OsherCollab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oshercollaborative
• Instagraminstagram.com/oshercollaborative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Osher Collaborative