Li Ka Shing Foundation

What Li Ka Shing Foundation does

Li Ka Shing Foundation is a private charitable foundation established in 1980 by Hong Kong entrepreneur Li Ka-shing, incorporated as Li Ka Shing Foundation Limited and headquartered at Cheung Kong Center in Central, Hong Kong. The foundation operates as a grant-making vehicle in which Mr. Li has committed one-third of his personal assets, with cumulative giving reported at over HK$30 billion on the official website (one internal source cites HK$270 billion, or USD 34.8 billion, of personal contributions). Its mission concentrates on three pillars: fostering a culture of giving, advancing education reform, and supporting healthcare development, with more than 80 percent of projects located in mainland China and Hong Kong and additional programs spanning 27 or more countries.

The foundation's core operating model is partnership-based philanthropy rather than direct service delivery. It funds and co-develops programs through institutional partners: Shantou University as the cornerstone project (HK$12 billion to date, founded 1981 as China's only privately funded public university), the Hong Kong Hospital Authority and CUHK/HKU for the 'Love Can Help' medical assistance scheme, the China Disabled Persons' Federation for the 'Cheung Kong New Milestone' disability program, and international research institutions including Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, UC Berkeley, the University of Toronto, the University of Alberta, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Sydney. Flagship programs include the 'Human Touch of Care' (人間有情) National Hospice Care Program (32 hospice centers across 27 Chinese provinces plus 10 Hong Kong centers, serving 188,000+ terminally ill cancer patients), the 'Cheung Kong New Milestone' disability program (2+ million beneficiaries), and emergency relief initiatives such as the HK$1 billion Crunch Time Instant Relief Fund and HK$30 million for Tai Po fire-affected communities.

Revenue and distribution channels reflect the foundation's non-commercial nature. There is no pricing model, no customers, no proprietary technology product, and no commercial Go-To-Motion; resources flow as grants and co-funded research to hospitals, universities, and NGOs. The foundation communicates through its official website (lksf.org), press releases, and direct mail, and maintains a wholly owned Canadian subsidiary (Li Ka Shing (Canada) Foundation, established 2005) for jurisdiction-specific programs. It is privately controlled with no external ownership structure, and its growth is a function of Mr. Li's personal asset base and ongoing commitment, including a 2026 co-funded histotripsy clinical trial in Singapore with Temasek Trust that signals continued expansion into advanced interventional oncology.

Name

Li Ka Shing Foundation

Legal name

Li Ka Shing Foundation Limited

Website

https://lksf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Li Ka Shing Foundation is a private Hong Kong charitable foundation established in 1980 by Li Ka-shing, funding healthcare, education, and anti-poverty programs through institutional partnerships across Greater China and 27+ countries, with cumulative grants exceeding HK$30 billion to date.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation / Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation grants
• Philanthropic funding programs
• Medical research grants
• Education philanthropy support
• Healthcare charity programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Central

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Li Ka Shing Foundation is a charitable foundation that funds education reform, medical research, healthcare access programs, and anti-poverty initiatives through grants, donations, and institutional partnerships. The cornerstone project is Shantou University (HKD 12 billion invested), complemented by a nationwide hospice care program, disability rehabilitation services, medical assistance for under-served patients, and emergency relief funding. Total grants exceed HK$30 billion to date.

Product overview

Li Ka Shing Foundation is a charitable foundation established in 1980 by entrepreneur Li Ka-shing. Rather than a commercial product company, the foundation operates as a philanthropic organization focused on three core strategic areas: fostering a culture of giving, advancing education reform, and supporting healthcare development. The foundation does not offer commercial technology products or services; instead, it funds and supports various charitable initiatives including healthcare programs, educational institutions, and community projects across education, medical services, charity, and anti-poverty programs. Total grants exceed HK$30 billion to date, with more than 80% of projects located in Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Human Touch of Care (人間有情): National Hospice Medical Service Program providing free palliative care to terminally ill cancer patients
• Cheung Kong New Milestone (長江新里程)
• Love Can Help (愛能助)
• Crunch Time Instant Relief Fund
• Techcracker Lab (科技夾子營)

Products and services

• Human Touch of Care (人間有情) National Hospice Care Program Free palliative care, pain management, psychological counseling, and social support for terminally ill cancer patients from low-income families, delivered through hospital partnerships across mainland China and Hong Kong.
• Cheung Kong New Milestone (長江新里程) Disability Program Provides prosthetic limbs, rehabilitation services, and employment assistance to persons with disabilities in mainland China, deployed via partnership with the China Disabled Persons' Federation.
• Love Can Help (愛能助) Medical Assistance Program Medical assistance subsidies for 'sandwich class' Hong Kong patients who fall between government assistance eligibility thresholds and need help paying for advanced medical treatments.
• Shantou University Cornerstone Initiative Comprehensive university funding in Guangdong Province focused on higher education reform, with cumulative HKD 12 billion invested to date across teaching, research, and medical facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 267,000+ patient service sessions for hospice care nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Temasek TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Co-funder of the $12 million HALT trial for histotripsy liver cancer treatment. Temasek Trust partnered with Li Ka Shing Foundation to fund the clinical trial at Singapore General Hospital and National Cancer Centre Singapore.
• Singapore General HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Clinical trial site for the HALT histotripsy trial for liver cancer treatment, the only such trial in Southeast Asia focused on Asian patients.
• National Cancer Centre SingaporemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Clinical trial site for the HALT histotripsy trial, addressing anatomical differences in liver and lung positioning unique to Asian populations.
• University of SydneymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2018HKD 25 million donation to establish the 'Li Ka Shing Cell and Gene Therapy Initiative' at University of Sydney for Australia's first CAR T-cell immunotherapy trial for pancreatic cancer.
• Hong Kong Hospital AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2018Partnership with Hospital Authority (HA) covering 43 public hospitals and 121 outpatient clinics for the 'Love Can Help' medical assistance program targeting 'sandwich class' patients.
• University of Hong Kong (HKU) Li Ka Shing Medical SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2018HK$1 billion donation in 2005 led to the naming of HKU's medical school as 'Li Ka Shing Medical School'. Foundation continues to support HKU medical research with HKD 17.5 million in the Love Can Help II program.
• Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Medical SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2018Foundation supports CUHK medical school with HKD 17.5 million in the Love Can Help II program, supporting research and patient assistance in areas including cancer treatment, autoimmune diseases, and chronic pain management.
• 30+ Hospitals Nationwide (China)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2018The '人间有情' National Hospice Care Program partners with 30+ hospitals across 27 provinces in mainland China, providing free hospice care to terminally ill cancer patients.
• University of MelbournemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2017HKD 23 million (USD 3 million) donation to the University of Melbourne Centre for Cancer Research (UMCCR) to support precision oncology research focusing on upper gastrointestinal cancers.
• China Organ Transplantation Development FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2015Foundation supports China's organ donation system reform and transparency initiatives, working with the foundation led by former Vice Minister of Health Dr. Huang Jiefu.
• Oxford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 May 2013HKD 20 million (GBP 2 million) donation for the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery at Oxford University, the world's largest medical big data research institute. Opened Phase 2 in May 2017.
• University of AlbertamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2010CAD 28 million (HKD 214 million) donation to establish the Li Ka Shing Virology Institute at University of Alberta, in partnership with Alberta government funding of CAD 52.5 million.
• Stanford UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2008USD 90 million donation for the Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge at Stanford Medical School. Also supported big data research initiative with USD 3 million donation.
• Hong Kong Hospital Authority (Hospice Program)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Since 2007, partnership with HA to operate the '人间有情' (Caring for Life) Hong Kong Hospice Service Program, establishing 10 hospice centers in public hospitals. Total donations exceed HK$620 million for this program.
• St. Michael's Hospital, TorontomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 November 2005CAD 25 million donation to establish the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto. Named 'Urban Angel' hospital serving Toronto's disadvantaged communities.
• University of California, BerkeleymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2005HKD 312 million (USD 40 million) donation to establish the Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences at UC Berkeley. Additional USD 10 million for the Li Ka Shing Genomics Engineering Center.
• Institut PasteurmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2005HKD 30 million (EUR 3 million) donation to support collaboration between Pasteur Institute and the Shantou University-HKU Joint Influenza Research Centre for avian flu research.
• Cambridge UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2002HKD 53 million (GBP 5.3 million) donation for cancer research center at Cambridge University, later expanded with a HKD 50 million (GBP 5 million) additional contribution for Phase 2.
• China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Long-standing partnership since 1984 for the 'Cheung Kong New Milestone' program. Over HKD 400 million donated to support prosthetic services, rehabilitation, and employment assistance for disabled persons in mainland China.
• Shantou University Medical College First Affiliated HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Established China's first free hospice care center at Shantou University Medical College First Affiliated Hospital in 1998, launching the national hospice care program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rockefeller Foundation: One of the oldest US foundations, historically focused on public health and medical research. Comparable in century-scale accumulated giving, named-university relationships, and global health grantmaking focus areas overlapping with LKSF's cancer and infectious disease work.
• Bloomberg Philanthropies: Major private foundation focused on public health, education, and urban development. Comparable in deploying founder wealth at high-discretion scale, with a similar mix of direct program operation and grantmaking to top-tier institutional partners.
• Tata Trusts: India's largest philanthropic conglomerate, funding education, healthcare, and rural development. Comparable as an Asia-based, founder-family-controlled philanthropic vehicle with cornerstone university partnerships (Tata Institute, IISc) and a multi-decade giving history.
• Ford Foundation: Major US foundation focused on social justice, education, and global development. Comparable as a globally-operating grantmaking institution with diversified program areas, university partnerships, and a long track record of large-scale, multi-decade program commitments.
• Wellcome Trust: One of the world's largest charitable foundations, focused on health research with a diversified endowment model. Comparable in scale of biomedical research funding (cancer, infectious disease, genomics) and global university partnership footprint (including a major Sanger Institute investment).
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The largest private philanthropic foundation globally, focused on global health, education, and poverty. Directly comparable as a mega-scale, family-founder-led grantmaking institution with multi-billion-dollar annual outlays and global university/hospital partnership networks.
• Fondation de France: France's largest philanthropic network, distributing funds across health, education, research, and social welfare. Comparable as a multi-domain grantmaking foundation with strong relationships to hospitals, universities, and NGOs across multiple countries.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Large US biomedical research organization operating its own research institutes and investigator programs. Comparable in its focus on fundamental medical research funding, university partnerships, and emphasis on investigator-driven science (e.g., genomics, cell biology) overlapping with LKSF's Berkeley and Stanford centers.

Direct peers

• Temasek Trust: Singapore-based philanthropic trust co-founded by Temasek Holdings. Directly comparable as a recently-actualized co-funder of the HALT histotripsy trial with LKSF, focused on Asia-region health and education grantmaking, and similar in deploying sovereign-linked capital for social impact.
• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: Founder-led philanthropic LLC funded by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan. Comparable as a recently-established, founder-wealth-funded foundation with a strong focus on biomedical research (CZI Biohub) and education, and similar challenges around institutionalization beyond the founder.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LKSF
• Facebookfacebook.com/lksforg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lksf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Li Ka Shing Foundation