Spotlight
oga, the documentary supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and executive produced by Leonard Blavatnik is about to get its Austrian theatrical release. Directed by Vienna-based brothers Jono and Benji Bergmann, the film follows Israeli musician Noga Erez and her partner and collaborator, Ori Rousso, over five years of creative work and personal change. The October 7 attacks and the war in Gaza alter the course of the documentary, expanding it from an artist portrait into an examination of identity, cultural boycotts, public pressure and artistic responsibility. Following its world premiere at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, Noga has continued to reach audiences at international film festivals and draw awards attention. The film will have its Austrian premiere at Vienna’s Stadtkino on August 20 and open in selected cinemas on August 21.
Morag Grassie, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Blavatnik Fund for Innovation at Yale, has been named a 2026 Women of Innovation finalist by the Connecticut Technology Council. Recognized in the Academic Innovation and Leadership—Post-Secondary category, Grassie leads the Fund’s work to help translate promising Yale research into life-science innovations. She is also a co-founder of amplifyHERscience, a Yale Ventures program supporting academic founders across the university. The recognition reflects her sustained leadership in strengthening pathways from scientific discovery to real-world impact. Grassie is one of three Yale finalists, alongside Sparkle Malone and Julie Zimmerman, both recognized for their contributions to environmental research and sustainability. Award recipients will be announced at the Women of Innovation ceremony on October 27, 2026.
The Blavatnik Family Foundation is a longtime supporter of The Fresh Air Fund, which provides New York City children and teens with free opportunities to experience the outdoors, develop new skills and build lasting relationships. A recent editorial in The New York Times follows Fran Carlos Galicia-Sanchez, who first attended a Fresh Air Fund sleepaway camp at age 11. While there, he learned to swim, formed new friendships and discovered a sense of independence beyond the city.Fran Carlos later returned to the organization as a counselor and lifeguard. Now 20, he serves as waterfront director at Camp Junior, overseeing lifeguards and teaching campers the same skills that shaped his own experience. He hopes to become the camp’s director one day. His journey reflects the enduring value of The Fresh Air Fund’s programs, which give young people space to explore, grow and see new possibilities for themselves.
The Blavatnik Family Foundation is supporting Lab to Market: Bridging Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a five-year initiative coordinated by the National Technical University of Athens and Columbia Engineering to help emerging scientists in Greece translate research into viable ventures. Launched in January 2026, the program provides entrepreneurship education, mentoring, access to Greek and international innovation networks, and direct engagement with Columbia University and New York’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Foundation’s support enables the program, including travel to New York, to be offered at no cost to participants. The first cycle concluded with an inaugural Pitch Competition, where 15 teams presented ideas spanning health, artificial intelligence for shipping, sustainability, and diagnostics. Participants represented 18 cities across Greece and eight Greek universities, reflecting the initiative’s geographic and scientific breadth. WasteChain, Pharos Maritime AI, and Mediva-RX received the top three awards as the initiative continues to strengthen connections among academic research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Greece.
Providing many of the world's best researchers, scientists, and universities with support, and funding to discover breakthroughs that solve humankind's greatest challenges.
The Foundation contributes to renowned institutions that showcase the breadth of arts and culture, including performance, exhibition and education.
The Blavatnik Archive is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving and disseminating materials that contribute to the study of 20th-century Jewish and world history, with a special emphasis on World War I, World War II, and Soviet Russia.
