Kavli Foundation

Kavli Foundation

The Kavli Foundation was established in 2000 by Norwegian-American entrepreneur Fred Kavli. Its wealth originated from Kavlico Corporation, a sensor manufacturer, and real estate holdings. The foundation operates as an independent nonprofit that endows research institutes and administers the biennial Kavli Prize. The foundation allocates capital across private equity and real estate. Current private equity exposure stands at 31.24 percent. Holdings include limited partnership interests in Makena Private Equity Fund II, Oaktree Value Opportunity Fund, Orchid Asia Fund IV and IMT Capital Fund VI. Real estate assets comprise the Los Angeles headquarters purchased for $12.3 million, Creekside Executive Center in Camarillo, California, and a joint-venture interest in Chicheley Hall in the United Kingdom. Additional properties are held in Norway through The Kavli Science and Education-Norway, LLC. The organization employs 35 professionals and maintains its headquarters in Los Angeles. It owns additional real estate and an art collection formerly belonging to Fred Kavli. In September 2024 the foundation sponsored The Kavli Prize Week in Oslo. It participates in the Science Philanthropy Alliance as a founding member and holds memberships in the BRAIN Initiative Alliance and Health Research Alliance. The foundation maintains a distinct governance structure that separates its grant-making mandate from investment operations. Investment decisions are executed through external advisors including Makena Capital Management while program activities remain under direct foundation control. This separation allows the board to focus on scientific priorities without managing day-to-day portfolio execution.