college diabetes network
The Diabetes Link (College Diabetes Network, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the only national peer-support community dedicated exclusively to young adults aged 16-30 living with diabetes, delivered through a Discord online community, college chapter network, local meetups, and educational programs funded by donations, corporate memberships, and grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What college diabetes network does
The Diabetes Link (legally College Diabetes Network, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that operates the only national peer-support community dedicated exclusively to young adults aged 16–30 living with diabetes (including Type 1, Type 2, LADA, and others). Its core platform is a community ecosystem rather than a software product: an online Discord community, a network of campus chapters at universities nationwide, local in-person meetups, and live virtual Off to College sessions, supplemented by a peer-perspectives blog, a curated scholarship directory, and a topic-organized resource library covering mental health, sex and relationships, money and insurance, nutrition, travel, and diabetes management.
The organization earns no revenue from end users; all programs are free. It is funded through three streams: individual donations processed via the Classy platform, corporate memberships from a roster of major diabetes device and pharmaceutical companies (including Dexcom, Insulet, Lilly, Vertex, Sanofi, Xeris, Abbott, Medtronic, MannKind, Sequel, Eversense, and PhRMA) that sponsor specific programs such as the Newly Diagnosed Experience, Hypoglycemia Education, Peer Connection, and Geographic Community Expansion, and grants. The operational technology stack is built on standard SaaS tools (HubSpot for email, Eventbrite for events, SmartRecruiters for hiring, FormAssembly for data collection), with no proprietary software, mobile app, or AI/ML capability described.
The Diabetes Link serves multiple stakeholder segments beyond its primary young-adult member base, including parents and caregivers (via dedicated parent resources and Off to College sessions), healthcare providers and clinicians (through partnerships with the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists and the American Diabetes Association), and industry partners seeking access to the young-adult diabetes demographic. As of 2024, the organization is led by a remote-first team of approximately 15 staff under CEO Manny Hernández, who was appointed in November 2024 following the founder's 2023 departure, and is governed by a board drawn from healthcare, finance, and diabetes-industry leadership.
college diabetes network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- college diabetes network
- Legal name
- College Diabetes Network, Inc.
- Website
- https://collegediabetesnetwork.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Diabetes Link (College Diabetes Network, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the only national peer-support community dedicated exclusively to young adults aged 16-30 living with diabetes, delivered through a Discord online community, college chapter network, local meetups, and educational programs funded by donations, corporate memberships, and grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
college diabetes network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Patient Advocacy and Support Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Type 1 Diabetes Care (HLAKADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Diabetes & Blood Sugar Nutrition Coaching (HSADAFAF)
Keywords
Where college diabetes network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
college diabetes network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors contribute to The Diabetes Link to fund programs supporting young adults with diabetes. Donations are processed via the Classy platform.
- Corporate Membership / Industry Sponsorship: Corporate partners (Dexcom, Insulet, Sanofi, Xeris, Mannkind, Lilly, Vertex, Abbott, Medtronic, Sequel, Eversense, PhRMA) pay for corporate membership to reach the young adult diabetes community. Sponsorships fund specific programs (Newly Diagnosed Experience, Hypoglycemia Education, Peer Connection, Geographic Community Expansion).
- Grants: The organization receives grant funding as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. IRS Form 990 filings are publicly available.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
college diabetes network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
College Diabetes Network (The Diabetes Link) provides peer support, education, and advocacy resources for young adults aged 16–30 living with diabetes. Its core deliverables are an online Discord community, a nationwide network of campus chapters, local in-person meetups, virtual "Off to College" sessions, a peer-perspectives blog, a scholarship directory, and an online resource library.
Product overview
The Diabetes Link (formerly College Diabetes Network) is a nonprofit organization that provides a community platform and resource ecosystem for young adults living with diabetes. The core offerings consist of an online Discord community, college chapter network, local meetups, and live Off to College sessions. These are supplemented by a blog (Peer Perspectives), scholarship directory, and a comprehensive resource library covering topics like nutrition, mental health, advocacy, and diabetes management. The organization does not offer a software product in the traditional SaaS sense, but rather serves as a community and educational hub connecting young adults with diabetes to peer support, practical guidance, and resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Community (Discord)
Quantifiable outcome
- Contributes to better health outcomes as well as academic and career success for young adults with diabetes.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use college diabetes network
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
college diabetes network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
college diabetes network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Breakthrough T1DcoreBreakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and The Link team up so students prepping for the jump to high school have access to The Link's Off to College programs and support. Link College Chapters are present at Breakthrough T1D Community Summits.
- American Diabetes Association (ADA)coreADA and The Link co-host live sessions that walk young adults and their parents through legal accommodations in school and work. They are also partnering on the first multimedia Newly Diagnosed Experience for young adults living with any form of diabetes.
- Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES)coreADCES and The Link partner to connect young adults living with diabetes to career paths in patient care, and to make sure ADCES clinicians have access to Link resources to support their patients.
- Blue Circle HealthminorBlue Circle Health and The Link ensure young adults have access to care in every state Blue Circle operates, and Blue Circle connects the young adults it serves to The Link's community support.
- Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC)minorDPAC connects The Link's college chapters and young adults interested in advocacy with opportunities to get involved at the state and national level. Many Link chapter members go on to become DPAC Ambassadors.
- Time in Range Coalition (diaTribe)minorThe Diabetes Link serves alongside nonprofit partners on the Time in Range Coalition, coordinated by diaTribe.
- T1D CoalitionminorThe Diabetes Link serves alongside nonprofit partners on the T1D Coalition.
- LillycoreLilly supports The Link's Newly Diagnosed Experience and Geographic Community Expansion programs as a corporate member. They are listed among the organization's most significant industry supporters.
- Vertex PharmaceuticalscoreVertex is a sponsor of The Link's Hypoglycemia Education initiatives. Vertex is featured as a corporate member and supporter.
- Xeris PharmaceuticalscoreXeris supports The Link's Newly Diagnosed Experience. Listed as a corporate member and industry supporter.
- SanoficoreSanofi supports The Link's work through a healthcare contribution. Listed as a corporate member.
- InsuletcoreInsulet supports The Link's Peer Connection & Community Expansion programs. Listed as a corporate member. Lucas Escobar, Director of U.S. Consumer Marketing at Insulet, serves on The Link's Board of Directors.
- DexcomminorDexcom is listed as an industry partner/corporate member. Provides careers and early careers links on The Link's industry partners page.
- Abbott (FreeStyle Libre)minorAbbott is listed as an industry partner/corporate member. Provides careers and early careers links on The Link's industry partners page.
- Medtronic (MiniMed)minorMiniMed (Medtronic) is listed as an industry partner/corporate member. Provides careers and early careers links.
- MannKindminorMannKind is listed as an industry partner. Supports the MannKind Al Mann Centennial Scholarship (up to $10,000) for students with diabetes.
- Eversense (Ascensia)minorEversense is listed as an industry partner/corporate member.
- Sequel (Twiist)minorSequel (Twiist) is listed as an industry partner.
- PhRMAminorPhRMA is listed as an industry partner/corporate member.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
college diabetes network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Beyond Type 1: National nonprofit serving people living with Type 1 diabetes across age groups with peer community, education, and grant programs. Most direct comparable to The Diabetes Link given overlapping mission and youth-focused programming.
- Children with Diabetes: Long-running diabetes community organization focused on children and teens with diabetes and their families. Adjacent in mission — both serve youth populations navigating life with T1D and host community events.
- Diabetes Hands Foundation: Diabetes advocacy nonprofit founded by current Link CEO Manny Hernández. Comparable community/peer-support mission and historical role in online diabetes community-building (TuDiabetes, EsTuDiabetes).
- Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC): Diabetes policy advocacy nonprofit that recruits young adult advocates and DPAC Ambassadors from The Link's college chapters. Direct overlap on advocacy programming and young adult demographic.
Broad incumbents
- Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF): The largest US T1D-focused nonprofit, historically research- and cure-oriented but increasingly funding young adult and community programs. Strategic partner of The Diabetes Link via Off to College collaboration.
- American Diabetes Association: The largest US diabetes nonprofit covering all diabetes types across all ages. Co-develops the Newly Diagnosed Experience with The Diabetes Link and is a mutual strategic partner.
- ADCES (Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists): Professional association for diabetes care and education specialists. Strategic partner connecting young adults to CDCES careers and routing clinicians to Link resources for their patients.
Emerging players
- T1D Exchange: Nonprofit focused on T1D research, real-world data, and the largest US T1D patient registry. Co-founded by Link board treasurer Marie Schiller; complementary to The Link's community programs.
- diaTribe (Time in Range Coalition): Diabetes education nonprofit producing patient-facing content on diabetes management and convening the Time in Range Coalition, of which The Diabetes Link is a member partner.
Others
- Insulet Corporation: Omnipod tubeless insulin pump manufacturer; Link board director Lucas Escobar leads US consumer marketing there. Functions as a corporate sponsor and is part of The Link's industry partnership ecosystem rather than a direct nonprofit peer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
college diabetes network social profiles
Digital presencecollege diabetes network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
college diabetes network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
college diabetes network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
college diabetes network 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 college diabetes network
What does college diabetes network do?
College Diabetes Network (The Diabetes Link) provides peer support, education, and advocacy resources for young adults aged 16–30 living with diabetes. Its core deliverables are an online Discord community, a nationwide network of campus chapters, local in-person meetups, virtual "Off to College" sessions, a peer-perspectives blog, a scholarship directory, and an online resource library.
Is college diabetes network a public or private company?
college diabetes network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was college diabetes network founded?
college diabetes network was founded in 2009.
Where is college diabetes network based?
college diabetes network is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does college diabetes network make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Membership / Industry Sponsorship and grants.
Who are college diabetes network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Beyond Type 1, Children with Diabetes, Diabetes Hands Foundation and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC). Broad incumbents are Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), American Diabetes Association and ADCES (Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists). Emerging players are T1D Exchange and diaTribe (Time in Range Coalition). Insulet Corporation is listed as an others.
Does college diabetes network have an API?
No public API is recorded for college diabetes network.
What industry is college diabetes network in?
college diabetes network's product category is Patient Advocacy and Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKADAB, Type 1 Diabetes Care, with a secondary code of HSADAFAF, Diabetes & Blood Sugar Nutrition Coaching. Its NAICS code is 813212.