Berthold Leibinger Foundation

What Berthold Leibinger Foundation does

The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung GmbH is a private charitable foundation (gemeinnützige GmbH) registered in Eberdingen-Hochdorf, Germany, and founded in 2007 when Doris Leibinger consolidated her philanthropic activities into a formal structure. The foundation operates across four funding pillars — Science, Culture, Church, and Social — with primary geographic focus on Baden-Württemberg and selective international academic partnerships. It supports innovative scientific research, cultural initiatives (including comics, theater, and literature), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg (building and organ restoration, churchyard redesign), and social welfare organizations serving marginalized populations including ex-incarcerated individuals, people experiencing homelessness, and those with disabilities. Notable grantees include Haus Arche, eva's Tisch, Seehaus e.V., Merz Akademie, Universität Stuttgart, Universität Wien, Nikolauspflege, and Stiftung taubblind leben.

The foundation's core product surface is a portfolio of own-operating prize and funding programs rather than commercial products. These include the Berthold Leibinger Innovation Prize (BLIP) and Future Prize (Zukunftspreis) — awarded at TRUMPF Group headquarters in Ditzingen and previously given to Nobel Laureate Anne L'Huillier — the Comic Book Prize (Comicbuchpreis, now in its 11th edition), the BLIZZ 'Zeit für Zukunft' initiative providing process coaching to social organizations, and the Rahel Straus Prize for volunteer remembrance work. Additional funding lines cover historical organ restoration, theater in public spaces, and the recently launched churchground project. The foundation also operates the recurring 'Leibinger Begegnungen' public event series, co-sponsors the Berthold Leibinger Fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin, and directly operates the acquired Haus Arche halfway house.

The foundation is funded through returns on its endowment and family assets — there are no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or revenue figures. It employs a small team of approximately six staff led by Managing Director Markus Wener, with structured roles across finance, prize project management, social programs, and event coordination. Distribution follows three channels: multi-year funding partnerships with selected institutions, open quarterly application rounds (deadlines February 15, May 15, September 15, November 15), and own-operated prize programs. The foundation maintains brand synergies with the related Doris Leibinger Stiftung and Fritz Hüttinger Stiftung, all linked to the Leibinger family legacy with TRUMPF Group.

Name

Berthold Leibinger Foundation

Legal name

Berthold Leibinger Stiftung GmbH

Website

https://leibinger-stiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung is a private German charitable foundation operating across Science, Culture, Church, and Social pillars in Baden-Württemberg through grants, multi-year partnerships, and its own prize programs including the Leibinger Innovation Prize, Comic Book Prize, and BLIZZ initiative.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation Grants and Prizes

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Charitable foundation grants
• Science and culture funding
• Innovation prize awards
• Nonprofit grant programs
• Social welfare funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Ditzingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Endowment/Asset Management: The foundation operates using returns from its endowment and assets, distributing funding to support charitable causes in science, culture, church, and social sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Berthold Leibinger Stiftung GmbH is a private charitable foundation that supports nonprofit, charitable, and church-related institutions in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It disburses funding across four pillars (Science, Culture, Church, and Social) via multi-year direct partnerships, open funding calls, and self-operated prize and project programs such as the Berthold Leibinger Innovation Prize, the Future Prize, the Comic Book Prize, BLIZZ, the Rahel Straus Prize, the churchground project, and Historical Organs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BLIP - Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis: Award for innovation in laser technology and related scientific fields
• BLIZZ - Berthold Leibinger Initiative Zeit für Zukunft
• Comicbuchpreis
• Zukunftspreis
• Rahel Straus Preis
• Leibinger Begegnungen
• Theater im öffentlichen Raum
• Historische Orgeln
• The churchground project

Products and services

• Berthold Leibinger Innovationspreis (BLIP) Annual innovation prize for individuals and project teams whose work in laser technology and related scientific fields advances applied research; awarded each year at TRUMPF Group headquarters in Ditzingen.
• Zukunftspreis (Future Prize) Annual future prize awarded to scientists, including Nobel laureates, for visionary research contributions. The 2023 prize was awarded to Nobel Laureate Anne L'Huillier for attosecond research.
• Comicbuchpreis (Comic Book Prize) Annual prize for outstanding comic book artists and graphic novels; the 2025 (11th) edition was awarded to Dominik Wendland for 'Immer alles anders' and the 2024 (10th) edition to Franz Suess for 'Jakob Neyder'.
• BLIZZ - Berthold Leibinger Initiative Zeit für Zukunft Multi-round funding program supporting social organizations in Baden-Württemberg with process coaching; rounds 3 and 4 are active.
• Rahel Straus Preis Annual prize for outstanding volunteer remembrance work in Baden-Württemberg, awarded through Verein Gegen Vergessen – Für Demokratie. The 2025 prize went to the Stolperstein-Initiative Aalen and the 2024 prize to a Ludwigsburg association and schools in Herrenberg and Freiburg.
• The churchground project Funding program for redesigning and improving spaces around churches in Württemberg. A pilot received over 30 applications and selected 5 projects for funding of up to 20,000 EUR each.
• Historische Orgeln (Historical Organs) Funding line dedicated to restoration of historical church organs in Württemberg, with 100,000 EUR allocated for organ restoration projects.
• Theater im öffentlichen Raum Funding line supporting nationwide theater productions in public spaces, with 140,000 EUR allocated for such productions.
• Leibinger Begegnungen Public event series featuring talks, panel discussions, and award ceremonies to provide insights into the foundation's diverse funding activities; held at venues such as Hospitalhof Stuttgart and Literaturhaus Stuttgart.
• Berthold Leibinger Fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin Sponsored fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin hosting distinguished fellows for academic residencies.
• Förderanträge (Open Funding Applications) Open quarterly funding calls for projects within the foundation's remit, with deadlines of February 15, May 15, September 15, and November 15.
• Multi-year Direct Funding Partnerships Long-term direct funding partnerships with selected institutions across science, culture, church, and social pillars, providing multi-year reliability to grantees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple generations of prizes awarded (Comic Book Prize now in 11th edition)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and regular.

• TRUMPF GruppecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRUMPF Group provides its headquarters in Ditzingen as the venue for the annual Berthold Leibinger Innovation Prize and Future Prize ceremony. This is a flagship annual event for the foundation.
• Universität Wien - Institut für Österreichische GeschichtsforschungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation funds a 2-year research project 'Rahel Straus – Ein jüdisches Leben im 20. Jahrhundert' at the university, led by Ass.-Prof. Dr. Philipp Lenhard with Dr. Ines Koeltzsch as researcher.
• American Academy in BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation sponsors the Berthold Leibinger Fellowship at the American Academy in Berlin, hosting distinguished fellows for academic residencies.
• Stiftung taubblind lebenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for the 'Leben mit Taubblindheit' event as part of the Leibinger Begegnungen series.
• Nikolauspflege - Stiftung für blinde und sehbehinderte MenschenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for accessibility and deaf-blind awareness events.
• Evang. Bildungszentrum HospitalhofregularChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegular venue partner for many Leibinger Begegnungen events in Stuttgart.
• Seehaus e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supports Seehaus Leonberg, which offers youth criminal detention in a free form as alternative to closed custody.
• Freundeskreis Yad Vashem e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint exhibition 'I said, Auf Wiedersehen' on Kindertransport at Deutscher Bundestag and Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
• Literaturhaus StuttgartregularChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for literary events and presentations.
• Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Thomas Mann House events and programs.
• Universität StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for multiple events and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025.
• Deutsche NationalstiftungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for youth and democracy exchange programs.
• Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum/James F. Byrnes Institut e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for transatlantic exchange programs and events.
• Merz AkademiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst German foundation professorship for comics and comic research established at Merz Akademie Stuttgart.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LeibingerStiftungen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berthold-leibinger-stiftung-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/berthold_leibinger_stiftung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Berthold Leibinger Foundation