# Foundation Fighting Blindness

> Foundation Fighting Blindness is a VC fund backing Health Care. See 11 investments, check sizes, portfolio and contact details. Updated Aug 2026.

- Type: VC Fund
- Location: Columbia, United States
- Total investments: 11
- Last investment: Apr 2025
- Lead investor: 55%
- Last updated: Aug 2026
- X (Twitter): https://www.twitter.com/fightblindness
- Website: https://www.fightingblindness.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/foundationfightingblindness

Foundation Fighting Blindness is a VC fund in Columbia focused on Health Care and Therapeutics. The Foundation intends to provide preventions, treatments & cures for people affected by entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases.

## Contacts

5 contacts available for Foundation Fighting Blindness. Shizune tracks 8 team members at Foundation Fighting Blindness. Sign up free to unlock them: https://app.shizune.co/sign-up/investor-profiles/find-team-emails/foundation-fighting-blindness?utm_source=investor_profile

## Investment focus

### Industry

| Industry | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Health Care | 5 | 45% |
| Therapeutics | 4 | 36% |
| Biotechnology | 4 | 36% |
| Life Science | 2 | 18% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2 | 18% |

12 industries tracked in total.

### Stage

| Stage | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Series A | 3 | 27% |
| Grant | 2 | 18% |
| Seed | 1 | 9% |
| Series B | 1 | 9% |
| Series C | 1 | 9% |

6 stages tracked in total.

### Country

| Country | Investments | Share |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United States | 6 | 55% |
| France | 1 | 9% |

## Team

| Name | Title | Investments | Profile |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alan Landis | CEO & Founder | 0 | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/alan-landis-2 |
| Benjamin Yerxa | CEO | 5 | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/benjamin-yerxa |
| Claire Gelfman | Chief Scientific Officer | 0 | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/claire-gelfman |
| Jason Menzo | President & Chief Operating Officer | 0 | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/jason-d-menzo |
| Jonathan Chester | Strategic Council Finance Officer | 0 | https://shizune.co/investors/profile/jonathan-chester |

## Investments

| Company | Description | Amount | Stage | Date | Website |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Atsena Therapeutics | Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing treatments for inherited retinal diseases. Their clinical programs include therapies for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) and GUCY2D-associated Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA1). Atsena utilizes an adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology platform, including a novelspreading capsid (AAV.SPR), to target specific retinal conditions. Their ongoing research aims to prevent blindness caused by genetic mutations and is powered by their innovative approach to ocular gene therapy. | $150M | Series C | Apr 02, 2025 |  |
| Case Western Reserve University | Case Western Reserve University is located in Cleveland's University Circle, the 500-acre, park-like home of more than 40 cultural, medical, educational, religious, and social service institutions. The only independent, research-oriented university in a region bounded by Pittsburgh and Rochester on the east, Nashville on the south, and Chicagoon the west, Case Western Reserve holds membership in the Association of American Universities, and is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by several nationally recognized professional accrediting associations. | $1.5M | Grant | Jul 07, 2024 |  |
| Opus Genetics | Opus Genetics is a clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapies for the treatment of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and small molecule therapies for other ophthalmic disorders. The company's pipeline includes gene therapies based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) aimed at treating inherited retinal conditionssuch as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), bestrophinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. Its leading candidate, OPGx-LCA5, is currently in a Phase 1/2 trial for mutations related to LCA5 and has displayed promising early outcomes. Other initiatives encompass OPGx-BEST1, a gene therapy targeting BEST1-related retinal degeneration, as well as a small molecule therapy for diabetic retinopathy that is ready for Phase 3, which has been developed under a Special Protocol Assessment with the FDA. | $1.7M | Grant | Jun 13, 2024 |  |
| Nacuity Pharmaceuticals | Nacuity Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company that aims to develop a breakthrough treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (“RP”) and potentially other ophthalmological indications.Nacuity has assembled an accomplished team and has received significant financial and technical support from the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB). FFB aims to driveresearch providing prevention, treatments and cures for people affected by blinding retinal diseases. FFB has invested nearly $700 million in this effort Over the last 46 years. FFB is a significant supporter of Dr. Campochiaro’s research and has committed to fund a substantial portion of Nacuity’s Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials through a milestone-based matching program grant to Nacuity in support of our NPI-001 development program. | $16.5M | Series B | Jun 15, 2022 |  |
| Vedere Bio ll | Vedere is developing cutting-edge gene therapy products to restore functional vision to patients who have suffered vision loss from Inherited Retinal Degenerations (IRDs), as well as other causes of both genetic and non-genetic vision loss. While the vast majority of ocular gene therapies only limit the rate of inevitable vision loss, we aim torestore lost vision regardless of a patient’s underlying genetics or their stage of disease. | $77M | Series A | May 18, 2021 |  |
| SparingVision | SparingVision is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative therapies for the treatment of blinding inherited retinal diseases. SparingVision is developing SPVN06, a gene-independent treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, the most common inherited retinal degeneration. There is currently no treatment to treat allgenetic forms of this rare retinal disease that leads to blindness and affects nearly 2 million people worldwide. | $48.8M |  | Oct 21, 2020 |  |
| SparingVision | SparingVision is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of innovative therapies for the treatment of blinding inherited retinal diseases. SparingVision is developing SPVN06, a gene-independent treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, the most common inherited retinal degeneration. There is currently no treatment to treat allgenetic forms of this rare retinal disease that leads to blindness and affects nearly 2 million people worldwide. | $53.9M | Series A | Oct 21, 2020 |  |
| Atsena Therapeutics | Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing treatments for inherited retinal diseases. Their clinical programs include therapies for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) and GUCY2D-associated Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA1). Atsena utilizes an adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology platform, including a novelspreading capsid (AAV.SPR), to target specific retinal conditions. Their ongoing research aims to prevent blindness caused by genetic mutations and is powered by their innovative approach to ocular gene therapy. | $8.2M | Series A | Apr 01, 2020 |  |
| Atsena Therapeutics | Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing treatments for inherited retinal diseases. Their clinical programs include therapies for X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) and GUCY2D-associated Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA1). Atsena utilizes an adeno-associated virus (AAV) technology platform, including a novelspreading capsid (AAV.SPR), to target specific retinal conditions. Their ongoing research aims to prevent blindness caused by genetic mutations and is powered by their innovative approach to ocular gene therapy. | $8.2M | Series A | Apr 01, 2020 |  |
| Vedere Bio ll | Vedere is developing cutting-edge gene therapy products to restore functional vision to patients who have suffered vision loss from Inherited Retinal Degenerations (IRDs), as well as other causes of both genetic and non-genetic vision loss. While the vast majority of ocular gene therapies only limit the rate of inevitable vision loss, we aim torestore lost vision regardless of a patient’s underlying genetics or their stage of disease. | $21M | Series A | Jun 01, 2019 |  |

10 of 11 investments shown.

## Co-investors
- [Hatteras Venture Partners](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/hatteras-venture-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [OUP (Osage University Partners)](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/osage-university-partners) — VC Fund, 3 deals together
- [4BIO Capital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/4bio-capital-partners) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Atlas Venture](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/atlas-venture) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Mission BioCapital](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/bioinnovation-capital) — VC Fund, 2 deals together
- [Bpifrance](https://shizune.co/investors/profile/bpifrance) — VC Fund, 2 deals together

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## Featured in investor lists
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## FAQ

### What does Foundation Fighting Blindness invest in?

Foundation Fighting Blindness invests primarily in Health Care, Therapeutics and Biotechnology startups, most often at Series A and Grant stage. Most of the 11 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.

### How do I contact Foundation Fighting Blindness?

Public channels for Foundation Fighting Blindness include X (Twitter), the website linked on this profile and Facebook. For a verified work email and phone number, create a free Shizune account — contact data is searched across 20+ sources and validated before delivery, so your outreach lands in the right inbox.

### Who are the partners at Foundation Fighting Blindness?

The team at Foundation Fighting Blindness includes Alan Landis (CEO & Founder), Benjamin Yerxa (CEO) and Claire Gelfman (Chief Scientific Officer), among 8 team members tracked by Shizune. The Team section lists each member with their title, investment count and links.

### Is Shizune's investor data accurate?

Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.

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