What NOMIS Foundation does

NOMIS Foundation is a private, nonprofit Swiss foundation established in 2008 and funded by an endowment from Georg Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza. It operates as a catalyst for fundamental scientific and humanistic research, supporting pioneering researchers through a portfolio of programs: the NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award (flagship), multi-year research grants (typically 3–5 years), professorships, fellowships, and the NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award. The foundation does not develop technology products; its core "platform" is the NOMISnet digital system for grant management and community connection, supplemented by content resources (Insight Films, Publications Portal). Recipients are identified exclusively through a curated global network of senior scientist nominators at renowned institutes — the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All funded research must be made publicly available, and the foundation takes no proprietary interest in results.

The foundation's business model is that of a grantmaking endowment, not a commercial enterprise. NOMIS generates no commercial revenue; it distributes its endowment capital through unrestricted funding to enable high-risk, curiosity-driven research that "transcends traditional boundaries." Pricing is not applicable — funding is provided at no cost to researchers. The customer base, in a philanthropic sense, consists of pioneering researchers (from early-career scientists to distinguished scholars) at leading global institutions. Key institutional relationships include the Salk Institute (founding partner, 2008), Caltech, Cambridge, Princeton, Brown, Berkeley, EHESS, the Institute for Advanced Study, and ISTA. The foundation operates from Zurich, Switzerland, with a small staff of 6 employees, and has supported Nobel-caliber researchers including Svante Pääbo (2017 NOMIS Awardee), Didier Fassin (2018), and Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz (2022).

Name

NOMIS Foundation

Legal name

NOMIS Foundation

Website

https://nomisfoundation.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NOMIS Foundation is a private Swiss nonprofit established in 2008 that funds pioneering researchers worldwide through awards, grants, professorships, and fellowships, identifying candidates exclusively via a global network of senior scientist nominators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Philanthropy / Scientific Grantmaking

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Scientific research funding
• Research grants
• Academic philanthropy
• Basic research support
• Research fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Zurich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Foundation Endowment: NOMIS is a private, nonprofit Swiss foundation funded by an endowment from Georg Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza (established in 2008). The foundation generates no commercial revenue - it distributes funding through awards, grants, professorships, and fellowships to support pioneering researchers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

NOMIS Foundation is a private, nonprofit Swiss foundation that provides unrestricted financial support to pioneering researchers across all scientific and humanities disciplines. It funds high-risk, curiosity-driven fundamental research through a portfolio of programs including the NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award, multi-year research grants, professorships, fellowships, and the NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award. Candidates are identified exclusively through a trusted global network of senior scientist nominators — the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Product overview

NOMIS Foundation is a private nonprofit Swiss foundation (established 2008, funded by an endowment from Georg Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza) that serves as a catalyst for scientific and human progress. The foundation supports pioneering researchers through a portfolio of funding programs including the NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award (flagship), research grants, professorships, fellowships, and the NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award. These offerings are complemented by digital platforms: the NOMISnet Platform for grant management and applications, and the NOMIS Foundation Awards Website for award ceremonies. The foundation also provides content resources including Insight Films and a Publications Portal showcasing research from the community. All NOMIS-funded research must be made publicly available. The foundation operates from Zurich and does not accept unsolicited proposals, identifying candidates exclusively through a trusted global network of senior scientist nominators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award The flagship award program of NOMIS Foundation recognizing exceptional researchers with financial support for high-risk, interdisciplinary basic research projects.
• NOMIS Research Grants Multi-year financial grants (typically three to five years) supporting novel research projects across all disciplines, awarded to researchers worldwide.
• NOMIS Professorships Funding supporting the establishment or advancement of professorial positions at leading research institutions for exceptional researchers.
• NOMIS Fellowships Fellowship programs supporting researchers at various career stages, enabling them to pursue innovative research projects.
• NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award Award program for early-career scientists demonstrating originality, intellectual courage and transformative potential in exploration.
• NOMISnet Platform An online platform for grant management, research project proposals, grant applications, and user accounts for the research community.
• Research Network & Community Platform A global collaborative network connecting NOMIS-funded researchers to share insights and foster new fields of exploration.

Quantifiable outcome

• NOMIS Award enables high-risk basic research that may not receive funding through traditional channels

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Salk Institute for Biological StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008The foundational partnership that NOMIS forged at its inception in 2008. The Salk Institute collaboration remains a cornerstone of NOMIS's work and was the first of many strategic partnerships essential to realizing Georg Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza's vision.
• École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution of Didier Fassin, a 2018 NOMIS Awardee, where he serves as director of studies in anthropology. The foundation supports researchers at this institution through its award program.
• Institute for Advanced Study (IAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhere Didier Fassin serves as James D. Wolfensohn Professor since 2009. NOMIS supports the research conducted by awardees at this institution.
• California Institute of Technology (Caltech)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhere Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz serves as Bren Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering since 2019. Her NOMIS-supported project 'Opening the Black Box of Human Implantation' is conducted at Caltech.
• University of CambridgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhere Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz holds position as professor of stem cell biology and development. The NOMIS-supported research involves collaboration between Caltech and Cambridge.
• Princeton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome of Tom Griffiths, NOMIS researcher and Henry R. Luce Professor. His project 'The Computer Science of Human Decisions' is conducted at Princeton.
• Brown UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer institution of Tom Griffiths (NOMIS researcher) where he held faculty position in the Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences.
• University of California, BerkeleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer institution of Tom Griffiths (NOMIS researcher) where he held faculty position in the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science Program.
• Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome institution of Georgios Katsaros, NOMIS researcher working on quantum computing and semiconductor physics projects.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI): US philanthropic organization funding biomedical science, education, and related areas via grants and in-house research. Comparable in deploying private capital toward frontier science through structured grant programs.
• Simons Foundation: Major US private foundation funding basic research in mathematics, physics, astronomy, and life sciences. Highly comparable to NOMIS in mission (fundamental science), funding model (multi-year unrestricted grants), and selection process (investigator-initiated).
• John Templeton Foundation: US-based foundation funding research at the intersection of science, philosophy, and humanities. Highly comparable to NOMIS in its cross-disciplinary basic research mandate and global grantmaking footprint.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: US-based biomedical and life sciences research organization that funds individual investigators at leading universities. Comparable to NOMIS in supporting high-risk curiosity-driven research via investigator awards at top institutions.
• Wellcome Trust: UK-based independent charitable foundation funding science and health research globally. Highly comparable in supporting fundamental research with multi-year grants and global investigator networks.
• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: US private foundation funding basic scientific research across multiple disciplines. Comparable in supporting high-quality fundamental research with relatively unrestricted grants to individual investigators.
• Kavli Foundation: US private foundation funding basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics via Kavli Institutes. Directly comparable mission focus on foundational science at the frontiers.
• Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation: US private foundation funding scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and patient care improvement. Comparable as a major US private science philanthropy with multi-year investigator grants.

Broad incumbents

• European Research Council (ERC): Public EU body funding frontier basic research across all fields via multi-year grants to individual investigators. Comparable in mission (high-risk curiosity-driven research) and investigator-led grant structure, though funded publicly rather than via endowment.

Regional players

• Volkswagen Foundation: German private foundation funding basic research across disciplines, particularly supporting innovative and unconventional projects. Comparable as a European, family-endowed science philanthropy with a similar funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nomisfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NOMIS Foundation