What Asahi Glass Foundation does

The Asahi Glass Foundation (旭硝子財団) is a Japanese public interest incorporated foundation (公益財団法人) established in 1933 and headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Its stated mission is to contribute to the creation of a new society and civilization in which humanity can enjoy true prosperity, with current activity focused on environmental issues. The foundation operates four core program areas: the Blue Planet Prize (ブループラネット賞), an international environmental award established in 1992 and presented annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to solving global environmental problems; a research grant program supporting natural sciences and social problem-solving research; a scholarship program offering non-repayable scholarships and mentorship to outstanding graduate students; and an Environmental Education Support Program providing workshops, forums, and inquiry-based programs for younger generations.

The foundation's distinguishing operational asset is the Environmental Crisis Clock® (環境危機時計®), an annual expert survey launched in 1992 that publishes a hypothetical "time" representing the urgency of global environmental issues each September, supplemented since 2020 by a parallel consumer consciousness survey. Educational outreach extends through af Magazine (featuring researcher interviews), the Grin and Woodun comic series (teaching environmental concepts through Blue Planet Prize laureate stories), and the Blue Planet Prize Quiz card game. The foundation employs 1-10 staff and is governed by a board of directors and council members; it has no parent company, subsidiaries, or external shareholders.

As a non-profit, the foundation's revenue model is not commercial — funding derives from its endowment and contributions rather than product sales or fees. Its beneficiaries include academic researchers (grant recipients), graduate students (scholarship recipients), youth and the general public (education programs), and recognized environmental leaders (prize laureates). Recent activity through 2025-2026 shows continuity of all annual program cycles, with the addition of a new "Blue Planet Next Generation Exploration Program" in 2026 expanding its youth education footprint.

Name

Asahi Glass Foundation

Legal name

公益財団法人 旭硝子財団

Website

https://af-info.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Asahi Glass Foundation is a Tokyo-based Japanese public interest foundation established in 1933 that operates the international Blue Planet Prize, research grants, graduate scholarships, the Environmental Crisis Clock® survey, and youth environmental education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Grantmaking and Awards

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

Keywords

• Environmental grantmaking
• International environmental awards
• Research grants
• Graduate scholarships
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokio

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Asahi Glass Foundation is a nonprofit public interest incorporated foundation that administers the Blue Planet Prize international environmental award, funds natural science and social problem-solving research through its Research Grant Program, provides non-repayable scholarships to graduate students, publishes the annual Environmental Crisis Clock® survey tracking global environmental urgency, and runs environmental education support programs for youth and the general public.

Product overview

Asahi Glass Foundation is a public foundation established in 1933 that operates multiple environmental programs. The foundation offers the Blue Planet Prize international award, research grant programs for natural sciences and social problem-solving, scholarship programs for graduate students, and environmental education support initiatives. The Environmental Crisis Clock® tracks global environmental health through annual expert surveys. Through af Magazine, educational comics featuring Grin and Woodun characters, and the Blue Planet Prize Quiz, the foundation provides educational content about environmental issues to young generations and the general public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ブループラネット賞 (Blue Planet Prize): International environmental award established in 1992 to recognize individuals who have contributed to solving global environmental problems.
• 環境危機時計 (Environmental Crisis Clock)

Products and services

• Blue Planet Prize (ブループラネット賞) An international prize awarded annually to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to solving global environmental problems. The prize honors achievements in environmental protection and sustainability.
• Research Grant Program (研究助成プログラム) A grant program that supports natural science research and social problem-solving research aimed at building the next generation. Provides funding for domestic and international research projects addressing environmental challenges.
• Scholarship Program (奨学プログラム) A scholarship program providing non-repayable scholarships and mentorship opportunities (guidance and advice) to outstanding graduate students, supporting their academic advancement.
• Environmental Crisis Clock® (環境危機時計®) An annual survey and clock system that assesses the state of global environmental issues and human survival. The clock time is announced each September based on expert questionnaires, tracking environmental crisis awareness over time.
• Environmental Education Support Program (啓発支援プログラム) A program that provides opportunities for young generations to learn about, think about, and take action on environmental issues. Includes workshops, forums, and educational resources.
• af Magazine A digital magazine featuring interviews with active researchers about their environmental research and future visions. Showcases the thoughts and perspectives of researchers working on global environmental issues.
• Blue Planet Prize Quiz (ブループラネット賞クイズ) An interactive educational quiz (card game format) that teaches about environmental issues and the achievements of Blue Planet Prize laureates from 1992 to present. Features three difficulty levels: elementary, intermediate, and advanced.
• Grin and Woodun (ぐりんとウッドン) Comic series featuring original characters Grin and Woodun that teaches children about environmental issues through adventures and stories based on Blue Planet Prize laureates' research. Includes multiple comic series and educational content.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pew Charitable Trusts: Major U.S. philanthropic foundation with significant environmental and ocean conservation grantmaking programs. Comparable as an established grantmaking foundation with environmental focus, though significantly larger in endowment and operational scale.
• ClimateWorks Foundation: Global environmental grantmaking foundation that funds networks and projects to accelerate climate solutions. Comparable as a large-scale environmental grantmaking entity, though operationally distinct in focusing on systemic climate funding rather than individual recognition.
• The Energy Foundation: Major environmental grantmaking organization funding clean energy and climate solutions in the U.S. and China. Comparable as an environmental grantmaking foundation, though significantly larger in scale and focused on policy advocacy and direct grant deployment rather than individual awards.

Direct peers

• Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement: Internationally recognized environmental prize administered by USC, awarded annually since 1973 for outstanding contributions to environmental science and policy. Directly comparable as a prestigious international environmental award with similar scale and prestige to the Blue Planet Prize.
• Japan Prize Foundation: Japanese foundation administering the Japan Prize, an international award for original and outstanding achievements in science and technology. Comparable as a Japanese-headquartered foundation operating a prestigious international award with similar institutional structure and prestige-driven mission.
• Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation: Asia-based foundation administering an annual award recognizing individuals and organizations working for social progress, often including environmental themes. Comparable as an Asian-headquartered foundation administering a prestigious international individual award with similar regional credibility and structure.
• BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards: Spanish foundation offering annual awards across disciplines including ecology and conservation biology. Comparable as an internationally focused foundation administering prestigious awards including an environmental category, with similar mission of recognizing exceptional contributions to global challenges.
• Volvo Environment Prize: Annual prize awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the environment, founded in 1990. Directly comparable as a long-running international environmental award with similar prestige, funding source (corporate-backed foundation), and individual recognition model.
• Goldman Environmental Prize: Annual international award honoring grassroots environmental activists from six inhabited continental regions. Comparable to the Blue Planet Prize as a globally recognized individual environmental achievement award, though focused on activism rather than scientific contributions.

Regional players

• Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES): Japan-based policy research institute focused on sustainable development and environmental governance in the Asia-Pacific region. Comparable as a Japan-headquartered environmental organization operating in research, education, and policy engagement, though focused on research and policy rather than grantmaking and awards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BPP_Japan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AsahiGlassFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/bpprize

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Asahi Glass Foundation