Tej Kohli Foundation Seeks to Incubate New Projects That Can Eliminate Corneal Blindness By 2035
The Tej Kohli Foundation is to establish a new incubator to provide seed and acceleration funding to projects with the potential to help eliminate corneal blindness worldwide. Funding, practical resources and intellectual capital will be available to both commercial and non-commercial projects that have a clear path to the prevention, treatment and cure of corneal blindness; with funding decisions based on the magnitude of the total impact that a project will likely have in poor and underserved communities worldwide by 2035, as well as the likelihood that a project will succeed.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200221005010/en/
Mrs. Gurujalli Tejavathi outside her home in the Bhadradri District in India. Mrs. Tejavathi receives free eye care for a previously transplanted cornea from the Tej Kohli Foundation. (Photo: Business Wire)
The Tej Kohli Foundation continues to build its position as a multi-disciplinary global centre of focus for the development and advancement of an affordable, scalable and accessible ‘universal solution’ for preventing and eliminating corneal blindness. The World Health Organisation says that 90% of those affected by blindness and severe visual impairment live in the poorest countries in the world. Whilst approximately 75% of corneal disease is curable by corneal transplant, the costs of invasive surgery, and the many years of medicine needed to prevent rejection after surgery, makes this form of treatment entirely inaccessible to the majority of the people in the world who suffer from severe visual impairment or corneal blindness.
Tej Kohli co-founded the eponymous Foundation in 2005 alongside wife Wendy Kohli. He has previously spoken about funding life-changing corneal transplants in poor and underserved communities as being “like Schindler’s List, you do a few, then you just have to do more” (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/10/04/tej-kohli-indian-tech-billionaire-plans-turbocharge-britains/). In December 2019 the Tej Kohli Foundation announced that it had restored the sight of 5,736 blind people during the year (https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191219005417/en/5736-World%E2%80%99s-Poorest-People-Received-Gift-Sight) and committed $14m of further funding to its Cornea Institute.
Tej Kohli is also an evangelist of the opportunities that can be derived from the chain reaction of technological progression and the impact that they can have on human life: https://www.spearswms.com/billionaire-philanthropist-tej-kohli-ai/. The new Tej Kohli Foundation incubator hopes to back projects that can leverage this chain reaction of technological progression to develop and deliver new techniques and applications and game-changing innovations for improving access. The Foundation is seeking to incubate between one and three new projects initially, and welcomes funding applications from all fields of expertise. Projects must show that they can make a significant impact by 2035.
The Tej Kohli Foundation funded its first donor cornea implants at Niramaya Hospital in India in 2010. After funding thousands of corneal transplants, in 2015 the Tej Kohli Foundation substantially expanded its efforts to tackle corneal blindness in poor and underserved communities with the ambitious launch the Tej Kohli Cornea Institute in Hyderabad. Between January 2016 and November 2019 the Tej Kohli Cornea Institute welcomed more than 223,404 outpatients and completed more than 43,255 surgical procedures. The Tej Kohli Foundation has also pursued a ‘universal treatment’ for corneal blindness through its ‘Applied Research’ program, which is a longstanding scientific collaboration between researchers in Montreal Canada, and Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK.
In January 2020 seed funding from the Tej Kohli Foundation was granted to two new research projects. The first project will focus on preventing corneal endothelial cell loss, which is usually permanent and is the leading reason for corneal transplantation worldwide. The second project will use novel drugs released by contact lenses to treat ocular surface pain and overcome the need for opioids when treating severe eye pain, which remains one of the unmet needs in Ophthalmology.
Eligible projects are invited to submit a 2-page project abstract as a PDF to: project2035@tejkohlifoundation.com. Submissions will be considered by the Tej Kohli Foundation on a case-by-case basis in direct collaboration with its global network of specialists.
Wendy Kohli, co-Founder of the Tej Kohli Foundation said:
“The YouTube channel of the Tej Kohli Foundation has many stories of individuals who have been cured of severe visual impairment or corneal blindness. But the overwhelming majority of those living needlessly with blindness still cannot afford or access treatment. It is only through major innovations borne from research, science, technology and enterprise that we can move toward a world where nobody is needlessly blind because of poverty.”
Tej Kohli, co-Founder of the Tej Kohli Foundation said:
“There are many innovations already in the pipeline that could one day offer affordable, scalable and accessible solutions for prevention and cure in the poor and underserved communities where corneal blindness is most pervasive. At the Tej Kohli Foundation we are interested in backing and funding new innovations and projects that will accelerate progress toward the goal of eliminating poverty-driven corneal blindness worldwide by 2035.”
About the Tej Kohli Foundation:
Website: http://www.tejkohlifoundation.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tejkohlifoundation
About Tej Kohli:
Profile: https://www.tejkohlifoundation.com/tej-kohli
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrtejkohli
About Wendy Kohli:
Profile: https://www.tejkohlifoundation.com/wendy-kohli
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200221005010/en/
Contact information
To request interviews please use the contact details below:
Helen Tarbet / Simon Compton / Kim van Beeck / Hannah Ratcliff
(Buchanan Communications)
tejkohlifoundation@buchanan.uk.com
+44 207 466 5000
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Infobip named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 202419.3.2024 16:11:00 EET | Press release
Global cloud communications platform Infobip has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024. This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture, and achieving remarkable milestones. Silvio Kutić, CEO at Infobip commented: “ Innovation is at the heart of what we do and we are delighted to have been recognized by Fast Company. Our technology is transforming how organizations interact with customers across the board, from automotive, retail and financial services, through to healthcare and other social services. ” Croatia’s first Unicorn, Infobip has been working with businesses to transform customer communications. Working with Uber in India, Infobip developed an AI-powered chatbot to enable customers to order rides via WhatsApp. The global-first initiative created a seamless booking experience for Uber customers. In February, Infobip joined forces with Podravka Group, a leading Croatian multinationa
ZAPI GROUP Showcases New Solutions in Material Automation at LogiMAT 202419.3.2024 16:00:00 EET | Press release
ZAPI GROUP, a global leader in electrification, announced today it is showcasing its solutions for the material handling and electrification industries at LogiMAT 2024. At the event, ZAPI GROUP is announcing the expansion of BlueBotics, a ZAPI GROUP company and leader in autonomous navigation technology. BlueBotics has partnered with Pramac, a leading global supplier of warehouse material handling equipment, and expanded its ANT server mission and fleet management software. These milestones bolster ZAPI GROUP's standing as a comprehensive autonomous navigation and AGV fleet management provider for electrification. "The expansion of BlueBotics is an exciting milestone as ZAPI GROUP continues to grow its capabilities to serve the global AGV and material handling sectors," noted Lloyd Gomm, Global Marketing Director at ZAPI GROUP. "BlueBotics’ consistent innovation in navigation software enables the company to broaden the spectrum of solutions and integrated systems available to our OEM c
Gramercy Funds Management LLC Names Emerging Markets Expert Hamad Almudhaf as Managing Director, Head of International Capital Markets19.3.2024 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Gramercy Funds Management LLC (“Gramercy”), a $6 billion, global emerging markets investment manager, today announced that Hamad Almudhaf has joined the firm in a newly created role, Head of International Capital Markets. Mr. Almudhaf will be responsible for the design and implementation of Gramercy’s international expansion strategy to further enhance the firm’s high quality investor relationships outside of the U.S. He will also have a principal responsibility for the continued development of Gramercy’s international, commercial and capital formation strategy. “We are thrilled to have Hamad join the Gramercy team in this critically important new role,” said Robert Koenigsberger, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Gramercy. “Over the last 25 years, Gramercy has successfully established the firm as a prominent global emerging markets investment management company. Hamad’s proven track record of success will further advance our leading position in emerging markets and priv
Laserfiche Announces 2024 Run Smarter® Award Winners19.3.2024 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Laserfiche — the leading SaaS provider of intelligent content management and business process automation — today announced the winners of the 2024 Laserfiche Run Smarter® Awards. The Laserfiche Run Smarter Awards were first launched in 2005 to honor people and organizations around the world that use Laserfiche to improve productivity, build innovative processes and achieve exceptional business results. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319239427/en/ “The Run Smarter Awards acknowledge and celebrate individuals, teams, and organizations that use Laserfiche to inspire digital transformation, either within organizations, the wider Laserfiche community, or across the world,” said Karl Chan, CEO of Laserfiche. “We’re excited to recognize this year’s winners, who have innovated, developed and optimized Laserfiche solutions that drive meaningful digital experiences across multiple industries in a time of rapid techn
Reintroducing Global Blue to Retailers and Shoppers Worldwide19.3.2024 15:19:00 EET | Press release
Taking shopping further through the power of experience Over 40 years ago, Global Blue pioneered the concept of Tax Free Shopping, changing the retail landscape and empowering international shoppers worldwide. Since then, its journey has evolved, now encompassing three families of solutions: Tax Free Shopping, Payments, and Post-Purchase Solutions. Within these industries, Global Blue consistently leverages its integrated software and data to bring value at every step of the journey and take shopping further. Driven by this commitment, Global Blue teams create engaging experiences that foster connections between consumers and brands while simplifying processes, to ensure every customer journey is seamless and intuitive. Through these efforts, Global Blue enables its clients to seize business opportunities, enhance customer loyalty, boost sales, and optimize operations and costs. “At Global Blue, we firmly believe that improving the shopping journey drives performance. This renewed focu
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom