Stem Cell Donors Australia
Stem Cell Donors Australia is Australia's national blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting volunteers aged 17-35 and HLA-matching them with Australian and international patients suffering blood cancers and disorders.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersSydney, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Stem Cell Donors Australia does
Stem Cell Donors Australia is the operator of Australia's national blood stem cell donor registry, legally constituted as the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) and rebranded under its current name in November 2024 after consolidating with the Strength to Give initiative. Founded in 1991, the non-profit is headquartered in Sydney with 36 employees and is governed by a board chaired by Professor Jeremy Chapman AC. Its core product is the Stem Cell Donor Registry, a national database holding HLA tissue typing profiles for 187,000+ donors (including 93,710 aged 18-35), which is matched against Australian and international patients with blood cancers and disorders, most commonly leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, thalassaemia major, sickle cell disease, and severe aplastic anaemia. Donor onboarding is delivered through free at-home cheek swab kits and via Australian Red Cross Lifeblood blood donation centres, with supplementary modules including an appeals platform for patient families, a podcast, an online eligibility screening tool, a donor portal, a volunteer program (integrated with the Volaby platform), and organized recruitment events.
The organization is accredited by the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA), giving it access to a network of 50+ country registries covering more than 40 million potential donors and 800,000 cord blood units worldwide. In 2025, the registry facilitated 164 Australian donations (highest in five years) and supported 505 Australian patient transplants (the highest since records began), while 82% of donations used for Australian patients came from overseas sources. It operates a hybrid go-to-market combining community-led and event-driven recruitment (university drives, workplace partnerships, festivals, appeals) with a spokesperson program led by CEO Lisa Smith, COO Garth Healey, and Chief Scientist Carmel O'Brien. Revenue is sourced from Australian federal and state government funding and from individual, corporate, and foundation charitable contributions; the service is free to donors and all donation-related costs (travel, medical, accommodation) are covered by the organization.
Growth has been strong across operating metrics: the effective 18-35 donor pool has grown 108% since 2020 and 25% in the trailing year, and the registry has launched new programs including the University Ambassador Program (2025), 17-year-old donor registration (May 2026), and a Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (2026) to broaden ethnic diversity. Partnerships span Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Leukaemia Foundation, Maddie Riewoldt's Vision, Tackling Leukaemia, Gift of Life Australia, UR the Cure, and the TLR Foundation, alongside major Australian transplant centres including Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent's Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Perth Children's Hospital, and the Royal Children's Hospital.
Stem Cell Donors Australia firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stem Cell Donors Australia
- Legal name
- Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
- Website
- https://stemcelldonors.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stem Cell Donors Australia is Australia's national blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting volunteers aged 17-35 and HLA-matching them with Australian and international patients suffering blood cancers and disorders.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stem Cell Donors Australia industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Non-profit Donor Registry Services
- NAICS
- Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations (BPAGACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue) (HLAAAGAE), Blood Bank, Transfusion Medicine & Immunohematology (HLAHAAAH)
Keywords
Where Stem Cell Donors Australia is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sydney
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stem Cell Donors Australia business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government funding: Funded by Australian federal and state governments to manage the national stem cell donor registry and facilitate donor recruitment and matching services.
- Donations and charitable contributions: Receives donations from individuals, corporations, and charitable foundations to support donor recruitment and operational activities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Stem Cell Donors Australia product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stem Cell Donors Australia manages Australia's national blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting volunteer donors aged 17-35 through free home cheek swab kits and Australian Red Cross Lifeblood blood donation centres. The organization facilitates matching of registered donors with patients in Australia and internationally via the World Marrow Donor Association network, while covering all donation-related expenses (travel, medical, hospital, accommodation). It also operates an appeals platform enabling patient families to run awareness campaigns for specific patients needing transplants.
Product overview
Stem Cell Donors Australia operates a unified national registry platform for blood stem cell donation, formerly known as ABMDR and Strength to Give. The core offering is the Stem Cell Donor Registry, which connects patients with life-saving volunteer donors. Supporting modules include a cheek swab registration kit for at-home donor onboarding, an appeals platform for community-driven awareness campaigns, a podcast for education, donor eligibility screening, a comprehensive donor portal with resources, a recipient message wall for anonymous gratitude expression, a volunteer program with accreditation pathways, and organized donor recruitment events. The registry collaborates internationally through WMDA and domestically with partners like Lifeblood to expand donor reach.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Stem Cell Donor Registry Australia's national registry of volunteer blood stem cell donors connecting patients with life-saving donors. Manages recruitment, donor data with HLA tissue typing, and facilitates matching between patients and donors domestically and through the international WMDA network.
- Cheek Swab Registration Kit Free at-home cheek swab kit ordered online for Australians aged 17-35 to join the donor registry. Sample is tested to identify HLA tissue type for patient matching.
- Appeals Platform Platform enabling families, friends, and communities to raise awareness for loved ones needing stem cell transplants and recruit new donors to the registry. Active appeals include swabbing campaigns for individual patients such as Cameron, Anna, Jett, Harper, Seb, Eden, and Simon.
- Donor Recruitment Events Event hosting service allowing individuals, workplaces, universities, and patient families to organize donor drives and swabbing events to recruit new donors into the registry.
- University Ambassador Program Student-led peer recruitment program launching in 2025 across Australian universities, inspiring other students to join the stem cell donor registry. Includes comprehensive training, ongoing mentorship, and resources for campus ambassadors.
- 17-Year-Old Donor Registration Policy change opening registration to 17-year-olds in 2026, expanding the eligible donor pool for the Australian registry.
- Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan Initiative launched to engage First Nations communities and improve donor diversity in the Australian registry.
Quantifiable outcome
- 505 Australian patients received transplants in 2025 - highest ever
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Stem Cell Donors Australia
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Stem Cell Donors Australia technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Stem Cell Donors Australia partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TLR FoundationcoreFounded in 2017 to honour Tracy Lee Richey's life. On a mission to significantly impact lives affected by blood cancers in Australia through donor recruitment and awareness campaigns.
- Gift of Life AustraliacoreFounded in 1994 by Shula Endrey-Walder and Wolper Jewish Hospital. Enhances the donor registry by recruiting from diverse ethnic backgrounds, expanding life-saving match potential for patients nationwide.
- Tackling LeukaemiacoreAustralian charity rooted in Rugby Union and defence communities. Increases stem cell donors from Pasifika and Indigenous backgrounds to improve leukaemia outcomes through awareness and community engagement.
- UR the CurecoreFounded by Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor Pamela Bousejean. Volunteer-led organisation dedicated to expanding the stem cell donor registry, focusing on diverse and young donors.
- Leukaemia FoundationcorePartnership to ensure every blood cancer patient has a chance at a life-saving stem cell transplant. Works together to support patients searching for donors.
- Australian Red Cross LifebloodcoreLargest and longest-standing recruitment partner. Invites blood and plasma donors to join the stem cell registry when donating blood, offering another way to make a life-saving impact.
- Maddie Riewoldt's VisioncorePartnership to raise awareness of Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes and ensure patients can find life-saving stem cell donors when they need them.
- Missy's DonorsminorCharitable initiative in memory of Missy, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at age 9. Supports donor recruitment and awareness.
- The Royal Melbourne HospitalcoreMajor transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- St Vincent's HospitalcoreMajor transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- Perth Children's HospitalcorePaediatric transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- Austin HealthcoreMajor transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- The AlfredcoreMajor transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- Royal Children's HospitalcorePaediatric transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- RPA HospitalcoreMajor transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- Concord HospitalcoreMajor transplant centre partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- Metro North HealthcoreQueensland health service partner for stem cell collection and transplantation services.
- World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA)coreInternational accreditation body ensuring high quality blood stem cells available for patients worldwide and protecting donors across borders. SCDA is an accredited member.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Stem Cell Donors Australia competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stem Cell Donors Australia social profiles
Digital presenceStem Cell Donors Australia compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Stem Cell Donors Australia financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stem Cell Donors Australia leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Stem Cell Donors Australia funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stem Cell Donors Australia M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stem Cell Donors Australia
What does Stem Cell Donors Australia do?
Stem Cell Donors Australia manages Australia's national blood stem cell donor registry, recruiting volunteer donors aged 17-35 through free home cheek swab kits and Australian Red Cross Lifeblood blood donation centres. The organization facilitates matching of registered donors with patients in Australia and internationally via the World Marrow Donor Association network, while covering all donation-related expenses (travel, medical, hospital, accommodation). It also operates an appeals platform enabling patient families to run awareness campaigns for specific patients needing transplants.
Is Stem Cell Donors Australia a public or private company?
Stem Cell Donors Australia is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Stem Cell Donors Australia founded?
Stem Cell Donors Australia was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stem Cell Donors Australia based?
Stem Cell Donors Australia is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Stem Cell Donors Australia make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and charitable contributions.
Does Stem Cell Donors Australia have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stem Cell Donors Australia.
What industry is Stem Cell Donors Australia in?
Stem Cell Donors Australia's product category is Healthcare Non-profit Donor Registry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAJ, Blood, Organ & Tissue Donation Organizations, with a secondary code of HLAAAGAE, Cell & Tissue Banking (biobanking, cord blood/tissue). Its NAICS code is 621991 and its SIC code is 8300.