What Latsis Foundation does

The Latsis Foundation (legal name: Fondation Latsis Internationale) is a Swiss public utility non-profit foundation established in 1975 under the aegis of John S. Latsis and headquartered in Geneva since 1990. It operates exclusively as a science philanthropy, disbursing prizes, grants, and symposia support rather than selling goods or services; its revenue model is endowment-funded grant-making with no commercial pricing. The foundation's product portfolio centers on three prize programs — the flagship Swiss Science Prize Latsis (awarded jointly with the Marcel Benoist Foundation since 2020 and selected by the Swiss National Science Foundation), annual University Prizes at EPFL, ETH Zurich, the University of Geneva, and the University of St. Gallen (156 awarded since 1983), and the now-discontinued Latsis European Prize (last awarded 2012) — supplemented by scientific symposia and colloquia at EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the University of Geneva.

Since inception the foundation has cumulatively distributed less than 10 million Swiss francs, organized 71 colloquia at EPFL and ETH Zurich, sponsored 12 conferences at the University of Geneva, and delivered 30 keynote lectures by internationally renowned researchers. Award ceremonies are held at the Federal Palace in Bern, lending state-level prestige to recipients. The foundation is led by President Yves Flückiger, with award decisions made independently or through its partner FNS, and it publishes only in French and English via its website fondationlatsis.org. Its geographic scope is Switzerland-only and its constituency is early-career Swiss academic researchers within ten years of academic activity.

Name

Latsis Foundation

Legal name

Fondation Latsis Internationale

Website

https://fondationlatsis.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Latsis Foundation is a Swiss non-profit founded in 1975 that funds and recognizes early-career researchers at Swiss universities through prizes (including the Swiss Science Prize Latsis, awarded jointly with the Marcel Benoist Foundation since 2020) and scientific symposia at EPFL, ETH Zurich, the University of Geneva, and the University of St. Gallen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Research Awards & Grants

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Scientific research awards
• Research grants
• Academic prizes
• Scientific symposia
• University prizes

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Latsis Foundation is a Swiss public utility non-profit foundation that awards scientific prizes and grants, and organizes scientific symposia and colloquia. Its core offerings include the Swiss Science Prize Latsis (awarded annually since 1984 through the Swiss National Science Foundation), University Prizes at EPFL, ETH Zurich, University of Geneva, and University of St.Gallen, the Latsis European Prize, and annual scientific symposia and colloquia held at Swiss higher education institutions.

Product overview

The Latsis Foundation is a non-profit public utility institution established in 1975 that supports Swiss research excellence through a portfolio of award programs and scientific symposia. The foundation operates four core award products: the Swiss Science Prize Latsis (the flagship annual prize presented jointly with the Marcel Benoist Foundation), University Prizes at EPFL, ETH Zurich, University of Geneva, and University of St.Gallen (156 prizes awarded since 1983), and formerly the Latsis European Prize (concluded in 2012). Additionally, the foundation organizes scientific symposia at EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the University of Geneva, with 71 total colloquia held since inception. The foundation has distributed over 10 million Swiss francs in prizes and organized 30 keynote lectures by internationally renowned researchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swiss Science Prize Latsis (Prix Scientifique Suisse Latsis) The flagship annual award recognizing outstanding research by Swiss-based scientists with academic experience of 10 years or less, presented at the Federal Palace in Bern.
• Latsis University Prizes (Prix Latsis Universitaires) University-specific prizes awarded annually to doctoral candidates at EPFL, ETH Zurich, University of Geneva, and University of St.Gallen for outstanding thesis work; 156 prizes awarded since 1983.
• Latsis European Prize (Prix Latsis Européen) Former prize program (last awarded 2012) recognizing European researchers in various scientific disciplines including mathematics, demography, biodiversity, neuroscience, and physics.
• EPFL Latsis Symposium

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS/SNF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1984, the Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS) annually awards the Swiss Science Latsis Prize on behalf of the Latsis Foundation. FNS selects the laureate through a rigorous selection procedure. This partnership is central to the foundation's mission of supporting Swiss research excellence.
• Marcel Benoist FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2020, the Latsis Swiss Science Prize is awarded jointly with the Marcel Benoist Prize (Switzerland's most prestigious scientific award) during the same ceremony at the Federal Palace in Bern. The joint ceremony brings together two of Switzerland's most important scientific awards.
• École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPFL organizes annual Latsis Symposia and awards Latsis University Prizes to outstanding doctoral theses. The foundation has supported 71 colloquia and symposia at EPFL and ETHZ over the years.
• ETH Zurich (ETHZ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETH Zurich organizes annual Latsis Symposia and awards Latsis University Prizes. The symposia cover diverse scientific topics ranging from climate modeling to artificial intelligence and personalized medicine.
• University of GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Geneva organizes Latsis Colloquia and awards Latsis University Prizes. The foundation has sponsored 12 conferences at this university and maintains a long-standing relationship.
• University of St.GallencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of St.Gallen awards annual Latsis University Prizes to outstanding researchers. The prizes focus on various disciplines including economics, law, and management.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Balzan Foundation: The Balzan Foundation awards an international scientific prize from Switzerland and is the closest comparable peer by structure: family-endowed scientific prize, Swiss-based, multidisciplinary. The Latsis European Prize was historically comparable in scope before its discontinuation.
• Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF/FNS): The SNSF runs the rigorous selection procedure for the Latsis Swiss Science Prize on the foundation's behalf and is Switzerland's primary public research funding body. It is the most direct operational peer, sharing target beneficiaries (Swiss academic researchers) and prize-administration capabilities.
• BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards: The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards recognize contributions to scientific research and knowledge across disciplines. Comparable as a foundation-funded, multi-disciplinary scientific recognition program targeting researchers.
• Marcel Benoist Foundation: The Marcel Benoist Foundation awards Switzerland's most prestigious scientific prize, which has been presented jointly with the Latsis Swiss Science Prize at the Federal Palace in Bern since 2020. The two foundations share prize mechanics, ceremony venue, and target audience of outstanding Swiss researchers.
• Wolf Foundation: The Wolf Foundation awards annual prizes for scientific achievements across multiple disciplines. It mirrors the Latsis model of a family-endowed, multidisciplinary science prize awarded annually to researchers for outstanding contributions.
• Volkswagen Foundation: The Volkswagen Foundation is a German non-profit funding academic research and scientific symposia, comparable in structure to the Latsis Foundation's combination of prizes and academic event sponsorship at European universities.

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome is a major UK-based charitable foundation funding scientific research and researchers. Comparable as an endowed foundation funding science but operating at substantially greater scale and with broader program scope than Latsis.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: HHMI is a large US biomedical research organization that funds investigators and early-career researchers, similar to Latsis's focus on early-career Swiss scientists. Operating at vastly greater scale but comparable mission of supporting outstanding academic researchers.
• Kavli Foundation: The Kavli Foundation is a major US-based science philanthropy funding research institutes and prizes across multiple scientific fields. Comparable as a foundation-driven science funder but operating at substantially greater scale and global reach.
• Simons Foundation: The Simons Foundation is a major US philanthropic foundation funding mathematics, basic sciences, and autism research. Comparable as a family-endowed foundation directing resources toward scientific research, though at far greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Latsis Foundation