Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP)

What Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP) does

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2005 and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The organization mobilizes the spinal cord injury (SCI) community to advance curative research through legislative advocacy, education, and direct research support, serving approximately 22,769 SCI individuals annually along with their families and caregivers, SCI researchers and clinicians, and trained citizen-advocates coordinated through its Cure Advocacy Network (CAN).

U2FP's core offerings form an integrated educational and advocacy platform rather than a technology product suite: the CureCast podcast (144+ episodes, 133,074 cumulative listens across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Soundcloud); the Annual Science & Advocacy Symposium (reaching its 20th edition in Washington, D.C. in February 2026, with a permanent on-demand video library of 50+ hours); the Cure Advocacy Network organizing state-level legislative campaigns in Minnesota, Washington, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin; Team U2FP's endurance-racing fundraising program; the Keep On Rolling and Save SCIRP federal advocacy campaigns; and a Scientific Advisory Board (directed by veteran science journalist Sam Maddox) that supports content credibility. The organization has seed-funded SCI clinical research—notably the KeyGrip neuroprosthetic work at Case Western Reserve University—via state appropriations routed through advisory boards on which people living with SCI hold voting seats.

Revenue is generated entirely through individual donations, monthly giving programs, event-based fundraising (the 2nd Annual Bird's Nest Gala raised approximately $27,000 of its $30,000 goal in 2026), corporate sponsorship of podcast and event assets, and Team U2FP race entries. There are no products sold and no tiered pricing. The go-to-market motion is community-led: CAN trains SCI citizens as lobbyists who pass state and federal research funding, while the symposium and podcast function as educational funnels that recruit and retain advocates and donors. This model has cumulatively secured over $50 million in state SCI research funding (Minnesota ~$7M, Washington $800K, Pennsylvania $1M, Ohio $3M biennium) and restored $33 million in federal SCIRP funding in 2026 after Congressional defunding.

Name

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP)

Legal name

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis

Website

https://u2fp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP) is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes the spinal cord injury community to advance curative research through the Cure Advocacy Network, the CureCast podcast, and the Annual Science & Advocacy Symposium.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Health Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Spinal cord injury advocacy
• Nonprofit health advocacy
• Medical research funding
• Disability community organizing
• Legislative advocacy campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: U2FP relies primarily on individual donations, monthly giving programs, and event-based fundraising (galas, Team U2FP racing). Donors contribute to support the Cure Advocacy Network's legislative campaigns and research grant funding.
2. Team U2FP Racing Fundraising: Athletes and community members raise funds by participating in marathons and races (e.g., Twin Cities Marathon) on behalf of U2FP, with proceeds supporting the organization's mission.
3. Sponsorship and Event Revenue: The Annual Symposium and events like the Bird's Nest Gala generate sponsorship revenue and auction proceeds. Podcast sponsors (e.g., Integra Foundation, IntimaStim) also contribute.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP) is a nonprofit advocacy organization that unites the international spinal cord injury (SCI) community to cure paralysis. It delivers this through educational media (CureCast podcast, symposium video library), an annual Science & Advocacy Symposium, community content (Our Voice blog, newsletter), and legislative advocacy campaigns via its Cure Advocacy Network (CAN). The organization also operates fundraising programs such as Team U2FP racing and the Bird's Nest Gala.

Product overview

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP) is a nonprofit advocacy organization that unites the international spinal cord injury (SCI) community to cure paralysis through advocacy, education, and research support. U2FP's product portfolio centers on educational media (CureCast podcast and Video Library), an annual conference (Science & Advocacy Symposium), community engagement platforms (Our Voice blog and Newsletter), and legislative advocacy (Cure Advocacy Network). The CureCast podcast serves as the primary educational vehicle featuring expert interviews on SCI research, while the Annual Symposium provides in-person gathering with video archive access. The Cure Advocacy Network coordinates state-level legislative campaigns to secure research funding, and Team U2FP supports fundraising through athletic events. Together, these offerings create an integrated ecosystem of awareness-building, education, and direct-action advocacy for the SCI community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CureCast: The podcast feeding the movement to cure paralysis, hosted by Matthew Rodreick and Jason Stoffer
• Cure Advocacy Network (CAN)
• Team U2FP
• Keep On Rolling
• Working 2 Walk

Products and services

• CureCast Podcast An educational podcast featuring interviews with spinal cord injury scientists, researchers, and advocates, designed to educate the SCI community and accelerate functional recovery research. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Soundcloud with over 144 episodes and 133,074+ total listens.
• Annual Science & Advocacy Symposium An annual conference bringing together SCI researchers, advocates, clinicians, and community members to discuss the latest developments in spinal cord injury research, featuring presentations, panels, and networking opportunities.
• Cure Advocacy Network (CAN) A legislative advocacy program that mobilizes SCI community members as citizen-advocates to pass state legislation funding spinal cord injury research, operating campaigns in Minnesota, Washington, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin. CAN advocates have helped pass legislation allocating over $50M to SCI research.
• Team U2FP A fundraising initiative involving racing events including the Twin Cities Marathon and 10-Mile races, allowing supporters to raise money for U2FP's mission while participating in athletic events.

Quantifiable outcome

• $50M+ in SCI research funding secured through state and federal advocacy
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Christopher & Dana Reeve FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is a leading SCI nonprofit. U2FP collaborates with the foundation on advocacy and research initiatives, including sharing letters of support for legislative efforts.
• Shepherd CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShepherd Center is a prominent neurorehabilitation hospital. U2FP identifies it as a partner organization, likely collaborating on research and advocacy.
• Kennedy Krieger InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKennedy Krieger Institute is an affiliated organization of Johns Hopkins University specializing in disorders of the brain and spinal cord. U2FP's KeyGrip clinical trial is expanding to Kennedy Krieger Institute.
• ONWARD MedicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerONWARD Medical is a medtech company developing spinal cord stimulation therapies. U2FP has interviewed ONWARD's CEO on the CureCast podcast and covers their ARC-EX device, but the relationship appears primarily content-based.
• Case Western Reserve University / Institute for Functional RestorationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU2FP's Cure Advocacy Network in Ohio helped fund Megan Moynahan's KeyGrip neuroprosthetic device research at Case Western Reserve University's Institute for Functional Restoration. The project is now expanding to additional sites.
• Texas A&M UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Jen Dulin from Texas A&M University has been featured on CureCast and collaborated with U2FP on research analysis of SCI funding trends.
• Marquette University (Blackmore Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Murray Blackmore's lab at Marquette University is a key research collaborator. His lab has incorporated SCI community consultants (people living with SCI) into the research process through U2FP's CAN model.
• Miami Project to Cure ParalysiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami is one of the world's leading SCI research centers. U2FP features Miami Project researchers on the CureCast podcast and collaborates on educational content.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation: The largest U.S. nonprofit dedicated to spinal cord injury advocacy, research funding, and quality-of-life programs; a direct peer because U2FP and the Reeve Foundation co-advocate on federal SCI research funding and serve overlapping SCI community members.
• Kennedy Krieger Institute: Johns Hopkins-affiliated institution treating disorders of the brain and spinal cord; U2FP's KeyGrip clinical trial is expanding to Kennedy Krieger, making it a directly comparable peer in SCI clinical research and rehabilitation.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America: Veterans service organization focused on spinal cord injury and disease advocacy, research funding, and benefits; comparable to U2FP as a competing federal and state advocacy voice for the SCI/D community.
• Shepherd Center: Leading U.S. neurorehabilitation hospital specializing in SCI care and research; a direct peer because U2FP identifies Shepherd Center as a partner and both organizations operate at the intersection of SCI clinical care, research, and community advocacy.
• Craig H. Neilsen Foundation: A major private funder of SCI research and quality-of-life initiatives; identified by U2FP as a core partner and is directly comparable because both organizations channel philanthropic dollars into SCI research and community programs.
• Wings for Life: International nonprofit funding research aimed at curing spinal cord injury; a direct peer given shared mission, similar funding model, and overlapping research grant recipients in the SCI cure space.
• Miami Project to Cure Paralysis: University of Miami-based research center and one of the world's largest SCI research programs; a direct peer because U2FP regularly features Miami Project researchers on CureCast and both organizations aim to translate SCI science into cures.

Emerging players

• ONWARD Medical: Medtech company developing spinal cord stimulation therapies (e.g., ARC-EX); an emerging player comparable to U2FP's mission because ONWARD is one of the most clinically advanced SCI therapy developers and U2FP features and educates around its technology through CureCast.
• SpinalCord.com: Online SCI community and resource hub that awarded U2FP's CureCast 'Best of the Best Paralysis Podcast 2022'; comparable as a community/education channel targeting the same SCI audience but operating primarily as a media platform rather than advocacy organization.
• Get Up Stand Up 2 Cure Paralysis Foundation (GUSU): Formerly led by U2FP Executive Director Matthew Rodreick until 2017; an emerging player directly comparable as a smaller grassroots SCI cure-advocacy nonprofit operating in the same niche as U2FP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/U2FP_CureSCI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unite2fightparalysis/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Unite2FightParalysis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unite-2-fight-paralysis
• Instagraminstagram.com/u2fp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP)