O'Brien Institute for Public Health

What O'Brien Institute for Public Health does

The O'Brien Institute for Public Health is a non-profit academic research institute established in 2014 within the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine through a naming gift from David and Gail O'Brien. It functions as an interdisciplinary convener, mobilizing more than 500 researchers, clinicians, scholars, trainees, and decision-makers (with mobilization extending to up to 1,000 members across sectors) to address public health challenges that require collective action across academia, healthcare, government, business, and community organizations. Its operating geography is anchored in Calgary and Alberta with national and select international collaborations, and it serves three principal user segments: academic researchers seeking infrastructure and funding, health-system decision-makers seeking trusted evidence, and community organizations pursuing co-produced research on health equity.

The institute's core offerings are organized as a portfolio of interconnected research platforms rather than unified commercial products. The Health Equity HUB is the institute's primary community-academic partnership vehicle, structured around three partner tiers (Network, Collaborative, Governance). The W21C Research and Innovation Centre operates as a living laboratory that designs, tests, and implements interventions in healthcare delivery and medical technology, including virtual-care and remote-patient-monitoring initiatives. The Centre for Health Policy, including what is described as a first-of-its-kind Health Policy Trials Unit, applies rigorous methods to test social, economic, and health impacts of policy interventions such as financial incentives for low-income populations and the elimination of prescription drug co-payments. Notable documented outcomes include the province-wide adoption of a neonatal intensive care family partnership model across all 14 Alberta NICUs, with reported cost savings of $5.3 million+ since 2019 and an average half-day reduction in hospital stay.

The business model is non-commercial and donor- and grant-funded. Revenue inflows come from individual philanthropy and industry support (organized under a stated $47 million campaign goal: $29M for Healthier Populations, $12M for W21C, $6M for the Centre for Health Policy), from institutional hosting via the University of Calgary, and from a portfolio of internal grant programs (Catalyst Projects of $10,000-$15,000, Catalytic Platforms of up to $5,000, Student Travel Awards of up to $1,000, and Community Catalyst Awards). The institute also facilitates member access to external funders including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, SSHRC, Heart and Stroke, and Mitacs. Its go-to-market is community-led research with dissemination through peer-reviewed publications, evidence briefs, a multi-channel digital presence, and a recurring events program including the CHS/O'Brien Institute Seminar Series, Grant Strategy Panels, Journal Clubs, and Health Equity HUB programming.

Name

O'Brien Institute for Public Health

Legal name

O'Brien Institute for Public Health

Website

https://obrieniph.ucalgary.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The O'Brien Institute for Public Health is a University of Calgary-based non-profit research institute founded in 2014 that conducts population health and health services research through interdisciplinary academic, clinical, and community partnerships across Alberta and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Research Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAGAI

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

SECONDARYBPAGAKAL

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAFAO

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

Keywords

• Public health research
• Health policy analysis
• Health equity research
• Population health studies
• Health services research

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Support: The institute raises philanthropic support from individual donors and industry supporters. The O'Brien Institute aims to raise $47 million total in philanthropy to accelerate its work, with specific goals: $29 million for Healthier Populations research, $12 million for health-care innovation through W21C, and $6 million for the Centre for Health Policy.
2. Internal Funding Programs: Catalyst Funding awards for members launching new research projects or platforms, including Catalyst Projects ($10,000-$15,000 for 1-2 years) and Catalytic Platforms (up to $5,000 for start-up activities). Also Bridge Funding for established researchers.
3. External Grant Partnerships: Facilitates access to external funding from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Heart and Stroke, SSHRC, Mitacs, and other national funding bodies for member researchers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The O'Brien Institute for Public Health is a university-based research institute that conducts population health and health services research, operates three research platforms (Health Equity HUB, W21C Research and Innovation Centre, Centre for Health Policy), and administers internal funding programs to support its 500+ interdisciplinary members. It produces peer-reviewed publications, evidence briefs, and knowledge translation outputs to inform public health policy and practice in Alberta and Canada.

Product overview

The O'Brien Institute for Public Health is a university-affiliated research institute that operates as a portfolio of interconnected research programs and funding mechanisms rather than a unified software product. Its core offerings include the Health Equity HUB, which serves as the primary vehicle for community-academic partnerships focused on health equity; the W21C Research and Innovation Centre, a 'living laboratory' for testing healthcare delivery innovations; and the Centre for Health Policy, which houses the Health Policy Trials Unit. These research units are supported by various funding programs including Catalyst Projects (up to $15,000 for new research), Catalytic Platforms (up to $5,000 for topic-specific member groupings), Student Travel Awards (up to $1,000 for conference presentations), Community Catalyst Awards, and Community-Engaged Research Awards. The Institute's mission is to advance public health through research excellence by connecting academic scholars with health practitioners, citizens, governments, and non-governmental organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Health Equity HUB: A specialized initiative focused on advancing health equity through research, community partnerships, and knowledge translation, led by Dr. Kathryn Birnie
• W21C Research and Innovation Centre

Products and services

• Health Equity HUB A dedicated hub advancing health equity through community-academic research partnerships, providing resources, funding opportunities, and collaboration frameworks for researchers, community organizations, and policymakers addressing health disparities.
• W21C Research and Innovation Centre A testing site for new approaches to health-care delivery and innovative medical technologies, functioning as a 'living laboratory' that designs, tests, and implements interventions including virtual health initiatives and remote patient monitoring.
• Centre for Health Policy Brings together citizens, researchers, policymakers, and government officials to lead evidence-based solutions to Canada's pressing public health challenges, including the Health Policy Trials Unit testing social, economic, and health impacts of policy interventions.
• Catalyst Funding Program Internal funding awards supporting O'Brien Institute members launching new research projects or platforms, including Catalyst Projects ($10,000-$15,000 for 1-2 years) and Catalytic Platforms (up to $5,000 for start-up activities).
• Healthier Populations Catalyst Grant Grant competition supporting early-stage research projects aligned with the Institute's Healthier Populations focus area, with strong potential to leverage external funding and generate societal impact.
• Community Catalyst Awards Awards supporting early-stage community-academic research partnerships that advance health equity, with deadline typically in November.
• Health Policy Trials Unit A first-of-its-kind unit using rigorous methods to test the social, economic, and health impacts of policy interventions, such as financial incentives for health improvement and prescription drug co-payment effects.
• Student Travel Award Funding to support travel for students presenting first-author research at academic conferences, with awards up to $1,000 CAD for students engaged in research relevant to the Health Systems Portfolio.
• Community-Engaged Research Award Funding to support graduate students covering costs of community-engaged research projects by funding honoraria (up to $600) for participants or community advisors.

Quantifiable outcome

• $5.3 million+ in health-care cost savings from neonatal intensive care family partnership program since 2019
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Alberta Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary healthcare system partner in Alberta, collaborating on electronic health records implementation, health policy research, and healthcare innovation initiatives including the W21C living laboratory for health system improvement.
• University of Calgary Cumming School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent academic institution providing research infrastructure, faculty affiliations, graduate training programs, and matching funding opportunities for O'Brien Institute researchers.
• W21C Research and Innovation CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiving laboratory housed within the O'Brien Institute that serves as a testing site for new approaches to health-care delivery and innovative medical technologies, partnering with industry to test new products.
• Health Equity HUB PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of community organizations, researchers, and policymakers engaged in health equity research through the Health Equity HUB, with three partnership tiers: Network Members, Collaborative Partners, and Governance Partners.
• Inn From The ColdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization engaged in long-term community-led research relationship to co-create solutions to family homelessness, with O'Brien Institute research helping unlock additional government funding.
• I Can for Kids (iCAN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner improving access to food through grocery gift card programs, with research partnership informing program development and outcomes measurement.
• Brown Bagging for Calgary's KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity food assistance organization partnered on research examining supports beyond food assistance for Calgary families.
• One Child Every ChildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous research seed funding initiative offering five awards of up to $10,000 for scholars exploring new maternal and child health research with focus on Indigenous peoples and communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN) successor entities: Various Canadian health and social policy research organizations that engage in evidence-based policy work. Compares through policy research and community engagement methodology used at the Centre for Health Policy.
• Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (Western University): Western University's medical school with growing public health and health services research capacity. Comparable in connecting clinical medicine with population health research in an Ontario academic setting.
• Wellesley Institute: Toronto-based research and policy institute focused on health equity and social determinants of health. Comparable in community-engaged research and health equity focus areas.

Regional players

• Institute of Health Economics (Alberta): Alberta-based independent health economics and policy research organization. Regional peer focused on health systems research and policy advice with similar government engagement model.
• BC Centre for Disease Control: Provincial public health agency in British Columbia providing population health and disease prevention services with research functions. Comparable mandate but operates as a government agency rather than university-affiliated institute.

Direct peers

• Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (UBC): University of British Columbia research centre focused on health services and policy research with knowledge translation to government. Directly comparable in mandate around evidence-informed health policy.
• Dalla Lana School of Public Health: University of Toronto's public health school with interdisciplinary research, policy engagement, and knowledge translation focus. Most directly comparable Canadian university-affiliated public health institute in scale and mandate.
• Population Health Research Institute (PHRI): McMaster University-affiliated health research institute conducting large-scale population health and clinical trials. Comparable university-based health research model with strong external grant funding and policy influence.
• School of Public Health, University of Alberta: Edmonton-based public health school focused on population health research, health policy, and community partnerships in Alberta. Closest in-region peer competing for similar provincial funding and partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): Federal funding agency for health research in Canada that funds O'Brien Institute member researchers. Comparable national scope of health research influence but operates as a funder rather than a research institute.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OBrien_IPH
• Facebookfacebook.com/obrieniph
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/o'brien-institute-for-public-health
• Instagraminstagram.com/obrien_iph

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about O'Brien Institute for Public Health