Fighting blindness requires science, strategy, and a great deal of heart. Today’s guest is Jason Menzo, CEO of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the world’s largest private funder of retinal disease research. Since assuming the role in 2022, after serving as President and COO, Jason has helped raise nearly a billion dollars and is backing over 100 projects across 86 labs and clinical centers worldwide. With more than two decades in ophthalmology at Sun Ophthalmologics, Nycox SA, Bausch & Lomb, and Bayer, he brings sharp business instincts and a deep commitment to restoring sight.

Before joining the Foundation, Jason co-founded and led several eye-care ventures focused on bringing breakthrough treatments to patients more quickly. That for-profit experience now fuels mission-driven innovation, new funding models, and partnerships that move discoveries from the lab to the clinic. A standout example is the early Foundation support for the research behind Luxturna, the first FDA-approved gene therapy for an inherited disease, demonstrating how bold, risk-tolerant philanthropy can transform medicine when academia, government, and industry collaborate.

A hallmark of his leadership is the R&D Fund, a $160 million venture philanthropy model with an eight-to-one leverage ratio. This bridges academic research and commercialization, drawing in private capital to advance promising therapies. He has also championed a global network of over 40 clinical centers in 10 countries and strengthened the talent pipeline through fellowships and translational awards. Today, 88% of retinal treatments in clinical trials can be traced back to Foundation-funded programs.

Today, we discuss where science, policy, and philanthropy converge to bring sight-saving treatments closer to reality. We discuss the proposed Venture Philanthropy Enhancement Act and look ahead to gene-agnostic therapies, cell regeneration, and whole-eye transplant initiatives with ARPA-H.

In This Episode:

[01:30] Jason reflects on his transition from the pharmaceutical world to nonprofit work and what drew him to the Foundation.

[03:10] Discussion of Luxturna’s groundbreaking FDA approval and how early Foundation funding contributed to its success.

[05:30] Jason explains how the Foundation balances basic and translational research to accelerate cures for retinal diseases.

[07:45] Overview of the Foundation’s five-year strategic plan and its flexible approach to adapting research priorities.

[09:15] Insight into the importance of collaboration among universities, the NIH, and industry partners to move discoveries into the clinic.

[11:00] Jason highlights the creation and purpose of the R&D Fund, a venture philanthropy model launched in 2018.

[13:00] The Fund’s success in achieving an 8-to-1 leverage ratio and attracting top venture capital partners.

[15:10] How the Foundation conducts due diligence when selecting companies for investment.

[17:30] Explanation of how the R&D Fund differs from traditional research grants and why selectivity is key.

[19:00] Jason introduces the Venture Philanthropy Enhancement Act and discusses its potential impact on funding for rare diseases.

[22:00] Story of a near-failed company that survived through philanthropic support and produced life-changing clinical trial results.

[24:00] The Foundation’s suite of grants and awards supporting early-career and translational researchers.

[26:10] Career Development Awards and their role in retaining top talent in retinal disease research.

[28:00] How the Foundation partners with tech transfer offices to bridge the “Valley of Death” between discovery and commercialization.

[30:00] Metrics beyond publications—how FFB measures its real-world impact on treatments and cures.

[32:15] Jason shares the emerging technologies he finds most promising, including gene-agnostic and cell-based therapies.

[34:10] Discussion on the global prevalence of blindness and the Foundation’s efforts to prioritize late-stage and restorative therapies.

[36:00] Jason outlines upcoming funding opportunities and deadlines for university researchers.

[37:30] Final reflections on hope, awareness, and collaboration shaping the future of vision restoration.

Resources:

AUTM

Jason Menzo - Foundation Fighting Blindness

Jason Menzo - LinkedIn

Jason Menzo - X

Not every university has the resources to build and maintain a Tech Transfer office, and for many smaller institutions, that has long meant sitting on the sidelines. In Kentucky, leaders decided to try something different. Instead of each campus building its own program from scratch, they pooled efforts into a single statewide network. That collaboration became Kentucky Commercialization Ventures, or KCV, a model that’s now showing what inclusive innovation can look like in practice.

At the center of this work is Kayla Meisner, Executive Director of KCV, who has guided the initiative from an early concept into a growing program with national attention. Since its launch in 2020, KCV has more than tripled its funding, doubled its staff, and helped innovators at all levels find clear pathways into commercialization. By combining proof-of-concept funding with hands-on coaching and shared services, the team has turned early ideas into intellectual property, startups, and partnerships that feed back into Kentucky’s economy.

In this episode, Kayla explains what it takes to build trust across institutions, how programs like the Innovation Fellowship and KCV Invent are preparing the next generation of talent, and why partnerships outside of academia are strengthening the state’s innovation ecosystem. She also reflects on what other regions can learn from Kentucky’s experience, from getting state economic leaders on board to setting up governance that keeps everyone invested in long-term success.

In This Episode:

[03:18] Kayla shares the origins of KCV and how it fits within the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation’s 40-year mission.

[05:24] She explains how state dollars are invested into proof-of-concept funding and stipends to support innovators.

[06:30] Kayla describes the challenges Kentucky faced as an EPSCoR and NIH IDeA state and why collective action was needed.

[09:37] She outlines the gap analysis that showed most partner schools lacked IP policies and full-time tech transfer staff.

[12:15] The discussion turns to how KCV scaled its services while running on less than $1 million a year in the early days.

[15:30] Kayla highlights the importance of coaching and mentorship in turning early-stage disclosures into IP.

[17:40] The story of Dr. Rachel Tinius at Western Kentucky University illustrates how small investments can lead to major commercialization success.

[18:26] Kayla talks about the KCV Innovation Fellowship and how it prepares students and faculty for entrepreneurship.

[22:06] She explains how the fellowship has grown into a semester-based, cohort model that builds practical commercialization skills.

[24:11] The conversation shifts to Kentucky’s six regional innovation hubs and their statewide economic impact.

[29:01] Kayla details how KCV now requires assessments before opt-in, creating clearer pathways and buy-in for institutions and innovators.

[32:37] The IMPACT competition is discussed, with KCV celebrating its first-ever community and technical college winner.

[35:17] Kayla addresses the $8.25 million NSF EDGE award and the systemic barriers it is helping to solve at smaller institutions.

[46:28] She reflects on the challenge of securing sustainable funding and the importance of demonstrating ROI.

[49:57] Kayla highlights ecosystem partnerships with groups like the Kentucky Bar Association, USPTO, and Kentucky Distillers Association.

[54:30] The conversation explores talent development through internships and the launch of KCV Invent, funded by the NSF Excellence Program.

[56:43] Kayla offers three recommendations for other states interested in replicating the KCV model: build state relationships, conduct gap analyses, and establish governance.

[59:45] She reflects on what has surprised her most about the centralized approach and why it has proven so effective.

Resources:

AUTM

Kayla Meisner - Kentucky Commercialization Ventures

Kayla Meisner - LinkedIn

Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation

Dr. Rachel Tinius, Ph.D., EP-C

BumptUp Labs

USPTO – Midwest Regional Office