Aurelia Foundry Sees the Future with Seed Investment in LambdaVision

LambdaVision, a vision focused biotech company, has held a first closing of its seed round led by Aurelia Foundry Fund.

LambdaVision is developing the first protein-based artificial retina to restore meaningful vision for patients who are blind or have lost significant sight due to retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disorder causing gradual vision loss, starting with night blindness and peripheral vision loss, potentially leading to total blindness. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the central part of the retina, leading to central vision loss, primarily in older adults. Both conditions have no cure, but treatments can help manage symptoms and slow progression.

LambdaVision’s protein-based artificial retina is developed through a layer-by-layer production process alternating layers of bacteriorhodopsin, a protein in certain microbes that helps them convert light into energy, and a polymer, supported by a synthetic fiber membrane that has long been used by the medical community. By using a protein similar to the visual pigment rhodopsin that is naturally occurring in our eyes, LambdaVision’s patent-protected artificial retina mimics the light-absorbing properties of human photoreceptors.

While LambdaVision’s preclinical studies are being conducted on Earth, LambdaVision is optimizing assembly of its artificial retina in low-Earth orbit and has launched nine missions to the International Space Station. Because of the unique behavior of solutions and thin films that make up the layers of the artificial retina, production efficiency and product quality may be improved in microgravity.

Capital from the seed round will be used to scale up the company’s manufacturing capabilities and initiate efficacy and toxicity studies to provide necessary data to support an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These efforts will bring LambdaVision closer to clinical trials that will target blind patients with advanced retinitis pigmentosa.

“This support from the Aurelia Foundry Fund and other high-profile investors underscores the potential of our approach toward treating retinal degenerative diseases and further validates our innovative space-based manufacturing approach to benefit those on Earth,” said Dr. Nicole Wagner, the CEO of LambdaVision. “We are grateful for the support of our new partners and hope to welcome additional institutions or qualified investors to fill the seed round.”

“We are proud to lead this seed round with LambdaVision and eager to support bringing a life-changing product to market,” said Ariel Ekblaw, the general partner of the Aurelia Foundry Fund. “Funding their paradigm-shifting artificial retina technology aligns with our mission to invest in foundational space tech that can empower humanity and offers the space industry a scalable solution for in-space bio manufacturing that leverages microgravity.” Dr. Ekblaw is also the founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute which is focused on advancing space exploration and related technologies.

“Recognizing the huge unmet need for RP patients for whom there is currently no cure, it is imperative we support the research and development of new technologies like LambdaVision’s artificial retina that will hopefully help patients regain sight,” said Luciano Del Priore, MD, PhD, Chair of Ophthalmology, Yale School of Medicine; Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale New Haven Hospital.

Aurelia Foundry is a deep tech fund and incubator that supports and invests in companies at the intersection of space, artificial intelligence, and climate technology. The firm was founded in 2023​ and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Also participating in this round are Boryung, a publicly listed Korean pharmaceutical company, and E2MC Ventures.

Boryung Corporation is a healthcare investment company which focuses on advancing human health through innovative solutions in both terrestrial and space healthcare sectors​. The company was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.

E2MC Ventures (Earth to Mars Capital) invests in seed-stage, early-stage, and later-stage companies that are active in the aerospace and defense sector, including satellite technology, space infrastructure, and space exploration. The firm was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.