About Us

What Is Driven Neuro

DRIVEN Neuro is a nonprofit organization dedicated to moving recovery forward for people living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions. We do this through DRIVEN Neuro Recovery Centers that deliver hands-on recovery, community, and resources to people who need it now, and by funding the research that is pushing neurological care into the future.

Born from the personal journey of founder Sam Schmidt, a former IndyCar driver who sustained a spinal cord injury in 2000, DRIVEN Neuro was created to ensure no one has to navigate paralysis alone, and that recovery doesn’t stop when traditional care does.

Over the years, our organization has evolved, and our brand is evolving with it. Formerly known as Conquer Paralysis Now and DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Centers, we are now united under one connected brand: DRIVEN Neuro. This change reflects a clearer, more human-centered vision focused on the full journey of recovery through long-term support, community, and expanded access. While our name and look have evolved, our mission remains the same: helping people living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions continue moving forward.

Mission, Vision & Values

Mission

DRIVEN Neuro drives independence for individuals with paralysis and neurological conditions through breakthrough rehabilitation, collaborative research, and advocacy for a cure.

Vision

To drive efforts toward a cure for paralysis while empowering people with neurological conditions to live independent, fulfilling lives.

Core Values

  • Progress Over Perfection. Every step forward matters. We measure progress in real life, not just numbers on a chart.
  • Community First. No one should recover alone. Connection, peer support, and belonging are part of how recovery works here.
  • Access for All. Recovery shouldn’t end when insurance does. We work to remove the barriers between people and the care they need.
  • Innovation with Purpose. We pursue research, technology, and ideas that change what’s possible, and we put them in the hands of the people who need them.
  • Person-Centered Progress. Every recovery journey is unique. We meet each individual as a person – not a diagnosis – supporting their goals, strengths, and progress in ways that are meaningful to them.
FOUNDING STORY: SAM SCHMIDT’S JOURNEY

IT STARTED WITH A CRASH. IT BECAME A MOVEMENT.

On January 6, 2000, Sam Schmidt was on top of the racing world. Just weeks earlier, he’d won his first IndyCar Series race in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas. Then, during a routine practice session at Walt Disney World Speedway, he backed his racecar into a wall at nearly 200 mph. The impact caused a C3/4/5 spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed.

From his hospital bed, Sam and his family made a decision: focus on what’s possible, not what’s lost. Just six weeks after the crash, on February 17, 2000, they founded the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. The mission was simple and audacious. Pursue a cure for paralysis, fund the research that could get us there, and help others who didn’t have the same support, resources, or insurance Sam had.

Over the next two decades, the foundation evolved. It became Conquer Paralysis Now. It expanded into adaptive technology, partnering with Arrow Electronics to pioneer the SAM Car, proving that even quadriplegia couldn’t stop someone from getting back behind the wheel. It opened the first DRIVEN Neuro Recovery Center in Las Vegas in 2018. Then a second in Indianapolis in 2024.

Today, the organization is known as DRIVEN Neuro, a name that captures what’s been true from the start. This isn’t about one person’s recovery, or even one finish line. It’s about the people, programs, and partners working together to push what’s possible for everyone living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions.

DRIVEN Neuro Team

DRIVEN NEURO: A Journey of Progress, Purpose & Possibility

2000: A LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT

On January 6, IndyCar driver Sam Schmidt’s career is altered forever in a high-speed crash at Walt Disney World Speedway. Paralyzed from the neck down, Sam refuses to let the moment define him. It becomes the catalyst for everything that follows.

Just six weeks later, on February 17, Sam and his family establish the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. They turn adversity into action and lay the groundwork for what would become Conquer Paralysis Now and, eventually, DRIVEN Neuro.

Sam transitions from driver to team owner, building one of the most successful operations in Indy Lights history. In parallel, the foundation grows, funding research and quality-of-life initiatives for people with spinal cord injuries.

Through partnerships with Arrow Electronics and others, the foundation pioneers groundbreaking adaptive technology, including the SAM Car, which lets Sam drive again. Independence and possibility move from concept to reality.

Recognizing a critical gap in neurorecovery services, the foundation launches DRIVEN Neuro Recovery Center Las Vegas, providing accessible fitness and wellness programming for individuals with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions. The program grows rapidly, serving hundreds of individuals each year and delivering thousands of activity-based training and adaptive exercise sessions.

The organization relocates its headquarters and purchases property in Carmel, IN, with plans to create a 114,000+ square foot neurorecovery campus. This marks a major step toward a national model of integrated clinical and community-based recovery.

The organization opens its second neurorecovery center in partnership with NeuroHope, an independent nonprofit that operates clinical services within the facility. The new center features advanced clinical therapies, aquatic rehabilitation, and adaptive wellness, bringing comprehensive care under one roof.

With locations in Las Vegas and Indianapolis, DRIVEN Neuro Recovery Centers are transforming lives, expanding access, and redefining what’s possible for people living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions.

DRIVEN Neuro continues to grow through innovation, partnerships, and expanded access, built on the belief that recovery is not a destination, but a journey worth supporting.

What Makes Driven Neuro Different

Our Approach

At DRIVEN Neuro, neurorecovery doesn’t end when insurance does. We provide person-centered recovery for those who want to keep progressing beyond traditional rehabilitation timelines.

What sets DRIVEN Neuro apart is how recovery happens here: through continuity, access, and a community designed for progress over time. We bring training, adaptive fitness, peer connection, education, and family support together under one mission — making long-term neurorecovery possible.

DRIVEN Neuro Approach

Our Outcomes

At DRIVEN Neuro, progress is measured in everyday function, not just outcomes on paper. Many clients who were told they had plateaued continue to make gains in strength, confidence, and overall well-being through consistent participation. These gains show up in daily life: improved movement and balance, increased independence, better endurance, and meaningful improvements in mood and emotional well-being over time.

Read the 2025 Annual Report

Our Philosophy

People come first. We don’t define clients by a diagnosis. We meet them as individuals with their own goals, strengths, and stories. The work is theirs. Our job is to make sure they have the tools, the support, and the community to keep going.

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