Using Science, Philanthropy, and Venture Capital to Reverse Paralysis
Table of contents
Adrien Cohen
This story is part of the Architects of Impact series, highlighting stories of innovation that demonstrate how our Community is mobilizing to ensure a world that works for all people and the planet.
If you have a problem, French entrepreneur Adrien Cohen may be the person to solve it.
Adrien has spent years in the tech world building fast-growing companies like Tractable and Lazada, each a challenge in its own right. But today, he’s building something different: a philanthropic venture fund focused on one of medicine’s toughest challenges—to reverse paralysis.
“We aspire to bring new therapeutic options for people living with paralysis—a world where paralysis is no longer a life sentence,” Adrien says.
He founded SCI Ventures in 2022 to support breakthrough companies working on spinal cord injury (SCI) treatments. Inspired by models in other disease areas, SCI Ventures utilizes philanthropic capital to help promising technologies transition from the lab to the real world.
“Our goal with SCI Ventures is to be that fuel for innovation and change, to create a new market so that more people work on paralysis and eventually to see more treatments emerge.” He borrowed the model of a cystic fibrosis foundation in the 1990s that took off with philanthropic contributions and investments in private companies. For Adrien, this model of being the specialist investor to prime the pump and attract more capital to a mission builds on his own entrepreneurial experience and fills a critical funding gap not filled by government or private investors.
A New Journey Into Philanthropy
Launching SCI Ventures marked Adrien’s first step into philanthropy after building two billion-dollar companies—and it wasn’t a step he took alone. “Philanthropy was a new world to me,” he says. “Forward Global served as a sounding board and trusted community as I scaled SCI Ventures.”
He turned to Forward Global not just for education, but for community. “It’s been a key platform for learning, strategic reflection, and peer exchange,” Adrien says. “Forward Global introduced me to other high-leverage actors and collaborators I might never otherwise have met. Some even became supporters of our initiative.”
That support helped Adrien sharpen his model and reflect on his strategy. “Learning from others who have created models of evergreen venture funds focused on medical innovation in different health spaces helps us in getting the best practices, getting the learning to be as effective as possible, which is definitely of great value for us,” he says.
He adds, “Forward Global is a community of people who have their heart in the right place, are very passionate, and have a really interesting balance of needing personal connection and working on something that drives you, to yield a big impact.”
It’s no surprise that Adrien fits in with the Forward Global Community, considering where his own heart stands in this venture—a family accident a few years ago set him on this pursuit of a cure for paralysis in the next ten years.
Measurable Momentum
Adrien sees paralysis as a large, unmet need with real market potential. In less than two years, SCI Ventures raised $35 million from mission-aligned families and foundations, funded eight cutting-edge biotech and neurotech companies, and helped catalyze another $35 million in follow-on capital. Two portfolio companies are now publicly listed, and several others have already been marked up, which are clear signs of strong early returns. “We’re showing that high-impact science can deliver real financial value and bring top-tier investors into a space they’ve long overlooked,” Adrien says.
That momentum is visible across the board. Onward Medical, a company in SCI Ventures’ portfolio, has obtained the first-ever FDA-approved therapy for chronic paralysis—a historic achievement for the 20 million people globally with no current paralysis treatment options.
Meanwhile, two other companies that SCI Ventures has invested in—EG427 and Axonis—have moved into Phase 1 clinical trials. “We are moving beyond animal studies and finally bringing these therapies into human trials,” he says. “Early signals are promising, with the possibility of becoming new treatment options for bladder incontinence, neuropathic pain, and eventually motor recovery.”
Adrien is also excited about Healx AI, an initiative using artificial intelligence to analyze vast datasets and identify new drug candidates. “Watching a world-class machine learning team apply cutting-edge tools to SCI regeneration—analyzing everything from human to rodent to zebrafish data—has been nothing short of mind-blowing. To my knowledge, no one else is applying this level of AI expertise and resources to fight paralysis.”
What’s Next
In line with his outsized mission, Adrien plans to take SCI Ventures even higher. In 2026, he wants to expand the investment portfolio and raise an additional $10-20 million by combining philanthropy and impact investing to maximize the outcomes. “Ultimately, we want to see new treatments brought to market, more for-profit investors in the space, and more people whose lives have been improved by our portfolio companies,” he says.
Reflecting on how the Forward Global Community has supported him, he hopes to see other venture philanthropy initiatives emerge on a wide range of hard topics like health, climate, and science.
His message to other entrepreneurs thinking about impact? Nothing is impossible, and now is the time to act. “I’d like to see more entrepreneurs and exited founders join the movement,” Adrien says. “There are huge problems to solve across the board—climate, health, education. If not us, then who?”
