Jeremy Abitbol on Praxis And The Work That Needs to Keep Moving Forward

After six years of meaningful service, Jeremy Abitbol, Vice President at Northleaf Capital has completed his term on the Praxis Board of Directors, closing a chapter that began with a single invitation and grew into a deep commitment to advancing innovation in spinal cord injury (SCI) research.

 

Jeremy’s path to Praxis was not a conventional one. He did not come from a clinical or research background, but from finance. Raised in Montreal, he built his career in Toronto across asset management, private equity, private credit, infrastructure, and business development. At first glance, that world may seem far removed from SCI but for Jeremy, the connection quickly became clear.

Praxis sits at the intersection of research, innovation, lived experience and investment. That convergence, where science meets strategy and capital meets real-world impact, was a natural draw. “I always loved that interaction of science, technology, and investments,” Jeremy says.

That interest led him to join the Praxis Board, where he contributed across innovation, fund development, and audit and finance. Over time, he helped strengthen the organization’s ability to move ideas beyond theory and into practice, supporting solutions that improve the lives of people living with SCI.

Praxis is helping move ideas closer to real-world use. It is helping researchers, entrepreneurs, clinicians, and people with lived experience work together so that innovation does not stay trapped in theory. For Jeremy, that is what made the work matter.

His first real exposure to Praxis came through a pitch competition in Toronto. What began as an opportunity to help host the event became a pivotal moment. Entrepreneurs from across Canada and around the world presented technologies aimed at improving life with spinal cord injury, from rehabilitation tools to catheter innovations and emerging therapies.

The experience shifted his perspective. It underscored something fundamental: innovation alone is not enough. Breakthroughs require a pathway—one that includes testing, guidance, funding, and insight from the people who will ultimately use and benefit from the solutions. That is the role Praxis plays.

Jeremy also brought a personal appreciation for science to the role. Coming from a family that valued research, his brother is a physician, and he himself studied science, he had seen firsthand how difficult it can be to move promising ideas forward. Too often, innovations remain stuck in academic publications or institutional pipelines, never reaching the people they were meant to help.

Praxis, he believes, helps bridge that gap.

One of its greatest strengths lies in its ability to bring together voices that do not always naturally intersect: researchers, entrepreneurs, clinicians, investors, and people with lived experience. Each brings a different lens, and together they create better, more practical solutions.

That collaborative model is, in many ways, the heart of Praxis.

Jeremy during a cycling ride outdoors.

Over his six years, Jeremy also came to understand how much remains unseen by those outside the SCI community. One realization in particular stayed with him: “You don’t know what you don’t know.”

He points to issue like thermoregulation and extreme heat – challenges that can become dangerous for people living with SCI but remain largely invisible to others. Projects such as SCI Climate Futures, connected to the City of Vancouver, highlight how emerging risks intersect with everyday life.

“These are realities that, unless they affect you directly, you may never fully appreciate,” he says.

Serving on the board during a period of transition, funding pressure, and strategic growth, Jeremy gain a deeper appreciation for the role of governance in mission-driven organizations. He also saw advocacy shapes progress, including through meetings with policymakers and SCI leaders that reinforced Praxis’ nation and global reach.

Jeremy with Praxis team during a site visit in Toronto.
(L–R: Leslie Church, Member of Parliament for Toronto–St. Paul’s; Jeremy Abitbol; Maggie Chi, Member of Parliament for Don Valley North and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health; Bill Barrable, CEO, Praxis; Joel Dembe, Vice Chair, Praxis.)

Though based in Vancouver, Praxis operates on a broader stage. Canada plays a leading role in SCI research and innovation, and Jeremy believes Praxis is well positioned to push that leadership even further. but its work is national and global. As technology accelerates – through advances in AI, data, and entrepreneurship – the need for effective, real-world SCI solutions remains urgent.

Praxis stands out because of its ability to connect the necessary pieces: research excellence, lived experience, entrepreneurial networks, and practical pathways to impact. Together, these elements for a powerful engine for change.

For Jeremy, the work is also deeply human.

A single moment, a cycling accident, a fall on the slopes, or a car crash can alter the course of a life. Over the years, he has met individuals and families navigating that reality with resilience while also confronting challenges that are often invisible to others.

Those experiences reshaped his understanding of what innovation truly means – not just discovery, but application. Not just ideas, but outcomes.

As he concludes his board service, Jeremy leaves a clear message: the work must continue.

Praxis, he believes, is at its best when collaboration turns into action, when diverse expertise comes together not just to discuss change, but to deliver it.

Because ultimately, the goal is not to talk about impact.

It is to create it.

Learn more about Praxis: Praxis News