The Synergist.org
The Synergist is a Brussels-based non-profit backbone organization that facilitates multi-stakeholder healthcare collaborative programs through the Synapse digital platform and PEM Suite tools, serving pharmaceutical companies, patient organizations, regulators, and researchers across patient engagement and precision medicine initiatives in 90+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Synergist.org does
The Synergist.org is a Brussels-headquartered non-profit backbone organization founded in 2013 that facilitates multi-stakeholder collaborative programs in healthcare. It operates two Belgian legal entities (The Synergist ASBL and Synergist Services SPRL) with a team of approximately 38 people and serves pharmaceutical companies, patient advocacy organizations, regulatory bodies (EMA, FDA, HTA), academic researchers, and healthcare professionals across more than 90 countries.
The organization's core technology infrastructure consists of the Synapse digital platform, a searchable network mapping 4,500+ experts and 1,500+ organizations across patient engagement and precision medicine ecosystems, and the PEM Suite (Patient Engagement Management Suite), which includes the Global PE & PED Navigator, Metrics Selector, and various frameworks. These tools support multiple collaborative programs including PFMD (Patient Focused Medicines Development), FT3 (From Testing to Targeted Treatments), MCIP (Motherhood Collective Impact Programme), PEPs (Patient Engagement Professionals, launched 2025), and Global Patient Movement Catalyst (PMC, launched 2025), as well as EU-funded projects (IMI ConcePTION, Gravitate Health, Synchros, EU-PEARL, Guide.MRD, IHI READI).
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining membership fees from pharmaceutical companies, corporate sponsorship packages (program-specific), EU research grants, and program-specific funding. Disclosed 2023 turnover totaled approximately 4.1 million EUR across programs, with PFMD contributing 2,528,500 EUR and FT3 contributing 1,120,000 EUR as the two largest revenue streams. The organization reported 30,000+ people engaged across its health networks, 27,000+ users of Synergist tools, and 38,000+ enrollees in its Patient Engagement Industry Training program.
The Synergist.org firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Synergist.org
- Legal name
- The Synergist ASBL
- Website
- https://thesynergist.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Synergist is a Brussels-based non-profit backbone organization that facilitates multi-stakeholder healthcare collaborative programs through the Synapse digital platform and PEM Suite tools, serving pharmaceutical companies, patient organizations, regulators, and researchers across patient engagement and precision medicine initiatives in 90+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Synergist.org industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Collaborative Services and Patient Engagement Programs
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)
Keywords
Where The Synergist.org is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Synergist.org business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: PFMD generates revenue through membership fees from pharmaceutical companies, patient organizations, and other stakeholders in the patient engagement ecosystem.
- EU Research Grants: Funding from EU-funded projects including IMI ConcePTION, Gravitate Health, Synchros, EU-PEARL, and others where The Synergist serves as a partner or consortium member.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsorship packages from pharmaceutical and healthcare companies supporting various programs and initiatives. Sponsorship is specific to each programme.
- Program-specific Funding: Specifically funded projects where corporate sponsors support dedicated program activities, such as the Motherhood Collective Impact Programme and FT3.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Program-specific sponsorship packages |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Synergist.org product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Synergist is a neutral, non-profit backbone organization that facilitates multi-stakeholder collaborative programs addressing complex healthcare challenges. It incubates and manages programs such as PFMD (Patient Focused Medicines Development), FT3 (From Testing to Targeted Treatments), MCIP (Motherhood Collective Impact Programme), PEPs, and the Global Patient Movement Catalyst, supported by proprietary digital tools including the Synapse platform and PEM Suite. Its core service is identifying the right partners, curating neutral safe spaces for collaboration, and managing the fundraising, communications, and technical infrastructure that converts ideas into action.
Product overview
The Synergist.org operates as a neutral, non-profit collaborative organization that facilitates multi-stakeholder programs to address complex societal challenges, primarily in healthcare. The organization's core offerings consist of the Synapse digital platform (a searchable network connecting experts, organizations, and resources in patient engagement and precision medicine) and the PEM Suite (Patient Engagement Management Suite featuring the Global PE & PED Navigator and Metrics Selector). These digital infrastructure products support multiple collaborative programs including PFMD (Patient Focused Medicines Development), FT3 (From Testing to Targeted Treatments), MCIP (Motherhood Collective Impact Programme), PEPs, Global Patient Movement Catalyst, and various EU-funded research projects (IHI READI, Guide.MRD, Gravitate Health, ConcePTION). The programs function as thematic initiatives managed by The Synergist's infrastructure, with Synapse serving as the connective digital tissue across multiple health focus areas including patient engagement, precision medicine, maternal health, and rare diseases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Synapse Platform: Digital network platform for connecting stakeholders around critical societal issues and precision medicine initiatives
- Patient Engagement Open Forum (PEOF)
- PEM Suite
Products and services
- Synapse Platform A digital network and searchable platform that maps and connects experts, organizations, events, initiatives, and resources in patient engagement and precision medicine ecosystems, enabling stakeholders to find common ground and collaborate. By January 2023 it included 222 experts, 578 organizations, 129 initiatives, 190 events, and 872 resources; 4,500+ experts and 1,500+ organizations are mapped overall.
- PEM Suite (Patient Engagement Management Suite) Comprehensive suite of patient engagement tools including the Global PE & PED Navigator, Metrics Selector, and various frameworks for managing patient engagement initiatives within and between organizations.
- PFMD (Patient Focused Medicines Development) Global collaborative initiative working to improve health by co-designing the future of healthcare with patients. Develops tools, methodologies, and frameworks for patient engagement across the health ecosystem.
- FT3 (From Testing to Targeted Treatments) Global multi-stakeholder initiative accelerating precision medicine access by aggregating and amplifying existing efforts; develops adaptable tools and resources for precision medicine champions to improve patient outcomes. Includes 26+ members, 137+ contributors, and 3 country pilots (Hungary, Spain, Canada).
- MCIP (Motherhood Collective Impact Programme) Program focused on increasing demand and creating better conditions for high-quality maternal health, including Safe Motherhood Week initiatives. Reached 714,844 people during Safe Motherhood Week 2022 with 1,445,778 social media engagements.
- PEPs (Patient Engagement Professionals) The first global community made by and for Patient Engagement industry professionals, providing networking and knowledge sharing for PE practitioners.
- Global Patient Movement Catalyst (PMC) Initiative helping patient experts and organizations partner in health system decision-making across diseases, geographies, and jurisdictions.
- IHI READI European project creating a more cohesive and inclusive ecosystem for clinical studies by ensuring participation of underserved and underrepresented populations.
- Guide.MRD EU-funded project addressing how liquid biopsies (ctDNA tests) can improve outcomes for patients with minimal residual disease.
- Gravitate Health EU IMI project empowering and equipping Europeans with health information for active personal health management and adherence to treatment.
- Metrics Selector Tool Co-created agile tool for identifying the right measurements for patient engagement practices.
- Country Patient Engagement Guidelines Quick reference resources for interactions between pharmaceutical companies and patient community, initially launched for The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain.
- Story of PM Storytelling platform designed to make precision medicine more comprehensible and showcase patient experiences.
- Patient Engagement Mapping Tool Online platform that captures and maps patient engagement initiatives globally to facilitate networking and collaboration.
Quantifiable outcome
- 714,844 people reached during Safe Motherhood Week 2022 with 1,445,778 social media engagements
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The Synergist.org
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Synergist.org technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Synergist.org partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
51 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IMI EU-PEARLcoreThe IMI EU-PEARL consortium selected Synapse as the ideal hosting platform for the Patient Engagement Platform. The project ran from October 2022 to March 2023. The project focused on reimagining clinical trials through a personalized version of Synapse.
- European Patients' Forum (EPF)coreEPF is a key partner in organizing the Patient Engagement Open Forum (PEOF) together with EUPATI and The Synergist. Active participation in PE & PED working groups.
- EUPATI (European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation)coreCo-organizer of Patient Engagement Open Forum (PEOF) together with EPF. Collaborates on patient engagement training and resources.
- IMI ConcePTIONcoreEU-funded collaborative project with over 88 wide-ranging partners from 22 countries united from civil society organizations to industry, academics, researchers. Project aims to tackle the information gap in medicine use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. MCIP is a proud partner.
- The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)coreFT3 joined UICC as a member, enabling broader reach in global cancer and precision medicine advocacy.
- Colorectal Cancer CanadacoreNew member of FT3 in 2022. Board member representation.
- LUNGevity FoundationcoreFT3 board member organization. Andrea Ferris serves as President and CEO.
- ICAN (International Cancer Advocacy Network)coreNew member of FT3 in 2022. Marcia K. Horn represents ICAN.
- DIA (Drug Information Association)minorCollaboration with DIA Global for sessions and conferences. PEOF session presented in collaboration with DIA.
- RochecoreSponsor and member of PFMD. Contributes to patient engagement initiatives and programs.
- NovartiscoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3. Board member representation.
- PfizercoreSponsor and member of PFMD. Contributes to patient engagement initiatives.
- Johnson & JohnsoncoreSponsor of PFMD and MCIP programs. Dr Ru-fong Joanne Cheng serves as OBGYN and Senior Medical Director, Women's Health.
- GSKcoreSponsor and member of PFMD.
- LillycoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3.
- UCBcoreSponsor of PFMD and MCIP programs.
- BayercoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3. Dr Pooja Merchant serves as Head Patient Partnerships and Engagement Oncology.
- AmgencoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3.
- SanoficoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3.
- TakedacoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3. New FT3 member in 2022.
- Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)coreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3. Ralph Riley serves as Global Co-Diagnostics Market Access Leader.
- GileadcoreSponsor and member of PFMD and FT3.
- MSDcoreSponsor of PFMD and MCIP. New FT3 member in 2022.
- AstellascoreSponsor and member of PFMD.
- EURORDIScorePartner organization in PFMD representing rare disease patients.
- National Health Council (NHC)coreMarc Boutin, CEO of NHC, is a founding member of PFMD. Contributed to inaugural publication in peer-reviewed journal.
- IlluminacoreSponsor and member of FT3. Dr Shirlene Badger serves as Patient Advocacy Lead.
- Foundation MedicinecoreSponsor and member of FT3.
- Blueprint MedicinescoreNew member of FT3 in 2022.
- Lung Cancer EuropecoreMember of FT3. Anne-Marie Baird represents Lung Cancer Europe.
- Digestive Cancers EuropecoreMember of FT3. Stefan Gijssels serves as Executive Director.
- CML Advocates NetworkcoreFT3 board member. Denis Costello serves as Executive Director.
- Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC)coreNew member of FT3 in 2022. Dr Leigh Boehmer represents ACCC.
- Lung Health Foundation (Canada)corePilot lead for FT3 Canada country pilot focusing on lung cancer.
- Lélek-Zet Association (Hungary)corePilot lead for FT3 Hungary country pilot addressing NGS/CGP testing awareness.
- Asociación Española de Afectados de Cáncer de Pulmón (Spain)corePilot lead for FT3 Spain country pilot addressing biomarker testing access.
- Fundación MÁS QUE IDEAS (Spain)coreCo-pilot lead for FT3 Spain country pilot.
- Pregnancy & Medicine InitiativecorePart of MCIP focused on addressing information gap on medicine use during pregnancy.
- Safe Motherhood WeekcoreAnnual campaign raising awareness on maternal health and medicine safety. Reached 714,844 people in 2022.
- Alliance for Maternal Health EqualitycorePart of MCIP focused on universal access to maternal healthcare in Europe.
- IMI Gravitate HealthcoreEU-funded project where The Synergist leads two work packages focusing on stakeholder engagement and needs prioritization.
- SYNCHROScoreEU project addressing data fragmentation in population-based, patient and clinical trial cohorts. The Synergist played key role until project conclusion in mid-2022.
- Share4RarecoreOnline community platform gathering patients, carers, clinicians and researchers to join forces in rare diseases. The Synergist played leadership role in designing and incubating the platform.
- PARADIGMcoreEU project providing processes and tools to enable effective and sustainable patient engagement in research priority setting, design of clinical trials, and early dialogue.
- Break DenguecoreInitiative connecting different dengue initiatives around the world to create bigger collective impact. Won 'Most Impactful Emerging Initiative' award.
- DiCE (Digestive Cancers Europe)corePartner in Q&A resource adaptation for colorectal cancer in multiple languages.
- CGO GlobalminorCollaboration on Patient Engagement Country Guidelines project.
- LumanityminorCollaboration on Patient Engagement Country Guidelines project.
- Japanese Patients for Patient-Centric Care (JPPaC)minorPartners running first PEOF session in Japan to adapt PFMD resources to local context.
- Center of Regulatory Excellence (CoRE)minorPartner in capacity building for patient engagement in Asia-Pacific region.
- Coalition to Accelerate Patient Engagement in Asia-Pacific (CAPE)minorRegional collaboration for accelerating patient engagement in Asia-Pacific.
Scale indicators17 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Synergist.org competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- EUPATI (European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation): Public-private partnership providing patient education and training on medicines R&D. EUPATI's patient training programs overlap directly with The Synergist's PE Training (38,000+ enrolled), and the two organizations jointly run the Patient Engagement Open Forum.
- CISCRP (Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation): US-based non-profit focused on patient engagement and education in clinical research. CISCRP operates similar awareness-building programs, patient perception studies, and educational initiatives to those run through PFMD and MCIP at The Synergist.
- FasterCures (Milken Institute): A US-based non-profit 'action tank' that serves as a backbone organization catalyzing cross-sector collaboration to accelerate medical research. Like The Synergist, it convenes patient organizations, industry, regulators, and researchers to remove systemic barriers in healthcare R&D.
- EURORDIS (Rare Diseases Europe): Non-profit alliance of over 1,000 rare disease patient organizations that convenes stakeholders across EU policy, research, and industry. EURORDIS is a partner in PFMD and shares The Synergist's multi-stakeholder convening model in the health advocacy space.
- National Health Council (NHC): US non-profit membership organization of patient advocacy groups that develops patient engagement standards and frameworks. NHC is a founding member of PFMD and operates with a similar backbone/standards-body model in the patient engagement space.
- European Patients' Forum (EPF): Umbrella organization of European patient associations that operates as a convening body for patient engagement policy and capacity building. EPF co-organizes PEOF with The Synergist and shares the multi-stakeholder collaboration model across EU health policy.
Broad incumbents
- PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute): US-based independent non-profit research organization funding comparative clinical effectiveness research with mandatory patient engagement. PCORI operates at much larger scale than The Synergist but shares the patient engagement methodology development mandate.
- DIA (Drug Information Association): Global life sciences membership organization convening regulatory, industry, and patient communities for knowledge exchange. DIA collaborates with The Synergist on PEOF sessions and operates a much broader conference and training portfolio in the same regulatory/PE intersection.
Emerging players
- Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI): Public-private partnership co-founded by FDA and Duke University to improve clinical trial design and conduct. CTTI overlaps with The Synergist's clinical trial engagement work (EU-PEARL, ConcePTION, READI) but focuses more on operational trial design rather than PE frameworks.
Others
- European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE): Trade association representing small-to-mid sized pharmaceutical companies in Europe. EUCOPE operates in adjacent stakeholder coordination space to The Synergist's pharma convening work, though focused on commercial policy rather than patient engagement frameworks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Synergist.org social profiles
Digital presenceThe Synergist.org financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Synergist.org leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Synergist.org funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Synergist.org M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about The Synergist.org
What does The Synergist.org do?
The Synergist is a neutral, non-profit backbone organization that facilitates multi-stakeholder collaborative programs addressing complex healthcare challenges. It incubates and manages programs such as PFMD (Patient Focused Medicines Development), FT3 (From Testing to Targeted Treatments), MCIP (Motherhood Collective Impact Programme), PEPs, and the Global Patient Movement Catalyst, supported by proprietary digital tools including the Synapse platform and PEM Suite. Its core service is identifying the right partners, curating neutral safe spaces for collaboration, and managing the fundraising, communications, and technical infrastructure that converts ideas into action.
Is The Synergist.org a public or private company?
The Synergist.org is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Synergist.org founded?
The Synergist.org was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Synergist.org based?
The Synergist.org is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does The Synergist.org make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are EU Research Grants, corporate Sponsorship and program-specific Funding.
Who are The Synergist.org's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are EUPATI (European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation), CISCRP (Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation), FasterCures (Milken Institute), EURORDIS (Rare Diseases Europe), National Health Council (NHC) and European Patients' Forum (EPF). Broad incumbents are PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) and DIA (Drug Information Association). Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI) is listed as an emerging player. European Confederation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (EUCOPE) is listed as an others.
Does The Synergist.org have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Synergist.org.
What industry is The Synergist.org in?
The Synergist.org's product category is Healthcare Collaborative Services and Patient Engagement Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAN, Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations, with a secondary code of HLAJAOAM, Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs). Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8600.