B&C Privatstiftung

B&C Privatstiftung is an independent Austrian private foundation (Privatstiftung) founded in December 2000 by Bank Austria and Creditanstalt. Its statutory purpose is the promotion of Austrian entrepreneurship, which it pursues primarily through long-term, stable shareholdings in Austrian industrial companies. Through its holding company, the B&C-Gruppe, it acts as a core shareholder in several listed and private businesses, including Lenzing AG, Semperit AG Holding, AMAG Austria Metall AG and VAMED AG. The foundation is headquartered in the Palais Ephrussi in Vienna. The foundation was created under the Austrian Private Foundation Act (Privatstiftungsgesetz, PSG) of 1993, which was designed to keep Austrian assets in the country, prevent fragmentation through inheritance, and secure domestic jobs. B&C Privatstiftung embodies these goals by providing stable ownership structures for Austrian industrial companies, independent of changes in ownership or third-party economic or political interests. Its activities are carried out through subsidiaries that exercise the core shareholder function. In addition to its investment activities, B&C Privatstiftung runs several philanthropic and educational initiatives. The Houskapreis, established in 2005, is one of Austria's largest private research prizes, awarded annually with a current endowment of EUR 750,000. The MEGA Bildungsstiftung, founded together with the Berndorf Privatstiftung, focuses on educational fairness and economic competence. The foundation also supports the Wiener Unternehmensrechtstag, the Österreichischer Aufsichtsratstag, the eXplore! initiative, and a endowed professorship for materials technology at the Montanuniversität Leoben. Since 2016, through B&C Innovation Investments GmbH, the group has invested in technology growth companies such as TTTech, Frequentis, Flightkeys, contextflow, TriLite, Kinexon, Citrine, klarx, Awake Mobility, neoom and ParityQC. The foundation's board consists of Erich Hampel (chairman), Wolfgang Hofer and Birgit Noggler. In 2019, UniCredit transferred the ultimate beneficiary status to the Commitment Privatstiftung, established by Austrian entrepreneurs, further anchoring the foundation's independence.

B&C Privatstiftung was founded in December 2000 by Bank Austria and Creditanstalt as an independent private foundation under the Austrian Private Foundation Act (Privatstiftungsgesetz, PSG) of 1993. The foundation was established to hold and manage significant non-banking participations of the two founding banks, thereby securing long-term Austrian ownership of industrial companies. From 2000 onwards, the foundation's former holding company, B&C Holding, acquired a series of major non-banking participations from Bank Austria and Creditanstalt. In return, Bank Austria Gruppe received profit participation rights (Substanzgenussrechte), entitling it to the majority of the B&C Group's ongoing earnings. This structure remained until the end of 2008, when B&C Privatstiftung, through its subsidiary B&C-Gruppe, bought back the profit participation rights from UniCredit Bank Austria AG. Since then, all dividend income has remained within the independent B&C Group and can be reinvested in accordance with the foundation's purpose. In 2016, the B&C Group expanded its investment focus through B&C Innovation Investments GmbH, taking stakes in technology growth companies. The portfolio has included TTTech, Frequentis, Flightkeys, contextflow, TriLite, Kinexon, Citrine, klarx, Awake Mobility, neoom and ParityQC, as well as an Austrian start-up fund. At the end of 2019, UniCredit transferred the ultimate beneficiary status to the Commitment Privatstiftung, an entity established by Austrian entrepreneurs. This step further strengthened the foundation's independence and its anchoring in Austrian entrepreneurial circles. Throughout its history, B&C Privatstiftung has also pursued philanthropic goals. In 2005 it created the Houskapreis, a research prize for economically relevant projects, named after former foundation member Wolfgang Houska. In 2015, on its 15th anniversary, it launched the Bildungspreis (Education Prize) with a total endowment of EUR 150,000, in cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of Education. The MEGA Bildungsstiftung was founded together with the Berndorf Privatstiftung to promote educational fairness and economic competence. The foundation also supports the Wiener Unternehmensrechtstag, the Österreichischer Aufsichtsratstag, the eXplore! initiative, and an endowed professorship at the Montanuniversität Leoben since 2014. The foundation is headquartered in the Palais Ephrussi in Vienna. Its board consists of Erich Hampel (chairman), Wolfgang Hofer and Birgit Noggler.

• 2019

  UniCredit transfers ultimate beneficiary status to Commitment Privatstiftung.

• 2016

  B&C Innovation Investments GmbH begins investing in technology growth companies.

• 2015

  Bildungspreis (Education Prize) launched on 15th anniversary.

• 2014

  Support begins for endowed professorship at Montanuniversität Leoben.

• 2008

  B&C Privatstiftung buys back profit participation rights from UniCredit Bank Austria AG.

• 2005

  Houskapreis research prize launched.

• 2000

  Foundation established in December by Bank Austria and Creditanstalt.

Independent Austrian private foundation and long-term core shareholder promoting domestic industry and entrepreneurship.

• Lenzing AG

• Semperit AG Holding

• AMAG Austria Metall AG

• VAMED AG

• TTTech

• Frequentis

• Flightkeys

• contextflow

• TriLite

• Kinexon

• Citrine

• klarx

• Awake Mobility

• neoom

• ParityQC

1. 1Privatstiftung - B&C-Gruppebcgruppe.at
2. 2B&C Privatstiftung - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3B&C Privatstiftung - Wikidatawikidata.org