Lyda Hill Philanthropies

What Lyda Hill Philanthropies does

Lyda Hill Philanthropies is a private foundation established by entrepreneur and philanthropist Lyda Hill, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with 1-10 employees. The organization operates across four focus areas: advancing scientific breakthroughs and medical innovation (Science), supporting environmental and climate resilience (Nature), strengthening the nonprofit sector in North Texas and Colorado Springs (Nonprofit Empowerment), and uplifting local community initiatives (Community). Its service population spans biotech researchers and entrepreneurs, climate nonprofits, regional nonprofit collaboratives, and residents of North Texas and Colorado Springs, with global reach through partnerships with organizations like The Nature Conservancy, RMI, and National Geographic.

The organization combines philanthropic grantmaking with a for-profit investment arm, LH Capital, that deploys capital across venture funds, direct investments, private equity, and public equities. Notable financial engineering includes the $200 million Remeditex Ventures biotech fund launched in 2011, early investment in Moderna via a Flagship Pioneering fund, and major exits including Peloton Therapeutics (acquired by Merck for ~$2 billion in 2019) and Reata Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Biogen for $7.3 billion in 2023). Core built infrastructure includes Pegasus Park, a 26-acre life sciences and social impact campus featuring BioLabs Pegasus Park (37,000 sq ft coworking lab for 20+ biotech startups), Bridge Labs (growth-stage lab space), and Water Cooler (175,000+ sq ft housing 35 social impact organizations). The IF/THEN Initiative, founded 2019, operates the IF/THEN Exhibit (120 3D-printed statues of women in STEM, experienced by 4 million people), the IF/THEN Collection media library (210+ million people reached 2020-2023), and Mission Unstoppable on CBS.

Revenue mechanics do not follow a conventional commercial model: Lyda Hill Philanthropies does not charge for services and does not accept unsolicited grants. Its economic engine is founder Lyda Hill's committed wealth (Giving Pledge signatory 2010, pledging entirety of her wealth), investment returns from LH Capital, and co-funding partnerships with peer foundations (Meadows Foundation, The Dallas Foundation, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas) and federal entities (ARPA-H Customer Experience Hub). Pricing/grant sizes range from $50,000 seed grants to $10 million prizes and multi-million-dollar venture investments. Distribution occurs through direct grantee engagement, the Pegasus Park physical campus, IF/THEN media properties, and a partner referral network.

Name

Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Legal name

Lyda Hill Philanthropies

Website

https://lydahillphilanthropies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lyda Hill Philanthropies is a Dallas-based private foundation that deploys founder Lyda Hill's capital across science, nature, nonprofit empowerment, and community initiatives in North Texas and Colorado Springs, combining grantmaking with LH Capital investments in biotech and social impact ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy and Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Scientific research funding
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Impact investment capital
• Community development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: Lyda Hill Philanthropies deploys charitable capital through grants to advance science, nature, nonprofit empowerment, and community initiatives. Funding is adaptive and responsive to each project's needs, ranging in type, size, and duration, with light-touch reporting requirements so practitioners can focus on driving change.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lyda Hill Philanthropies is a private foundation that catalyzes and funds advances in science and nature, while investing to empower nonprofits and local communities. The foundation deploys charitable capital through grants and its investment arm LH Capital to support scientific researchers, biotech startups, environmental conservation, and the nonprofit sector in North Texas and Colorado Springs. Funding is adaptive, ranging in size from $50,000 to over $10 million, with the foundation taking both high-risk "big bets" and evidence-based approaches.

Product overview

Lyda Hill Philanthropies operates as a philanthropy organization with two main components: its charitable giving through grantmaking and LH Capital comprising its investment portfolio. The organization focuses on four key areas: Science (supporting researchers and entrepreneurs in medical innovations), Nature (protecting ecosystems and promoting climate resilience), Nonprofit Empowerment (strengthening the nonprofit sector in North Texas and Colorado Springs), and Community (supporting local campaigns and events). The organization also incubates internal initiatives including the IF/THEN Exhibit (120 3D-printed statues of women in STEM), the IF/THEN Collection (free media resource library), and Mission Unstoppable TV show. Through its investment arm LH Capital, it operates Pegasus Park, a 26-acre biotech and social impact campus featuring BioLabs Pegasus Park (37,000 sq ft coworking lab facility) and Bridge Labs (growth-stage lab space), along with Water Cooler (175,000+ sq ft social impact workspace). The organization also manages Remeditex Ventures, a $200 million biotech venture fund.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IF/THEN Initiative: An initiative founded in 2019 to further advance women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. Includes the IF/THEN Exhibit, IF/THEN Collection, and Mission Unstoppable TV show.
• LH Capital
• Remeditex Ventures

Products and services

• IF/THEN Exhibit A monument of 120 life-size 3-D printed statues celebrating contemporary women innovators in STEM, featuring the most statues of real women ever assembled together. The exhibit has been experienced by 4 million people since its 2020 launch and has visited venues including the Smithsonian, Central Park Zoo, and National Institutes of Health.
• IF/THEN Collection The world's largest free resource library of photos and videos celebrating diverse, contemporary women in STEM, providing content for nonprofits, museums, educators, parents, and students. Over 210 million people experienced Collection content from 2020 to 2023.
• Mission Unstoppable

Quantifiable outcome

• Texas mental health spending increased by over $1.2 billion due to Meadows Institute engagement, with $3 billion added in biennial behavioral health spending through the first-ever Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan.
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

31 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Cures Within ReachminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Lyda Hill Philanthropies supports Cures Within Reach's initiative to validate AI-generated predictions for clinical trials in rare and ultra-rare diseases, demonstrating the potential of AI to identify promising research opportunities within the rare disease community.
• Dallas Education FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2026Lyda Hill Philanthropies provided funding through the Dallas Education Foundation to launch Learning Voyages, a districtwide STEM field trip program enabling 48,000+ Dallas ISD students to visit science and nature institutions, covering transportation, admissions, and program coordination.
• Mynd ImmersivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025Lyda Hill Philanthropies partnered with Mynd Immersive, CTA Foundation, AT&T, and Select Rehabilitation to expand the Great American Elderverse VR program across Texas, delivering immersive virtual reality experiences to senior living communities using 5G connectivity to improve mental health and social connection.
• CTA FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025CTA Foundation co-leads the Great American Elderverse expansion across Texas with Mynd Immersive, AT&T, Lyda Hill Philanthropies, and Select Rehabilitation, bringing immersive VR experiences to senior living communities.
• AT&TcoreTechnology or Integration · 16 December 2025AT&T provides 5G connectivity infrastructure for the Great American Elderverse VR program expanding across Texas senior living communities, enabling therapeutic content delivery for seniors' physical, cognitive, and emotional health.
• Select RehabilitationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 December 2025Select Rehabilitation partners with Mynd Immersive, CTA Foundation, AT&T, and Lyda Hill Philanthropies to deliver the Great American Elderverse VR program to senior living communities across Texas.
• The Meadows FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Meadows Foundation partnered with Lyda Hill Philanthropies to seed the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, which drove over $1.2 billion in increased Texas mental health spending and $3 billion in biennial behavioral health spending through the first-ever Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided seed funding to launch RMI's Texas Methane Leak Elimination project, which built the first Climate Action Engine visualizing all Texas oil and gas emissions records, and supported the spin-out nonprofit MiQ that now certifies 20% of US production.
• UT Southwestern Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided a gift in 2015 to create UT Southwestern's Department of Bioinformatics, bridging research and clinical care, and invested in Peloton Therapeutics and Reata Pharmaceuticals emerging from the institution.
• Texas Trees FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2017, Lyda Hill Philanthropies funded Texas Trees Foundation to convert schoolyards in park deserts into Cool School Community Parks, resulting in 25 new parks impacting over 16,000 students and increasing park access to 73% of Dallas residents.
• Water Finance Exchange (WFX)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided seed funding to launch the Water Finance Exchange, an organization ensuring neutral third-party expertise for small and underserved communities seeking water infrastructure solutions, working across multiple states and helping secure $12.6 million for Presidio County.
• The Nature Conservancy (TNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided a catalytic grant to TNC supporting the world's first debt conversion for marine conservation in Seychelles, and was an early supporter of the Blue Bond initiative on the TED Audacious Project stage, raising $38.5 million to help 20 countries and unlocking $1 billion for conservation.
• Palmer Land ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided catalyst seed funding to Palmer Land Conservancy's Bessemer Farmland Conservation Project in Pueblo County, Colorado, developing a market-based water exchange framework and maintaining 2,000 acres of production land.
• Salo SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided seed funding to expand the Mountain West Forest Observatory platform as a free public good tool for wildfire and climate work, and convened Colorado funders to raise remaining funds. In 2023, Planet Labs acquired Salo Sciences.
• The Water FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies worked with The Water Foundation and Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation to create the Texas Wellspring Fund, a pooled philanthropic fund supporting resilient water future for Texas, bringing together local and national funders for greater collaborative impact.
• The Dallas FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Dallas Foundation co-founded the Better Together Fund with Lyda Hill Philanthropies, The Meadows Foundation, and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas in 2017, awarding over $6.1 million in 105+ grants to 66 nonprofit collaborations. The Dallas Foundation also manages Water Cooler at Pegasus Park.
• United Way of Metropolitan DallascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Metropolitan Dallas co-founded the Better Together Fund with Lyda Hill Philanthropies and other foundations to encourage and support nonprofit collaboration in North Texas, resulting in 105+ grants to 66 unique collaborations.
• Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) TexascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies supported VNA Texas' vision to create a custom technology stack including volunteer portal, back-office portal, drop site management app, and mobile delivery app, transforming Meals on Wheels delivery and becoming a life-saving tool during COVID-19.
• Texas 2036coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided critical capital to establish and scale Texas 2036, enabling the launch of the Texas Data Lab, the Future of Texas Energy Project, partnership with the Texas State Climatologist, and strategic guidance to policymakers on leveraging federal funds.
• University of Colorado – Colorado Springs (Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided seed funding in March 2020 to create the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience at UCCS, the first population-based resilience promotion program of its kind, whose GRIT toolkit is now used in 48 US states and 20 countries.
• Pikes Peak WaterwaysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies provided a seed grant to create the COS Creek Plan to restore Fountain Creek corridor in Colorado Springs and helped establish Pikes Peak Waterways as a nonprofit, which entered into a 20-year collaborative agreement with the City of Colorado Springs.
• City of Colorado SpringscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Colorado Springs partnered with Lyda Hill Philanthropies on the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center project and entered into a 20-year collaborative agreement with Pikes Peak Waterways to implement the Fountain Creek restoration plan.
• J. Small InvestmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJ. Small Investments, a North Texas-focused real estate investment firm, purchased the Pegasus Park campus in 2015 and partnered with Montgomery Street Partners and an affiliate of Lyda Hill Philanthropies to redevelop the 26-acre campus into a life sciences and social impact hub.
• Montgomery Street PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontgomery Street Partners co-invested with J. Small Investments and an affiliate of Lyda Hill Philanthropies in Pegasus Park, redeveloping the 26-acre campus into a hub for life sciences and social impact in North Texas.
• BioLabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBioLabs operates BioLabs Pegasus Park, a 37,000 square foot shared wet lab and co-working facility in North Texas' first such facility, housing more than 20 biotech startups with shared lab equipment, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
• ARPA-H Customer Experience HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerARPA-H's Customer Experience Hub is co-located at Pegasus Park alongside higher ed institutions, investors, accelerators, and established companies in North Texas' biotech ecosystem.
• Lever for ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies collaborated with Lever for Change to offer the Lone Star Prize statewide competition, awarding $10 million to Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute's Lone Star Depression Challenge and approximately $2 million in additional grants to four other finalist organizations.
• Feeding Texas / Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies funded the study that led to the Collaborative for Fresh Produce model, which shipped 55 million pounds of produce to 21 Texas food banks in its pilot year. In 2019, Feeding America acquired the organization to develop a national model.
• American Cancer SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWith catalytic support from Lyda Hill Philanthropies, American Cancer Society developed the HPV Texas campaign, partnering with 10 health systems and 130 clinic sites, increasing HPV initiation by 3.7 percentage points and training 436 providers on HPV vaccination.
• National Geographic SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill Philanthropies created the Women and Dependent Care Fund supporting 180 National Geographic Explorers in 34 countries through professional development, dependent care, and fieldwork funding, and partners with National Geographic on the IF/THEN Collection.
• Perot Museum of Nature and SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLyda Hill provided significant support for land acquisition, construction, design, and endowment of the Perot Museum, and continues to support STEM programs and exhibits. The museum has inspired over 10 million visitors since 2012.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Meadows Foundation: Texas-based private foundation with parallel focus areas in mental health, education, and community; co-founded the Better Together Fund and seeded the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute alongside Lyda Hill Philanthropies. Most structurally comparable peer.
• Michael & Susan Dell Foundation: Austin-based private foundation with overlapping education and health portfolios, including significant investment in healthcare systems and STEM outcomes, paralleling Lyda Hill's Texas-centric science/education focus.
• George Kaiser Family Foundation: Tulsa-based private foundation funding early childhood, education, health, and community/civic engagement. Comparable in operating geography (regional US), private-foundation structure, and multi-issue focus spanning science-adjacent work.
• Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation: Texas-based private foundation heavily focused on water, land conservation, and clean energy; co-founded the Texas Wellspring Fund with Lyda Hill Philanthropies, making it a direct collaborator and analogous environmental-focused funder.
• Doris Duke Charitable Foundation: National private foundation with parallel portfolios in medical research, environment (climate and biodiversity), and the arts. Comparable in structure as a single-family foundation with multi-domain grantmaking.
• Schmidt Sciences: Eric and Wendy Schmidt's science-focused philanthropy funding biomedical research, climate, and AI. Comparable as a high-engagement science philanthropy combining grants and quasi-investment in frontier research.
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation: Private foundation with major bets on science (including patient care and biomedical research) and environmental conservation. Strongly comparable focus mix to Lyda Hill's science + nature pillars.

Broad incumbents

• Pew Charitable Trusts: Major multi-issue private foundation with comparable focus on environmental conservation, ocean policy, and biomedical research; broader scope and larger scale than Lyda Hill Philanthropies but overlapping thematic emphasis.

Emerging players

• Prime Coalition: Climate-finance nonprofit operating the $50M Prime Impact Fund, a catalytic capital vehicle Lyda Hill Philanthropies was an early investor in. Closely comparable as a grantmaker + climate-finance vehicle hybrid.
• Allen Institute: Paul Allen-founded science nonprofit running large-scale brain science and bioscience research programs. Comparable as a founder-driven philanthropic research platform with similar science-pillar ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ifthencollection

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lyda Hill Philanthropies