What Bayer Foundations does

Bayer Foundation is the corporate foundation of Bayer AG, operating through two German-registered independent civil-law foundations — Bayer Cares Foundation (Social Innovation programs) and Bayer Science and Education Foundation (Science Impact programs) — headquartered in Leverkusen, Germany. It pursues a dual mission of advancing science and scaling social innovation aligned with Bayer AG's 'Health for All and Hunger for None' agenda, targeting underserved communities in low- and middle-income countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The foundation does not develop proprietary technology products; instead, it deploys grant capital, fellowships, awards, and concessional investments through a global partner network spanning UN agencies, NGOs, universities, and venture philanthropy platforms.

Its portfolio comprises two main pillars. The Science pillar includes fellowships (Scientific Fellowships, Bayer Foundation-Lindau Fellowship, STEM Teacher Fellowship, Humboldt-Bayer Science Foundation Research Fellowship), STEM education programs (Science@School, Humboldt Explorers, Zaidi-STEM), named science awards (Otto Bayer Award, Hansen Family Award, Early Excellence in Science Awards, Bayer Thrombosis Research Award, Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker Award, Virchow Prize), capacity-building initiatives including the CERID Research Hub in Nigeria, and gender-equity programs such as Female Science Talents and Bourse Femmes & Sciences. The Social Innovation pillar encompasses the Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund (SIEF), the annual Women Entrepreneurs Award (€25,000 for 15 entrepreneurs), the Social Impact Start-up Academy (SISTAC), and newer catalytic investment vehicles including the Food Systems Innovation Finance Facility (FSIFF) with UNCDF, the AWE Evergreen Philanthropic Fund (EPF), the AVPN Climate x Health Lighthouse Fund, and the Integrated Care for Elderly project in China. Pricing is non-commercial: the foundation disburses grants, fellowships, awards, and concessional loans to selected beneficiaries via board-approved processes and digital application portals.

The foundation is funded by Bayer AG and governed by Boards of Trustees for each legal entity, with Executive Directors drawn from Bayer AG's senior leadership (Pharma President Stefan Oelrich for Science, Crop Science President Rodrigo Santos for Social Innovation, ESG SVP Chitkala Kalidas as overall Executive Director). It maintains global operations through partnership-mediated distribution rather than owned ground infrastructure, with a small in-house team of approximately 16 personnel including program managers, working students, and interns.

Name

Bayer Foundations

Legal name

Bayer Cares Foundation and Bayer Science and Education Foundation

Website

https://bayer-foundation.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bayer Foundation is the corporate foundation of Bayer AG, deploying grant capital, fellowships, science awards, and concessional investments to advance 'Health for All and Hunger for None' for underserved communities across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, with a focus on women entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Foundation / Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Corporate philanthropy programs
• Scientific fellowship funding
• Social innovation grants
• Women entrepreneur awards
• STEM education grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Leverkusen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grant Funding: Bayer Foundation operates as the corporate foundation of Bayer AG, providing grant-based funding to support social innovations and scientific programs. The foundation deploys catalytic capital through various funding vehicles including the Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund (SIEF), fellowships, awards, and partnership investments to accelerate transformative innovations in health and agriculture.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bayer Foundation is the corporate foundation of Bayer AG that deploys philanthropic capital through grants, fellowships, science awards, and catalytic investments to support social entrepreneurs, early-career scientists, and underserved communities at the intersection of health, food security, and environment. The foundation operates two legal entities — Bayer Cares Foundation (social innovation programs) and Bayer Science and Education Foundation (science programs) — funding beneficiaries through the Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund, Women Entrepreneurs Award, scientific fellowships, prestigious research awards, and co-financed facilities such as the Food Systems Innovation Finance Facility and the AWE Evergreen Philanthropic Fund.

Product overview

Bayer Foundation operates as a corporate foundation focused on Science and Social Innovation programs. Its Science portfolio includes fellowships (Scientific Fellowships, Lindau Fellowship, STEM Teacher Fellowship), STEM education programs (Science@School, Humboldt Explorers, Zaidi-STEM), science awards (Otto Bayer Award, Hansen Family Award, Early Excellence Awards, Bayer Thrombosis Research Award, Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker Award, Virchow Prize), capacity building initiatives (Alexander von Humboldt Foundation partnerships, CERID Research Hub in Nigeria), and gender equity programs (Female Science Talents, CNV Foundation Stipends, Bourse Femmes & Sciences). The Social Innovation portfolio includes grant funding through the Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund (SIEF), the Women Entrepreneurs Award (€25,000 for 15 entrepreneurs annually), the Social Impact Start-up Academy (SISTAC), and investment facilities including the Food Systems Innovation Finance Facility (FSIFF) with UNCDF and the AWE Evergreen Philanthropic Fund (EPF). Additional initiatives include the Climate x Health Lighthouse Fund and the Integrated Care for Elderly Project in China.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund (SIEF) Grant fund established in 2019 supporting mature social innovation solutions in LMICs (Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, Middle East). Targets technological and entrepreneurial solutions for zero hunger and health for all. From 2019-2022 focused on Africa; from 2023 expanded to all LMICs.
• Women Entrepreneurs Award Annual award supporting women entrepreneurs and social enterprises in LMICs with EUR 25,000 cash prize, tailored coaching, investor feedback, access to expert networks, visibility, and alumni network. Targets solutions for health, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture.
• Social Impact Start-up Academy (SISTAC) Win-win program connecting master students with social enterprises in LMICs focusing on health and nutrition challenges. Students gain real-life problem-solving experience while startups receive business knowledge. Co-founded by Bayer Foundation and anchored at Ingolstadt School of Management, Cape Town University, and Ben Gurion University.
• Food Systems Innovation Finance Facility (FSIFF) Strategic partnership with UNCDF deploying catalytic concessional capital through tailored financial instruments. Invests in high-impact food system enterprises in underserved and frontier markets across Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Inaugural investments of $500,000 each to Omia (Uganda) and SokoFresh (Kenya).
• Scientific Fellowships Program Fellowships for outstanding master, PhD, and medical students to pursue international research projects in Drug Discovery Sciences, Agricultural Science, Medical Sciences, and Climate and Health. Provides up to EUR 10,000 funding for up to six months.
• Bayer Foundation-Lindau Fellowship Supports 20 early career researchers from around the world annually to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting and interact with Nobel laureates. Includes evening scientific exchange with industry personalities.
• STEM Teacher Fellowship Fellowship for STEM student teachers and qualified teachers providing funding up to EUR 10,000 for up to 12 months for activities strengthening scientific communication, data literacy, or research understanding connected to Trust in Science.
• Science@School Funding Program Funding program for extra-curricular STEM education activities in Germany, providing up to EUR 20,000 per project. Encourages applications from all school types with focus on increasing applications from Grundschulen, Förderschulen and Hauptschulen.
• Humboldt Explorers Program Joint Citizen Science and Data Literacy school project with Humboldt University of Berlin for Berlin schools grades 7-10. Students investigate local scientific phenomena affecting everyday lives and contribute to an interactive public map.
• Otto Bayer Award Prestigious award recognizing distinguished scientists for outstanding research contributions in chemistry and biochemistry. Awarded every other year with EUR 75,000 cash prize.
• Hansen Family Award Award celebrating groundbreaking research in medical sciences and related fields. Awarded every other year with EUR 75,000 cash prize.
• Early Excellence in Science Awards Annual awards honoring emerging talents for remarkable contributions across biology, chemistry, medical science, and plant science. Recipients receive EUR 10,000 cash prize. Candidates must have earned PhD or MD no more than seven years ago.
• Bayer Thrombosis Research Award Award recognizing early-career researchers for exceptional accomplishments in basic or clinical thrombosis research. Biennial award includes EUR 30,000 prize for researchers under 38 years old.
• Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker Award Award honoring individuals who advocate for science and the scientific method with courage and responsibility. Includes EUR 3,000 prize plus up to EUR 10,000 for impact enhancement projects.
• Humboldt-Bayer Science Foundation Research Fellowship Fellowship for outstanding post-doctoral researchers from African countries planning research stays at leading German institutions. Includes language classes, family support, and assigned industry mentors.
• AGNES-Bayer Science Foundation Research Grants Grants of up to EUR 7,000 for PhD students from African countries for field or laboratory studies in Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation.
• Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Foundation Stipends Fellowships for talented women with children in natural sciences, experimental research, and medicine. Bayer Foundation funds two fellowships annually for doctoral students or postdoctoral researchers in German institutions.
• Boundary-Breaking Science Series Scientific lecture and symposium series showcasing breakthrough research from Bayer Foundation award laureates. Creates global network of boundary-breaking scientists including academic experts, industry researchers, physicians, and early career scientists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Improving health outcomes for 1 million lives
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

35 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AVPN (Asian Venture Philanthropy Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership for the Climate x Health Lighthouse Fund launched by AVPN with Bayer Foundation support. Fund accelerates locally driven climate-health innovations including AI-powered heat mapping, drone-enabled disease prevention, and frontline health worker training. Enables solutions such as KUMPUL (Indonesia), Chintan (India), and SORA Technology (Philippines) to scale.
• AWE FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Bayer Foundation anchored the establishment of the AWE Evergreen Philanthropic Fund (EPF), an evergreen pooling vehicle created by AWE Foundation to address the 'missing middle' financing gap. The fund deploys long-term catalytic capital to support gender-equitable, scalable solutions in healthcare, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture targeting underserved women, smallholder farmers, and healthcare workers in India. Impact targets: 1 million lives for health outcomes, 1.5 million women for gender equity, 0.5 million rural populations for livelihoods.
• UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Strategic partnership for the Food Systems Innovation Finance Facility (FSIFF). Inaugural investments include $500,000 local currency loan to Omia in Uganda and $500,000 to SokoFresh in Kenya. Facility addresses food systems challenges by investing in high-impact enterprises in underserved and frontier markets across Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
• Gavi, the Vaccine AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Bayer Foundation supports Gavi Innovation Scale-Up Facility (SUF) mobilizing up to US$300 million in private capital. Partnership includes cocoa-farming community initiatives in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire targeting 140,000 children, and expansion of Zipline's drone vaccine delivery to Nigeria's Kaduna State.
• Buurtzorg ChinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Collaboration on 'Integrated Care for Elderly' project supporting elderly homecare in China. Project achieved 60% improvement in health scores at 70% lower cost than institutional care. Successfully transitioned to government-led model with recognition as 'Nanning Model of Homecare'. Collaboration with Guangxi NewLife draws inspiration from Buurtzorg Netherlands' community-based homecare model.
• Alexander von Humboldt FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration providing funding opportunities for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from African countries. Includes Humboldt-Bayer Science Foundation Research Fellowship for post-doctoral researchers planning research stays in Germany, and AGNES-Bayer Science Foundation Research Grants for sustainable agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
• Common Good Marketplace (CGM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to transform how social enterprises measure, verify, and finance their impact. Collaboration helps innovators improve health and food security scale proven solutions, build trust through verified impact, and unlock capital for sustainable growth. Healthcare impact business ZimbosAbantu from Zimbabwe is among beneficiaries.
• Mercy Corps AgriFincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransformative partnership to support smallholder farmers in Global South through digital solutions. Digital Farmer Program leverages technology to develop inclusive digital products and services helping farmers increase productivity, incomes, and resilience.
• Falling Walls FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBayer Foundation is founding supporter of Female Science Talents Program developed with Falling Walls Foundation. Program empowers early career women in science through year-long Intensive Track with 20 talented women, providing gatherings, workshops, career talks, and peer exchanges.
• Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (CNV) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership funding two fellowships annually for doctoral students or postdoctoral researchers working in German research institutes or universities. Supports talented women with children in natural sciences, experimental research, and medicine with stipends for household and childcare responsibilities.
• Congolese Foundation for Medical Research (FCRM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supports sub-regional 'Bourse Femmes & Sciences' fellowships for PhD students and women scientists/mothers in Central African countries (Cameroon, Gabon, DRC, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic).
• Impact Hub NetworkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership powering the Women Entrepreneurs Award program. Impact Hub Network provides operational management and application processing for the annual award supporting women entrepreneurs in LMICs with 25,000 EUR funding and accelerator programming.
• Ingolstadt School of ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of Social Impact Startup Academy (SISTAC). Platform connects master students with social innovators on projects addressing SDGs 2 & 3 (zero hunger and good health). Action-oriented learning format part of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship master's program.
• Cape Town UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for Social Impact Startup Academy (SISTAC) bringing action-oriented learning formats to African context. Connects master students with social innovators addressing health and food security challenges.
• Ben Gurion UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for Social Impact Startup Academy (SISTAC) in Israel. Provides platform for social innovators, master students, and industry experts to collaborate on sustainable development challenges.
• Purdue UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Social Impact Startup Academy through College of Engineering's Master of Engineering Management program. Students collaborate with social enterprises including Zuri Health on healthcare innovation projects.
• Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (Nigeria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation of Humboldt-Bayer Foundation Research Hub - Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases (CERID). Hub aims to control emerging infectious diseases through regional rapid testing, local biobanks, personnel training, and advanced genomic research. Led by Professor Dr. Daniel Olusola Ojurongbe.
• PATHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund. PATH and Medic launched Community Health Toolkit - free and open-source platform enabling Community Health Workers to improve quality, speed, and access to equitable care in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Living GoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through Social Innovation Ecosystem Fund bringing health access to rural communities in Uganda through technology-enabled community health worker networks.
• ZiplinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrone delivery partner for vaccine and medical supply delivery. Partnership supports expansion to Nigeria's Kaduna State as part of Gavi immunization programs targeting 140,000 children in cocoa-farming communities.
• SankucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise partner addressing malnutrition by installing dosifiers on small-scale mills to produce fortified flour. Ensures every meal contains lifesaving nutrients at no added cost to consumers.
• Babban GonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural social enterprise partner in Nigeria focused on improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers through training, inputs, and market access.
• UNFPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Population Fund partnership for reproductive health and population programs supporting underserved communities.
• CODESPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation focused on development cooperation and sustainable agriculture programs supporting smallholder farmers.
• Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization partnership focused on improving nutrition outcomes and addressing malnutrition globally.
• alfanarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise focused on supporting refugees and underserved populations through economic empowerment programs.
• iDEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization providing market-based solutions for smallholder farmers in agriculture and health.
• EndeavorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal entrepreneurship network supporting high-impact entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
• Million Lives CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective focused on scaling impact ventures addressing social and environmental challenges.
• Pula FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural insurance and financial inclusion partner for smallholder farmers.
• Touch Health IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital health technology partner supporting healthcare access solutions.
• SynergyaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner focused on agricultural innovation and sustainability solutions.
• Project ECHOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership using technology to democratize medical expertise and support community health workers.
• Doctors for MadagascarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare organization providing medical services and support in Madagascar.
• New VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting sustainable businesses and entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mastercard Foundation: Corporate foundation of Mastercard focused on financial inclusion, education, and youth employment in Africa. Comparable in operating model as a corporate foundation deploying catalytic capital and partnering with social enterprises in LMICs, particularly in Africa.
• Pfizer Foundation: Corporate foundation of Pfizer Inc., operating similarly as a CSR/grantmaking arm focused on global health, health equity, and STEM education with comparable programmatic structure to Bayer Foundation's Science and Social Innovation portfolios.
• Novartis Foundation: Corporate foundation of Novartis, focused on global health, cardiovascular disease, and health systems strengthening in LMICs. Comparable in operating model, life-sciences parent, and disease/health focus areas.
• Sanofi Foundation: Corporate philanthropy arm of Sanofi addressing health equity, youth employability, and community resilience. Compares as another pharma corporate foundation with similar portfolio structure.
• MSD Foundation (Merck & Co.): Corporate foundation of MSD/Merck focused on global health, women's health, and capacity-building in underserved regions, mirroring Bayer Foundation's female-entrepreneur and health-equity mandate.
• Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation: German pharma corporate foundation supporting basic research in biology, medicine, and chemistry. Compares directly on the German-headquartered pharma-foundation model, science funding, and fellowship structure.

Broad incumbents

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The largest philanthropic foundation globally, deeply active in global health, agriculture, and gender equity — themes directly overlapping Bayer Foundation's focus areas. Operates at much larger scale and with broader geographic and capital flexibility.
• Wellcome Trust: One of the world's largest charitable foundations focused on science and global health. A much larger incumbent peer, with comparable thematic overlap (science funding, global health, LMIC health systems) but at vastly greater scale and independence from a corporate parent.

Others

• AWE Foundation: Direct partner of Bayer Foundation that established the AWE Evergreen Philanthropic Fund anchored by Bayer Foundation. Thematically aligned on gender equity and 'missing middle' financing; functions as a co-investor/partner rather than direct competitor.
• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Already a partner of Bayer Foundation; operates a public-private vaccine-financing model mobilizing private capital. Comparable as a thematic overlap and co-funding partner in the immunization and global-health space Bayer Foundation supports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/bayer-foundation
• Xx.com/bayer_press

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments2 records

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Frequently asked questions about Bayer Foundations