Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation

What Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation does

The Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation (Hanns Martin Schleyer-Stiftung) is a non-profit, science-promoting foundation under private German law, founded in 1978 and headquartered at Albrechtstraße 22 in Berlin-Mitte. The foundation's mission is to foster innovative thought exchange and sustainable networks between young qualified scientists and practitioners from business, politics, media, and society. It operates three prestigious prizes — the Hanns Martin Schleyer-Preis, the Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preis (administered as trustee for the Friedwart Bruckhaus Foundation for over 30 years), and the Universitas-Preis für Wissenschaftsjournalismus — alongside a portfolio of recurring event programs: the annual Hochschulsymposium series (18th edition), Förder-Kongresse for junior scientists, FORUM BERLIN, Universitätsseminare, Dozentenkolloquien, and the Jürgen Strube Lecture (established 2015). Its thematic focus areas are higher education policy, digitalization, and European integration.

The foundation has no commercial revenue model. Its activities are funded from investment returns on its endowment capital (Vermögenserträge) and donations, with every donation going directly to project support. Its programs are offered free of charge to participants. The foundation operates with a small core team of 5 employees and relies on an extensive partner ecosystem to execute its programs at scale. Key strategic partners include the Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung (co-organizing the Hochschulsymposien, Universitas-Initiative, and Förder-Kongresse), the Otto Wolff Stiftung, the Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft, and a broad network of German universities including TU Munich, LMU Munich, Humboldt University Berlin, FU Berlin, University of Cologne, University of Leipzig, University of Mannheim, University of Tübingen, and University of Bonn. Distribution is event-based and geographically concentrated in Germany, with publications (Stiftungsreihe, Vorträge, press releases) and the foundation's website serving as the primary content channels. Barbara Frenz serves as Managing Director (Geschäftsführerin).

Name

Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation

Legal name

Hanns Martin Schleyer-Stiftung

Website

https://schleyer-stiftung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation is a German non-profit foundation founded in 1978 that promotes scientific exchange between young academics and practitioners through symposia, conferences, seminars, and three prestigious prizes in economics and science journalism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Science Promotion Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Science promotion foundation
• Academic exchange programs
• University policy symposia
• Research dialogue events
• Science journalism awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

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 Income: The foundation is a non-profit, scientifically-promoting foundation under private law that finances its work from investment returns on its endowment capital.
2. Donations: The foundation additionally depends on donations to fund its activities. Every donation goes directly to supporting projects.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation is a non-profit, science-promoting foundation under private German law that organizes academic exchange programs between young scientists and practitioners from business, politics, and media. Its core offerings include annual prizes (Hanns Martin Schleyer-Preis, Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preis, Universitas-Preis) and recurring event programs such as Hochschulsymposien, Förder-Kongresse, Universitätsseminare, Dozentenkolloquien, and FORUM BERLIN. All activities are offered free of charge to participants and funded through endowment investment returns and donations.

Product overview

The Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation is a German non-profit organization established in 1978, focused on promoting science and higher education. The foundation operates multiple interconnected programs: three award programs (Hanns Martin Schleyer-Preis, Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preis, and Universitas-Preis für Wissenschaftsjournalismus) recognizing excellence in science and science journalism; four event programs (Förder-Kongresse for junior scientists, Symposien including the annual Hochschulsymposium series, FORUM BERLIN, Universitätsseminare for student-practice dialogue, and Dozentenkolloquien for academic professionals); and the Jürgen Strube Lecture series. These programs work together to foster exchange between academia, business, politics, and society, with emphasis on topics including higher education policy, digitalization, and European integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hanns Martin Schleyer-Preis: The foundation's main prize awarded to outstanding individuals.
• Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preis
• Universitas-Preis

Products and services

• Hanns Martin Schleyer-Preis A prestigious prize awarded annually by the Hanns Martin Schleyer Foundation to recognize outstanding contributions to science and society, particularly in economics.
• Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preis Award for scientists and media professionals recognizing innovative solutions and presentations on current societal topics, funded from the Friedwart Bruckhaus Foundation that the Schleyer Foundation administers as trustee.
• Universitas-Preis für Wissenschaftsjournalismus Prize for outstanding media professionals who make science and scientific progress visible in their interaction with a free society, recognizing bridge-builders between research and the public.
• FORUM BERLIN Event series with prize award ceremonies held in Berlin, featuring prominent experts discussing current societal topics and alternating venues for the Friedwart Bruckhaus-Preis and Universitas-Preis ceremonies.
• Universitätsseminare Dialogue program between young scientists and practice bringing together selected students with experts from business, government, society, and media under academic leadership.
• Förder-Kongresse Interdisciplinary congresses for qualified junior scientists where participants present research findings in working groups and engage in discussion with experienced scientists and practitioners.
• Dozentenkolloquien Workshop-style discussions for future university lecturers from economics, law, cultural studies, and natural sciences, facilitating interdisciplinary research dialogue.
• Symposien (Hochschulsymposium series) Platforms for intensive professional discussion of current socio-political issues in public dialogue between science and practice, including the annual Hochschulsymposium series on higher education policy.
• Jürgen Strube Lecture Annual public lecture series established in 2015 featuring current topics in economics and politics, held in cooperation with renowned universities.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 and minor.

• Heinz Nixdorf StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing co-development partner with the Schleyer Foundation. The two foundations jointly organize the Hochschulsymposien series (University Symposia), the Universitas-Initiative including Universitätsseminare and Dozentenkolloquien, and the annual Förder-Kongresse. The Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung provides significant support for these programs that promote exchange between young scientists and practitioners.
• Otto Wolff StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner foundation that collaborates with the Schleyer Foundation on selected symposia, particularly those addressing topics in economic policy. The Otto-Wolff-Institut für Wirtschaftsordnung (Institute for Economic Order) works with the foundation on joint symposium programs.
• Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft (Helmholtz Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's largest scientific research organization partnered with the Schleyer Foundation on select Hochschulsymposien events. The collaboration brings together university leadership and non-university research institutions for discussions on higher education policy.
• Technische Universität München (TU Munich)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular co-host of the Hochschulsymposien series. TU Munich has been a key partner for multiple editions of the annual university symposium, addressing topics such as science careers, digital transformation, and the future of universities.
• Universität zu Köln (University of Cologne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner for the 'Dialog Wissenschaft und Praxis' (Dialogue Science and Practice) seminar series. The Institute for Economic Policy (iwp) at the University of Cologne organizes annual seminars and ring lectures in collaboration with the foundation.
• Various German UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation maintains partnerships with numerous German universities including LMU Munich, Humboldt University Berlin, FU Berlin, University of Leipzig, University of Mannheim, University of Tübingen, University of Bonn, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, and others for hosting seminars, colloquia, and symposia.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Otto Wolff Stiftung: A German private foundation focused on economic policy research and academic dialogue. It is a strategic co-development partner on selected Schleyer Foundation symposia and shares the science-promoting, university-linked operating model.
• Fritz Thyssen Stiftung: A German private foundation supporting science and research, particularly in economics, social sciences, and humanities. It is structurally similar to the Schleyer Foundation in operating model and focus on academic dialogue and exchange.
• Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung: A German science-promoting foundation that is the Schleyer Foundation's closest programmatic partner. It co-organizes the Hochschulsymposien, Universitas-Initiative, and Förder-Kongresse, and operates in an almost identical mission space promoting exchange between young scientists and practitioners.

Broad incumbents

• VolkswagenStiftung: One of Germany's largest science-promoting foundations with a much broader funding scope (research grants, conferences, international programs). It is comparable in mission (science promotion) but operates at significantly greater scale than the Schleyer Foundation.
• Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft: A German association of companies and foundations promoting science, education, and innovation. It is a broader umbrella organization serving similar science-promotion goals through membership-based and convening models.
• Körber-Stiftung: A Hamburg-based German private foundation operating major programs in science, education, and international dialogue. It overlaps with the Schleyer Foundation on science communication and academic dialogue programming.
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation: A major German foundation promoting international academic cooperation and supporting scientists. While primarily international in focus, it shares the Schleyer Foundation's science-promotion, fellowship, and academic exchange mission.

Emerging players

• Hans Böckler Stiftung: A German foundation promoting democratic values, education, and economic research with significant grantmaking for academic work. It is comparable as a German private foundation funding scholarly dialogue in economics and social sciences.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hanns-martin-schleyer-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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