The RD Fund (Retinal Degeneration Fund) is the venture philanthropy arm of the Foundation Fighting Blindness, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2018 to make mission-related investments in companies developing therapeutics for inherited retinal diseases and dry age-related macular degeneration.
47% of their portfolio is in Biotech & Life Sciences. Deal activity decreased year-over-year (1 deal in the last 12 months vs 2 prior). Their most common stage is series-b (42% of deals). Average disclosed round size is $59.3M (across 16 rounds with reported amounts).
Portfolio
14
Fund Size
$130M
Top Stage
Series B
Last 12 Mo
1
Team
Rusty Kelley, PhD, MBA
Managing Director, RD Fund
Alicia Kemble, PhD
Sr Venture Associate, RD Fund
Jason Menzo
CEO, Foundation Fighting Blindness
Peter Ginsberg
COO, Foundation Fighting Blindness
Anthony P. Adamis, MD
Catherine Bowes Rickman, PhD
Jacque Duncan, MD
Jean Bennett, MD, PhD
José-Alain Sahel, MD
Kelly Lisbakken
Portfolio Breakdown
Stage Distribution
Sector Distribution
Investment Activity
Portfolio
| Company | Round | Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
 Nacuity | Unknown | $12.9M | Dec 2025 |
| PPerceive Pharma | Series A | $15M | Feb 2025 |
 Perceive Bio | Series A | $15M | Feb 2025 |
 NVasc | Unknown | — | Oct 2023 |
| Perceive Bio | Series B | $78M | Jan 2023 |
 SparingVision | Series B | — | Sep 2022 |
| Nacuity | Series B | $16.5M | Jun 2022 |
| SSalioGen Therapeutics | Series B | $115M | Jan 2022 |
 SalioGen | Series B | $115M | Jan 2022 |
| Nacuity | Series B | $16.5M | Jan 2022 |
| VVedere Bio | Series A | $77M | May 2021 |
 Atsena Therapeutics | Series A | $55M | Dec 2020 |
| AAtsena | Series A | $55M | Dec 2020 |
| SStargazer Pharmaceuticals | Series A | $57M | Nov 2020 |
| PPerceive Biotherapeutics | Series B | $78M | — |
| OOsanni Bio | Series B | $190M | — |
| OOsanni Bio | Series A | $27M | — |
 Amber | Seed | $26M | — |
| SalioGen | Series A | — | — |
Top Co-Investors
Last updated: 20 October 2026