# The Lemelson Foundation

The Lemelson Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Portland, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Portland, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 2035 NW Front Ave Suite 501, Portland, OR 97209, United States
- **Founded:** 1992
- **Assets under management:** 484 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** lemelson.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-lemelson-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Lemelson Foundation was established in 1992 by inventor Jerome Lemelson and his wife Dorothy. Eric Lemelson and Robert Lemelson now oversee operations as the second generation. The endowment originated from a portfolio of over 600 patents in machine vision, bar code scanning, and automated manufacturing. The foundation allocates across venture capital, private equity, and public securities. It targets early-stage and growth investments with an investment horizon of seven to fifteen years. Confirmed holdings include positions in Delta40, SOSV and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Impact Fund. Geographic reach covers the United States, Kenya, and India. Ticket sizes range from $0.1 million to $5 million per commitment. The organization employs 25 professionals at its Portland headquarters. It maintains relationships with the Smithsonian Institution through the Lemelson Center and with MIT through the Lemelson-MIT Program. Adjacent vehicles include the Dorothy Lemelson Foundation and the Karuna Foundation. No operational events from the last 24 months appear in available records. Governance separates the core endowment from family branch foundations while preserving a single investment mandate focused on invention outcomes. Service providers include Moss Adams for accounting and CTC | myCFO for investment advisory.

## Sectors

- ClimateTech
- Education
- Impact Investing

## People

- Eric Lemelson — President and Board Chair
- Robert Lemelson — Vice President and Secretary

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at The Lemelson Foundation?

Eric Lemelson serves as President and Board Chair. Robert Lemelson serves as Vice President and Secretary. Decisions incorporate input from external advisors including Enclude for impact allocation.

### How does The Lemelson Foundation source proprietary deal flow?

The foundation draws flow through memberships in the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, Convergence, and Impact Capital Managers. It also maintains direct relationships with MIT and the Smithsonian Institution.

### Does The Lemelson Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The foundation acts as a limited partner in funds and vehicles including SOSV and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Impact Fund. It also holds direct ownership in VentureWell.

### What investment stages does The Lemelson Foundation typically target?

The foundation targets early-stage seed and start-up opportunities as well as expansion and late-stage rounds. It maintains a seven-to-fifteen-year investment horizon.

### What is The Lemelson Foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

The foundation holds limited partner positions in multiple venture and impact vehicles and participates in blended finance structures through Convergence membership.

## Related profiles

- [Rollins College Endowment](https://altss.com/profile/rollins-college-endowment)
- [AtlantiCare Health System](https://altss.com/profile/atlanticare-health-system-inc)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/the-lemelson-foundation

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