Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft
A German not-for-profit association that strengthens education, science and innovation through funding, analysis, advice and networks.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, commonly known simply as Stifterverband, is a German registered not-for-profit association working at the intersection of education, science, innovation, business and civil society. Based in Essen with an additional office in Berlin, it uses donations and membership contributions to support programmes intended to improve the performance, openness and social value of Germany’s scientific and educational system. The organisation was established in 1920 under the name Stifterverband der Notgemeinschaft der deutschen Wissenschaft. Its original purpose was connected with supporting German science during a period when research institutions faced severe financial pressure. Over time, it developed into a broad-based intermediary organisation that brings together companies, foundations, private donors, researchers, universities, policymakers and other civil-society actors. Stifterverband’s work combines several functions. It analyses developments in education, research and innovation; advises institutions and decision-makers; provides financial support for projects and academic structures; and creates platforms through which science and business can cooperate. Its priorities include strengthening higher education, supporting young researchers, improving national and international collaboration, advancing innovation processes and making scientific knowledge more accessible to the public. Through the Deutsches Stiftungszentrum, or German Foundation Centre, Stifterverband also provides administrative and professional services for a large portfolio of foundations. The centre supports approximately 670 foundations, many of which pursue objectives related to science and education. This foundation infrastructure gives Stifterverband a role beyond direct grant-making: it helps donors establish, manage and deploy philanthropic capital for public-interest purposes. The association is primarily financed by contributions and donations from approximately 3,000 members. Its supporters include large corporations such as Deutsche Bank, Daimler and Bosch, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises and private individuals. According to the cited 2021 information, Stifterverband invested €44.5 million in support programmes during that year, with €11.6 million directed to endowed chairs at universities and universities of applied sciences. These figures describe programme spending in a specific year rather than commercial revenue or profit. Stifterverband operates a substantial awards and recognition portfolio. In cooperation with organisations including the German Research Foundation, the Helmholtz Association, the Max Planck Society, the German Rectors’ Conference, Leopoldina and the Volkswagen Foundation, it supports prizes for research communication, interdisciplinary work, teaching quality, socially relevant research and research-based start-ups. It has also administered the German Future Prize since 1997. Its public-policy role is particularly visible through the annual Research Summit, organised in Berlin since 2015 together with Leopoldina and the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation. The summit brings together roughly 400 participants from science, industry, politics and civil society to discuss Germany’s research and innovation system. Stifterverband therefore functions less like a conventional consumer-facing brand and more like a national science-and-education intermediary: it mobilises philanthropic resources, produces knowledge, supports institutions and encourages cooperation across sectors.
History
Stifterverband was founded in 1920 as Stifterverband der Notgemeinschaft der deutschen Wissenschaft, an emergency association established to support German science at a time when research institutions required additional private and philanthropic assistance. Its early structure was closely associated with industrial and business leaders, reflecting the organisation’s enduring belief that companies and private donors should contribute to the strength of the scientific system. The association’s leadership over the twentieth century included prominent figures from German industry and public life. Carl Friedrich von Siemens served as its first listed president from 1920 to 1934, followed by Carl Duisberg and Friedrich Schmidt-Ott. After the Second World War, Richard Merton led the organisation from 1949 to 1955. Later presidents included Ernst H. Vits, Hellmut Ley, Hans-Helmut Kuhnke, Klaus Liesen, Karlheinz Kaske, Arend Oetker and Andreas Barner. This succession reflects a model in which Stifterverband has been governed by senior representatives of business and public-interest institutions rather than by a conventional commercial management team. Across the post-war period, Stifterverband broadened its scope from emergency support for research to the long-term development of education, science and innovation. It began to fund and facilitate institutional structures, support young academics, encourage collaboration between universities and companies, and promote the public communication of research. Its activities also expanded into evaluation and policy analysis, allowing it to identify weaknesses in Germany’s research and innovation system and propose institutional or programme-level responses. A major part of this development has been the organisation’s foundation infrastructure. Through the Deutsches Stiftungszentrum, Stifterverband provides services to approximately 670 foundations, most of which support science, education or related public-interest objectives. The centre gives donors access to administrative, legal and organisational expertise and enables philanthropic funds to be channelled into structured programmes. This function complements Stifterverband’s own grant-making and makes it an intermediary between private wealth and public-interest research. Stifterverband has also built a wide awards portfolio. It has administered the German Future Prize since 1997 and cooperates with major German research and higher-education organisations on prizes for research communication, interdisciplinary research, higher-education teaching, socially relevant science and research-based entrepreneurship. The Communicator Award, presented with the German Research Foundation, recognises scientists who explain research effectively to non-specialist audiences. Other collaborations include the Erwin Schrödinger Award with the Helmholtz Association, the Ars legendi Award with the German Rectors’ Conference, and the Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Award with Leopoldina. The organisation’s place-making and public-engagement work has included the City of Science award, presented from 2004 to 2013. That programme recognised cities and metropolitan regions that integrated science into economic, cultural and public life and encouraged them to improve their support for research and public understanding. Since 2015, Stifterverband has organised the annual Research Summit in Berlin together with Leopoldina and the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation. The summit convenes representatives of science, business, government and civil society to debate national research and innovation policy. Topics have included artificial intelligence, post-coronavirus economic and innovation policy, generational renewal of the innovation system and new priorities for research policy. In 2020, the association marked its centenary and published a history of its development. In 2022, Michael Kaschke became president, succeeding Andreas Barner, while Volker Meyer-Guckel became secretary general. Today, Stifterverband remains a membership- and donation-financed association that combines philanthropy, programme management, research-based advice, awards, foundation services and cross-sector networking. Its current identity is that of an institutional partner for improving Germany’s education and science ecosystem rather than a conventional educational brand.
- 2022
Leadership transition and Max Planck start-up award
[1]Michael Kaschke became president, Volker Meyer-Guckel became secretary general, and a cooperation with the Max Planck Society on the Stifterverband's Max Planck Start-up Award was established.
- 2020
Centenary year
[1]Stifterverband marked 100 years of activity and published a centenary history.
- 2017
Genius Loci Award collaboration began
[1]In cooperation with the Volkswagen Foundation, Stifterverband began recognising excellence in university and advanced technical college teaching.
- 2015
Research Summit launched
[1]Stifterverband began organising an annual Berlin summit on research and innovation policy with Leopoldina and the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation.
- 2013
Andreas Barner became president
[1]Andreas Barner succeeded Arend Oetker as president.
- 2009
Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Award began
[1]Stifterverband and Leopoldina began awarding the prize every two years for research addressing major societal challenges.
- 2006
Ars legendi Award began
[1]The association began presenting the Ars legendi Award for outstanding university teaching in cooperation with the German Rectors’ Conference.
- 2004
City of Science award launched
[1]Stifterverband introduced an award recognising cities and metropolitan regions that made science an important part of economic and cultural life.
- 1999
Erwin Schrödinger Award collaboration began
[1]Together with the Helmholtz Association, Stifterverband began presenting the annual Erwin Schrödinger Award for interdisciplinary research.
- 1997
Administration of the German Future Prize began
[1]Stifterverband began administering the German Future Prize, including helping secure funding and organising the selection and presentation processes.
Products and positioning
A philanthropic and knowledge-based intermediary for Germany’s education, science and innovation ecosystem. Stifterverband positions itself as a convening organisation that connects donors, companies, universities, research institutions, policymakers and the public rather than as a commercial education provider.
Foundation administration and advisory services
Deutsches Stiftungszentrum
The German Foundation Centre is Stifterverband’s foundation-services platform. It supports hundreds of foundations, especially those focused on science and education, with professional administration and organisational infrastructure. Its role is to help donors establish and operate public-interest foundations and to ensure that philanthropic resources can be directed toward structured programmes and long-term objectives.
Conference and policy forum · 2015
Research Summit
The annual Research Summit in Berlin convenes experts from research, business, politics and civil society. It focuses on strategic questions affecting Germany’s research and innovation system, including artificial intelligence, resilience, future generations and changing innovation-policy priorities. Stifterverband organises it with Leopoldina and the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation.
Science communication award
Communicator Award
Presented with the German Research Foundation, the Communicator Award recognises scientists who communicate their research and its wider significance particularly effectively through media and public engagement. The award is open to researchers in all disciplines and is intended to strengthen public understanding of science.
Higher-education teaching award · 2006
Ars legendi Award
The Ars legendi Award recognises outstanding teaching in higher education. It is presented in cooperation with the German Rectors’ Conference and supports the visibility and professional status of excellent university instruction.
Institutional teaching award · 2017
Genius Loci Award for Excellence in Teaching
The Genius Loci Award recognises one university and one university of applied sciences for excellence in teaching. In cooperation with the Volkswagen Foundation, the programme provides each winner with funding to invite a visiting scholar specialising in teaching and learning in higher education.
Research entrepreneurship award · 2022
Stifterverband's Max Planck Start-up Award
Introduced in cooperation with the Max Planck Society, this biennial award highlights successful start-ups originating from the Max Planck research system that have achieved notable positive social impact.
Innovation prize administration · 1997
German Future Prize
Stifterverband has administered the German Future Prize since 1997. Its responsibilities include helping obtain the necessary award funding, supporting the relevant bodies and coordinating the selection and presentation process for notable scientific and technical achievements.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Research Summit
Germany
An annual cross-sector forum designed to bring together around 400 participants from science, business, politics and civil society to debate research and innovation policy.
Outcome. The summit became a recurring platform for national discussion of Germany’s innovation system.
- 2004City of Science
Germany
An award programme encouraging cities and metropolitan regions to strengthen science, connect it with business and culture, and communicate its importance to the public.
Outcome. The programme ran through 2013 and recognised regions where science played an important economic and cultural role.
Brand decisions
2022
Change in executive leadershipOtherBackground
Andreas Barner had served as president since 2013 and completed his tenure in 2021.
Action taken
Michael Kaschke became president in 2022, while Volker Meyer-Guckel became secretary general.
Aftermath
The transition preserved the association’s leadership structure while introducing a new presidential and executive-secretariat team.
2022
Launch of Max Planck start-up award cooperationOtherBackground
Stifterverband expanded its awards portfolio toward research-based entrepreneurship and societal impact.
Action taken
It began collaborating with the Max Planck Society on a biennial award for successful Max Planck start-ups.
Aftermath
The cooperation added an entrepreneurship and technology-transfer dimension to Stifterverband’s science-support activities.
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