Tej Kohli Foundation

What Tej Kohli Foundation does

The Tej Kohli Foundation is a UK-headquartered not-for-profit organization founded in 2005 by Indian philanthropist and technology investor Tej Kohli. It operates as a grant-making and program-operating charity focused on rebuilding people and communities in low-income and underserved populations through direct interventions and scientific research funding. Programs span three verticals: ophthalmology (corneal and cataract blindness cure via the Tej Kohli Cornea Institute at LV Prasad Eye Institute, the Tej Kohli Cornea Program at Harvard's Mass. Eye and Ear, the Tej Kohli Applied Research liquid cornea initiative, and the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation joint venture with Dr. Sanduk Ruit), assistive technology (Future Bionics, funding 3D-printed Hero Arms from Open Bionics for UK children with limb differences), and food security (Funda Kohli canteens in Costa Rica, YouCube food boxes, and a COVID-19 response delivered with Guru Maneyp Granth Gurdwara Outreach in Slough).

The foundation's underlying "technology" is largely medical and bio-material science rather than software: GelCORE is an adhesive biomaterial for corneal repair; liquid cornea is a proprietary biosynthetic filler intended as a syringe-administered alternative to donor cornea transplantation, targeting a cost reduction from approximately $3,000 to $500 per eye; and the Hero Arm is a clinically approved 3D-printed multi-grip myoelectric prosthetic. It funds R&D across five collaborating institutes (Montreal, Odesa, Hyderabad, Moorfields London, UCL). It holds a filed-pending patent on the biosynthetic corneal technology. It does not sell, license, or commercialize any of these technologies.

The foundation is funded entirely through philanthropy and direct grants from its founder, with no commercial revenue model. All programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries. The business model is therefore one of donation-funded charitable deployment rather than revenue generation, with the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation serving as the primary 2022+ vehicle for scaling cataract cure operations toward a stated goal of screening 1,000,000 and curing 300,000–500,000 patients by 2030.

Name

Tej Kohli Foundation

Legal name

Tej Kohli Foundation

Website

https://tejkohlifoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Tej Kohli Foundation is a UK-headquartered not-for-profit founded in 2005 that funds and operates charitable programs to cure preventable blindness, provide bionic prosthetics to UK youth, and deliver food security to vulnerable communities across South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Healthcare and Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)

Keywords

• Cataract blindness cure
• Corneal disease research
• Bionic prosthetic arms
• Community food programmes
• Charitable eye care

Headquarters

HQ city

Gurugram

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropy and Charitable Donations: The Tej Kohli Foundation is a not-for-profit organization funded entirely through donations and philanthropy. No revenue-generating commercial activities. Founder Tej Kohli funds programs directly and through sister organization the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Tej Kohli Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that funds and delivers charitable programmes free of charge to beneficiaries. Its core activities are direct medical interventions for the prevention and cure of cataract and corneal blindness in developing countries, the funding of bionic multi-grip prosthetic arms for young people with limb differences in the UK, and the provision of food support and nutrition programmes to vulnerable children and families in Costa Rica and the UK.

Product overview

The Tej Kohli Foundation is a not-for-profit organization operating multiple social impact programs rather than a unified technology product. Its portfolio includes eye care initiatives (Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation, Tej Kohli Cornea Institute, Tej Kohli Cornea Program, Tej Kohli Applied Research), assistive technology (Tej Kohli Future Bionics providing 3D-printed bionic arms), and food security programs (Funda Kohli, YouCube, COVID-19 Response). The eye care programs collectively work to cure blindness through surgical interventions, research into synthetic cornea alternatives, and large-scale screening/treatment operations in developing countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation A sister organisation to the Tej Kohli Foundation focused on curing cataract blindness in poor and underserved communities through outreach microsurgical eye camps (OMEC). As of 2022, nearly 17,000 people had been cured of needless blindness.
• Tej Kohli Cornea Institute Free corneal transplant and outpatient services for the world's poorest communities. Between 2015 and 2019, welcomed 223,404 outpatients and carried out 43,255 free surgical procedures, collected 38,225 donor corneas, trained 152 clinicians, and published 202 research papers. The UK arm awards grants to research projects bridging the treatment gap in poorer countries.
• Tej Kohli Cornea Program A research grant programme at Mass. Eye and Ear (Harvard Medical School) accelerating innovative and collaborative research in corneal disease, including cutting-edge molecular technology for rapid diagnosis of corneal infection, the GelCORE adhesive biomaterial for replacing corneal tissue, and a COVID-19 genetic vaccine.
• Tej Kohli Applied Research (Liquid Cornea) Research initiative developing proprietary biosynthetic technology (a liquid tissue filler that sets as a gel at body temperature) as an accessible, affordable, and scalable alternative to surgery and donated corneas. Expected to reduce per-eye cost from $3,000 to approximately $500 and potentially serve one-third of those awaiting corneal transplants worldwide.
• Tej Kohli Future Bionics Programme funding the purchase and fitting of the bionic multi-grip myoelectric controlled 'Hero Arm' developed by Open Bionics for young people in the United Kingdom living with limb differences. The Hero Arm is the first clinically approved 3D-printed prosthesis in the UK.
• Funda Kohli Food and nutrition programme providing daily free meals to children and families through permanent canteens in Costa Rica, and supporting local educational institutions with desks and solar-powered sports facilities. Has been feeding hundreds of children weekly since 2005.
• YouCube Youth-focused food initiative providing weekly home delivery of YouCube boxes (containing food and educational materials) to families referred by local schools in the Southall area, in partnership with Southall Community Alliance and Young Ealing's Foundation. The pilot scheme serves 400 families weekly.
• COVID-19 Response Food Support Crisis response initiative partnering with Guru Maneyp Granth Gurdwara Outreach to deliver up to 100,000 cooked meals per week to charities and volunteer groups across the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership scales the Sikh tradition of 'langar' (500+ years old) into communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tens of thousands of blind people had sight restored
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Caudwell ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Charity helping improve lives of disabled children by providing equipment, diagnosis services and support. Foundation donation at 2022 Butterfly Ball contributed towards state-of-the-art powered wheelchairs (up to £25,000 each) for four disabled children.
• Annabel's for the AmazonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Charitable initiative funded by the owner of Annabel's private members club in London. Goal is to raise money for restoration of Brazil's Amazon Rainforest. Foundation made a contribution aligning with Funda Kohli's ecosystem protection efforts in South America.
• Tej Kohli & Ruit FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Sister organization to the Tej Kohli Foundation, launched in 2021. Co-founded by Tej Kohli and Dr Sanduk Ruit ('God of Sight'). Mission to screen 1,000,000 and cure 300,000 patients of cataract blindness by 2026. Has cured nearly 17,000 people as of 2022.
• Guru Maneyp Granth Gurdwara Outreach (GMGG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Community partnership to combat COVID-19 hunger in the UK. GMGG Outreach delivers up to 100,000 cooked meals per week from the kitchens of a Sikh temple in Slough. Partnership takes the Sikh tradition of 'langar' (500+ years) out into communities.
• Southall Community AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with Young Ealing's Foundation and the Tej Kohli Foundation to deliver YouCube boxes (food and educational materials) to 400 families weekly in the Southall area during COVID-19 lockdown and beyond.
• The Salvation Army (Feltham)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020UK partnership during COVID-19 pandemic. Foundation funded double the per-head spending on food parcels for 300 families whose children receive free school meals. Committed to continue funding for two years during school holidays.
• The Caring Family FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Foundation with vision of a world where no one goes hungry. During COVID-19 pandemic, launched 'One Million and One Meals' campaign providing over 1 million meals to NHS key workers. Tej Kohli Foundation donated funds alongside its own efforts.
• Young Ealing's FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership with Southall Community Alliance and the Tej Kohli Foundation to deliver YouCube food boxes to families in Ealing area.
• Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (Nepal)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Nepal-based partner institution of the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation for conducting cataract surgeries. Dr Sanduk Ruit is associated with Tilganga. Used for outreach microsurgical eye camps (OMEC) in Nepal.
• Open BionicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2019Bristol-based robotics pioneer developing the next generation of low-cost bionic limbs. The foundation funds the purchase and fitting of Open Bionics' multi-grip myoelectric controlled 'Hero Arm' for young people in the UK. The Hero Arm is the first clinically approved 3D-printed prosthesis in the UK.
• Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Harvard Medical School)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Tej Kohli Foundation pledged $2 million over 5 years to establish the Tej Kohli Cornea Program at Mass. Eye & Ear. Program includes GelCORE (adhesive biomaterial for corneal repair), molecular technology for rapid corneal infection diagnosis, and COVID-19 genetic vaccine development. Joan W. Miller, MD is Chief of Mass. Eye and Ear.
• UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (London)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaborating institute for the biosynthetic corneal technology research. Dr Bruce Allan, consultant eye surgeon, conducting pre-clinical tests of the liquid tissue filler for corneal repair at the London Institute.
• Moorfields Eye Hospital (London)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019London-based partner collaborating on the proprietary biosynthetic corneal technology (liquid cornea) research, part of Tej Kohli Applied Research.
• Eye institutes in Montreal (Canada) and Odesa (Ukraine)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019International collaborating eye institutes for the development of proprietary biosynthetic corneal technology under Tej Kohli Applied Research.
• LV Prasad Eye Institute (Hyderabad, India)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015WHO collaborating centre, global leader in eye care research and development. Hosted the first Tej Kohli Cornea Institute (2015-2019). Provided 223,404 outpatient consultations and 43,255 free surgeries. Supported eye bank infrastructure with a sustainable template model.
• Funda Kohli (Costa Rica)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Longest-running program of the Tej Kohli Foundation, launched in Costa Rica in 2005. Provides daily free meals and nutrition to children and families through permanent canteens. Also formed alliances with conservation groups to protect ecosystems including Red Macaw population, sea turtles, and Costa Rica's stray cat population.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Himalayan Cataract Project (Cure Blindness): Co-founded by Dr. Sanduk Ruit, the same ophthalmologist behind the Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation. Cure Blindness operates in similar geographies (Nepal, Ethiopia, Ghana) doing high-volume, low-cost cataract surgery with comparable outreach microsurgical eye camp models.
• Fred Hollows Foundation: Australia-based international development organization focused on ending avoidable blindness, with similar cataract surgical programs in developing countries across Africa and Asia. Comparable mission, geographic footprint, and beneficiary population.
• Sightsavers: UK-based international NGO working to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments in developing countries. Operates across overlapping geographies and shares the focus on cataract and corneal blindness treatment.
• Orbis International: Global non-profit focused on eye care, blindness prevention, and training ophthalmologists in low- and middle-income countries. Highly comparable mission and beneficiary base, with a similar blend of direct intervention and clinician training.
• CBM (Christian Blind Mission): International development organization focused on disability inclusion and blindness prevention in low-income countries. Overlapping focus on eye health and assistive devices, including prosthetics support for people with disabilities.
• Helen Keller International: Global health organization focused on preventing blindness and reducing malnutrition. Closely comparable to the Tej Kohli Foundation's dual focus on eye care (vision restoration) and nutrition (Funda Kohli, YouCube programs).

Emerging players

• Open Bionics: Bristol-based bionic limb developer of the Hero Arm. While a commercial entity, it is a strategic implementation partner for the Tej Kohli Future Bionics program and the sole supplier of the bionic prosthetics the foundation funds for UK children.

Regional players

• L V Prasad Eye Institute: India-based WHO collaborating centre that hosted the Tej Kohli Cornea Institute from 2015-2019. Direct implementation partner rather than a pure peer, but operates in the same vision-care domain with comparable clinical programs.
• The Seeing Eye: US-based organization focused on guide dog mobility for the blind and visually impaired. Not directly comparable in clinical model, but addresses a similar beneficiary population with assistive technology to improve independence.

Broad incumbents

• World Health Organization Vision Programme: Operates the global blindness prevention agenda through initiatives like VISION 2020 and SPECS 2030. Not a direct competitor for funding, but a key reference point for the Tej Kohli Foundation's SDG-aligned positioning and target-setting (e.g., the #2030InSight campaign).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5k08fE9TStK0EbZ7EqL15Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/notes/tej-kohli-foundation/tej-kohli-and-rebuilding-you/10222147722697836
• Xx.com/KohliFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tej-kohli-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tej Kohli Foundation