First Philanthropy founding principal brings more than two decades of experience mobilizing relationships, institutions and resources around ambitious missions
SAN DIEGO – Oct 7, 2026 – Innovega, Inc., a developer of lightweight, AI-enabled smart glasses designed to enhance functional vision for people living with vision loss, today announced that George Corton, Founding Principal of First Philanthropy, has joined the company as an Executive Advisor.
Corton advises families, foundations and corporations on philanthropic strategy through First Philanthropy and is also a Principal at Westside Capital Group, where his responsibilities include business development, investor relations and strategic growth.
Over a career spanning more than two decades, Corton has participated in fundraising campaigns representing more than $2 billion in capital and has developed extensive experience cultivating relationships among individuals, families, corporations, foundations and institutions.
Previously, Corton served as Chief Development Officer and Vice President for Development and Innovation Philanthropy at Florida International University, where he helped lead record-setting fundraising efforts and worked at the intersection of institutional strategy, philanthropy, relationship development and innovative approaches to engagement.
“George understands how to bring people and institutions together around an ambitious objective,” said Steve Willey, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Innovega. “He has spent his career developing relationships, building alignment and translating compelling missions into sustained engagement. As Innovega approaches commercialization, that experience can help us think more strategically about the broader ecosystem of individuals and institutions that may want to participate in what we are building.”
Innovega is developing conventionally styled smart eyewear for people whose functional vision needs are not adequately addressed by traditional eyeglasses or existing assistive technologies. The company is preparing its first commercial smart-glasses platform for launch while continuing development of its broader Vision Intelligence Platform, including future smart contact-lens and combined lens-and-eyewear technologies.
“What immediately resonated with me about Innovega is the combination of a compelling mission, differentiated technology and an opportunity to make a very tangible difference in people’s lives,” said Corton. “There is an extraordinary community of families, foundations, corporations and institutions looking for meaningful ways to create measurable impact. I look forward to helping the team think strategically about how Innovega builds those relationships and engages the right partners around its mission.”
As Executive Advisor, Corton will advise Innovega on strategic philanthropy, institutional relationships, partnership development, stakeholder engagement and strategies for expanding the network of organizations and individuals supporting the company’s mission and reach.
His appointment reflects Innovega’s broader effort to build an Executive Advisor Brain Trust whose members contribute distinct, complementary capabilities as the company moves toward commercialization.
“We are not trying to assemble a collection of impressive names; we are deliberately building a group of people whose experiences address specific opportunities in front of the company,” said Tamer Makary, Head of Corporate Development at Innovega. “George brings a particular ability to mobilize relationships, institutions and resources around a clear mission. He understands how to take a compelling proposition, identify who should care about it and create the relationships and structure required to turn interest into meaningful engagement.”
Makary added, “Innovega has an opportunity to build relationships well beyond the conventional technology and investment communities. Families, foundations, corporations, universities, healthcare institutions and mission-driven organizations can each engage with the company differently. George understands those constituencies exceptionally well and, importantly, understands how to approach them thoughtfully and strategically.”
About George Corton
George Corton is the Founding Principal of First Philanthropy, a philanthropic advisory firm working with families, foundations and corporations to develop and execute high-impact philanthropic strategies. He also serves as a Principal at Westside Capital Group, where he focuses on business development, investor relations and strategic growth.
Over his more than 20-year career, Corton has participated in fundraising campaigns exceeding $2 billion. Previously, he served as Chief Development Officer and Vice President for Development and Innovation Philanthropy at Florida International University, helping lead record-setting fundraising initiatives and developing strategies spanning major gifts, institutional partnerships, philanthropy and social impact.
About Innovega
Innovega, Inc. is developing next-generation smart eyewear and vision technologies designed to enhance functional vision and help people living with visual impairment regain greater independence in everyday life.
Its platform combines advanced optics, lightweight smart glasses, digital displays and personalized visual enhancement, with a longer-term roadmap incorporating AI-enabled vision applications and proprietary smart contact-lens technology.